Where Are You Standing?

“If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Sir Issac Newton

Recently I watched my first Sir Ken Robinson keynote — (http://nyscate.ning.com/) — you need to join the NING to watch it — but I promise you, it will leave you thinking….

Some people really like him — some people don’t —
He spoke in one place the entire time, with no slides (except a few promotional ones), and he talked…..people might like that, some people won’t.

But whether or not you enjoy his keynote or rip it to shreds…..he does often drop quotes that become quotables within the PLN…..and during his keynote….quotes were dropped left and right on twitter and on blog posts.

Then again, just recently, I watched twitter as another keynote was speaking and saw quote after quote after quote appear…..

and I began to wonder.

Are you standing on the shoulders of giants — or are you just getting a piggyback ride??

Now please don’t misunderstand my point — I am all for inspiration — smiles, just look up and read the quote I have on my blog header…….

but tell me what you think as well.

I don’t mind you quoting Sir Ken, Will Richardson, David Warlick, Kathy Schrock, Lucy Gray…..etc etc etc……and I do appreciate what they have to say…..I learn from them often……

but then I invite you to extend that thought to become your own….to work within your skin….to be usable, applicable, changeable (if necessary).

If you are going to tell me what so and so said — and then expand it to how that works within your world…..that is when you know you have seen further because you have stood on the shoulder of a giant….and seen what is ahead.

If you are only going to tell me what so and so said — without any further thought — I invite you to stop piggybacking and either get off or climb higher so that you can see with your own vision instead of limiting yourself to the vision of the giant.

Just my thoughts today!
I always invite your thoughts  as well.
Jen