Talladega Teachings
“It's because it's what you love, Ricky. It is who you were born to be. And here you sit, thinking. Well, Ricky Bobby is not a thinker. Ricky Bobby is a driver. He is a doer. And that's what you need to do. You don't need to think. You need to drive. You need speed. You need to go out there, and you need to rev your engine. You need to fire it up. You need to grab hold of that line between speed and chaos, and you need to wrestle it to the ground like a demon cobra! And then, when the fear rises up in your belly, you use it. And you know that fear is powerful, because it has been there for billions of years. And it is good. And you use it. And you ride it; you ride it like a skeleton horse through the gates of hell, and then you win, Ricky. You WIN! And you don't win for anybody else. You win for you, you know why? Because a man takes what he wants. He takes it all. And you're a man, aren't you? Aren't you?”
If you are wondering who Ricky Bobby is and what he is doing on my blog, let me tell you that I personally don’t know him. He is this character from the movie “Talladega Nights – The Ballads of Ricky Bobby.” I am not be acquainted with him, but I am sure there is a Ricky Bobby in every neighbourhood - who is afraid of losing, who fears the consequences so much that he doesn’t reach action, who cages his minds in the bars of society, who lets insanity rule when it shouldn’t.
I saw the movie today evening. It was not critically acclaimed, nor did it break any box office records, but what it did was made me laugh and taught me quite a few lessons. These basic and more or less known philosophies were spiced with humour and melodrama and crudely sautéed with human emotions and beliefs that both you and I would have easily associated with. The opening paragraph gives a gist of it all – our story in every line, a part of us in every phrase, true in a frame of time.
Lesson 1: It’s because it’s what you love.
Not many of us understand it’s meaning until we get our foot so deep in the sands of what we thought we liked. When you do face the truth, you are so stuck that you can’t get a move on.
Lesson 2: It’s what you were born to be.
Destiny, regardless of whether you believe in it, plays its role and leads you when you don’t know where you are going.
Lesson 3: And here you sit, thinking. Well, Ricky Bobby is not a thinker. Ricky Bobby is a driver. He is a doer.
Looking before you leap is good, but over doing it isn’t. Remember, your goal was to leap, and circumspection was a means to increase the probability of success.
Lesson 4: And that's what you need to do. You don't need to think. You need to drive. You need speed. You need to go out there, and you need to rev your engine. You need to fire it up.
Yes, doing is not enough in today’s world. We keep thinking and thinking and thinking, and then we start doing, but we must not forget that there are others who have begun too, some even before us. People say at the end of the rat race called life, we are still rats, but even rats follow a hierarchy in their clans.
Lesson 5: You need to grab hold of that line between speed and chaos, and you need to wrestle it to the ground like a demon cobra!
This was by far my favourite. The line dividing speed and chaos is thin and slippery. Getting hold of it is tough and staying in control even more. Our life today is so stressful because we don’t take control of the line, but then, not everyone sees the bigger problem with their myopic foresight.
Lesson 6: And then, when the fear rises up in your belly, you use it. And you know that fear is powerful, because it has been there for billions of years. And it is good. And you use it. And you ride it; you ride it like a skeleton horse through the gates of hell…
Fear can make us do many things which we won’t otherwise. Being chased in a marathon by a bear will make you last far longer than you would other wise, no matter your usual stamina levels. But yes, it can have negative influences too. So if you are trying to wield its powers, you better be sure.
Lesson 7: …and then you win, Ricky. You WIN!
Winning and losing is a part of the game (I can sense those I have heard that before vibes from you now). But then winning is what makes you nostalgic, winning is what makes you feel good about yourself, winning is what creates a niche for you, so if you do not win, at least make sure you tried.
Lesson 8: And you don't win for anybody else. You win for you, you know why? Because a man takes what he wants. He takes it all. And you're a man, aren't you? Aren't you?
Let us not confuse this with team work. In the context of the movie, it meant that you don’t win for impressing people or for building a fan-following, you win because you have worked for it. The adulation and perks are a by-product. Don’t let them get into your head.
I have analysed it a bit too far I guess, but I hope it has made a good read!More Talladega quotes over here though this was by far the best and most meaningful. But some of them are rib-tickling, especially the grace.
