I was watching the television show “Breaking Bad” last night and was struck by a scene in the show that really should be an education for our children. Now, I know the scene was meant to be funny and not taken serious, but I also know that there was a subtle social commentary that went with it.

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last five years, you probably already know that “Breaking Bad” is about a chemistry teacher who contracts cancer and must make money to pay for his treatments and support his family. He does this by cooking a high grade of meth and selling it. The show is twisted, depressing and shocking. But it is also brilliantly written and acted.

Before I can give my commentary, I must first set up and explain the scene. I won’t go into every detail (that will require a blog entry of its own), but you will get the idea. two planes collide over the Walt’s neighborhood one day (there is a story that I won’t get into). Walt is a chemistry teacher for the local high school. The principle decided to have a grief counseling rally with the students. The principle forces the student to speak and express their feelings even though it appears most really are not thinking too much about it.

Finally, when none of the students speak, the principle pressures the staff to speak. When none want to, she forces the microphone into Walt’s hand and makes him address the students. This is Walt’s speech:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-8FB6k8jik

First off, I know this was meant to be uncomfortably funny. And that of “the systems”. It also shows the mindset that Walt has. But I believe the writers wanted to show so much more. The scene starts with a student saying that the stress of the crash should be contemplated upon, and this contemplation can only be done without homework or tests. This student is shutdown right away. The principle pushes the students for more input. Finally, a student gives a heartfelt speech but she used the “G” word (that’s God if you don’t know). The principle acknowledges the student’s pain but asks her to keep her emotions on a more “secular” level. Finally, she pushes the cancer-stricken Walt to speak (which is the speech above).

First, I want to give a critical explanation of the scene then point out why Walt’s advice is strong advice for the youth and probably should be listened to by the teachers (the system).

The first thing I noticed with the scene is that there actually was a grief counseling rally. And that none of the students really seemed to be too affected. In fact, most seemed bored with the event. None mentioned they had seen much and the only student who appeared upset was upset about the THOUGHT of others dying in the tragedy, not because they were suffering from witnessing the event. This is the first problem with our school system and we hear about this on the news weekly. It is the enabling and fostering of the victim mentality. The children were not affected by the plane crash. They had nothing to say. One even made fun of it. But the principle’s pushing forced some of the student’s to say something emotional. Which is what the principle (and the system) wants. Well, as long as God is not being referenced.

Walt’s speech went to the other side of the spectrum from that of the school administration (much to the chagrin of the principle). His comparing the plane crash to the others in history make this plane crash insubstantial (except for those who were aboard one of the planes), fifty-third in history. The moral of Walt’s comparison: that life is short and we should not spend too much time contemplating of tragedy. We are alive, they are dead and we should appreciate life and continue on, living.

Walt’s speech, though simple and cold, is pretty accurate. The real world is hard and bad things happen. How we are successful is how well we handle those bad things and move on. Our schools, led by political correctness and the need to “fill the emotional tanks” of our children, do a disservice to our children. It does not prepare them for the harsh reality that life is going to throw at them. All the babying is not going to help our children to getting and keeping jobs. Bosses do not care about filling the emotional tanks of the young. And customers do not care about how the person helping him is dealing with tragedy. When the terrorist attacks of 9/11 happened, I still had to go to work. My boss didn’t care how I was feeling about it. When I was in school, my teachers did not care about why my project wasn’t turned in on time.

That is reality. And I lived through it since middle school. And I am prepared for life’s little problems. I’m not sure my children are.