A Little Common Sense Talk with Mike Rowe

7 Replies to “A Little Common Sense Talk with Mike Rowe”

1. Brilliant. Mike Rowe gets his points across in such a way that there is an automatic buy in. Excellent speaker and so different from the hate, hostility and anger of the left culture warriors. His point about Republicans believing in the US as the greatest country at 73% during Obama and now 77% under Trump while the Democrats and the left were, I believe, at 40% under Obama and now 37% under Trump is so indicative of politics today. Rowe speaks slowly enough that you can follow his thoughts while Ben speaks so quickly its hard to absorb his words.

2. I have said here before that Mike Rowe and Jordan Peterson would make an exceptional pairing in creating and promoting some desperately needed positive and inspirational guidelines for today’s young men….. women, too.

   1. That is an excellent idea. Shapiro is friends with Peterson – perhaps he could arrange an introduction.

   2. I agree. I have started a section on my blog titled “VOICES”. It includes Rowe and Peterson and others. It is a work in progress, so bear with me. All are invited… https://goo.gl/T3d27J

3. I didn’t know about Mike Rowe. Thank you for this. What a man! If people were to engage like this as a civil matter of course, the stupid polemics and echo chambers would lose credibility.

4. Mike Rowe is a very, very … very, smart man. He may be, in my opinion, THE single most important philosopher of our time. And I say that blowing right past his “dignity of blue collar work ethic” narrative (as important as it is). Right to his philosophy about life, happiness, and how to make sense of your place in this world. I grew up reading the book “I’m OK – You’re OK” about transactional analysis and all the “bad tapes” we have playing in our heads. I suggest that Mike Rowe’s book will be titled “I’m not OK – You’re not OK … and that’s OK”. Life is a struggle … at all times and in all places. Don’t be conformed and defined by the struggle, but by your success. Don’t make excuses for failure but learn from each experience. The goal of “happiness” is a fools errand … as is “following your passion”. Make your life, your passion. Make your job, your passion. Happiness will never be achieved by chasing things you don’t have … but for being grateful with what you DO have. Does that mean … “settling” for “inferior” things? Nope. But chasing illusions is a fools errand.

   There is a deep, deep, philosophy packed within Mike Rowe’s … aw shucks … homespun, humorous stories. And what makes him so important is how … “likeable” he is. His personality is carefully, thoughtfully, and intentionally shaped to … not offend. He understands that the “accessibility” of his message is that it is delivered with an even temper and treatment of all comers. Acknowledging the prefabricated, premeditated, “outrage” of today’s population, he positions himself (as he said) in the very narrow field of the Venn diagram where we can all still coexist.

   And his story about Trump sending him a signed bathrobe to auction-off for his Foundation speaks volumes about MY President. As does Bernie’s and HER failure to do the same.

5. That was a great interview. Ben Shapiro seemed to truly want to get Mike Rowe’s philosophy on jobs. Grew up in a community and at a time when getting a good education at high school so one could get out to university and the opportunities was very much pushed; on the other hand, one local high school had a “vocational-technical” program for boys (this WAS back in the day) preparing them for apprenticeships at the local smelter which had a very good apprenticeship program. So both sides were respected.

   Hasn’t been so in recent years; the trades have been denigrated by far too many “prominent” people who supposedly are “intellectual”. For myself, have always been grateful for the expertise of plumbers, electricians, etc., we have hired over the years; most recently, it was a very competent young plumber who re-organized his schedule to accommodate a frantic call from a family member whose water tank had gone “kaput” and who needed a replacement quickly (he was great, quick, and minimized mess; a lot of professionals need to acquire said competence in their said “superior” jobs). Seriously do NOT envy them their success; it’s been well earned. Okay, our offsprings went the academic route, but they all acquired professional degrees which meant decent jobs. Not one ever got a degree in “….. studies”.