Shake and bake man, shake and bake!!
If you are wondering who Ricky Bobby is and what he is doing on my blog, let me tell you that I personally don’t know him. He is this character from the movie “Talladega Nights – The Ballads of Ricky Bobby.” I am not be acquainted with him, but I am sure there is a Ricky Bobby in every neighbourhood - who is afraid of losing, who fears the consequences so much that he doesn’t reach action, who cages his minds in the bars of society, who lets insanity rule when it shouldn’t.I saw the movie today evening. It was not critically acclaimed, nor did it break any box office records, but what it did was made me laugh and taught me quite a few lessons. These basic and more or less known philosophies were spiced with humour and melodrama and crudely sautéed with human emotions and beliefs that both you and I would have easily associated with. The opening paragraph gives a gist of it all – our story in every line, a part of us in every phrase, true in a frame of time.
Lesson 1: It’s because it’s what you love.
Not many of us understand it’s meaning until we get our foot so deep in the sands of what we thought we liked. When you do face the truth, you are so stuck that you can’t get a move on.
Lesson 2: It’s what you were born to be.
Destiny, regardless of whether you believe in it, plays its role and leads you when you don’t know where you are going.
Lesson 3: And here you sit, thinking. Well, Ricky Bobby is not a thinker. Ricky Bobby is a driver. He is a doer.
Looking before you leap is good, but over doing it isn’t. Remember, your goal was to leap, and circumspection was a means to increase the probability of success.
Lesson 4: And that's what you need to do. You don't need to think. You need to drive. You need speed. You need to go out there, and you need to rev your engine. You need to fire it up.
Yes, doing is not enough in today’s world. We keep thinking and thinking and thinking, and then we start doing, but we must not forget that there are others who have begun too, some even before us. People say at the end of the rat race called life, we are still rats, but even rats follow a hierarchy in their clans.
Lesson 5: You need to grab hold of that line between speed and chaos, and you need to wrestle it to the ground like a demon cobra!
This was by far my favourite. The line dividing speed and chaos is thin and slippery. Getting hold of it is tough and staying in control even more. Our life today is so stressful because we don’t take control of the line, but then, not everyone sees the bigger problem with their myopic foresight.
Lesson 6: And then, when the fear rises up in your belly, you use it. And you know that fear is powerful, because it has been there for billions of years. And it is good. And you use it. And you ride it; you ride it like a skeleton horse through the gates of hell…
Fear can make us do many things which we won’t otherwise. Being chased in a marathon by a bear will make you last far longer than you would other wise, no matter your usual stamina levels. But yes, it can have negative influences too. So if you are trying to wield its powers, you better be sure.
Lesson 7: …and then you win, Ricky. You WIN!
Winning and losing is a part of the game (I can sense those I have heard that before vibes from you now). But then winning is what makes you nostalgic, winning is what makes you feel good about yourself, winning is what creates a niche for you, so if you do not win, at least make sure you tried.
Lesson 8: And you don't win for anybody else. You win for you, you know why? Because a man takes what he wants. He takes it all. And you're a man, aren't you? Aren't you?
Let us not confuse this with team work. In the context of the movie, it meant that you don’t win for impressing people or for building a fan-following, you win because you have worked for it. The adulation and perks are a by-product. Don’t let them get into your head.
I have analysed it a bit too far I guess, but I hope it has made a good read!More Talladega quotes over here though this was by far the best and most meaningful. But some of them are rib-tickling, especially the grace.
Shake and bake man, shake and bake!!
Comments
Number of comments: 0 (Yes...we can't exactly play to the gallery when it sounds even remotely didactic)
Number of references: 1 (Speaking of only one inspiration; either a biography or a book or a movie gives a post a kind of integrity which overview and 'anthology'-type posts don't)
Number of lessons: Numberless (We need to start some place and stop place, knowing full well that what has been set in motion in the writer's and reader's mind is an ongoing thought process)
There are some thoughts which posts can't express. For everything else, there's blogspot!
You just changed the statistics. No. of comments is no longer zilch. [;)]
The fact will always remain that the majority loves provocative writing spiced with gossip and fun and not a sensible and thought-oriented post, but then those of us who wish to write them are free to do so! It's our blog.
Like lesson no.8, i only write for myself.