Meet John Doe

I recently watched a movie called "Meet John Doe". It was alright, but it had a few monologues in it that really made me think. The first one was made by John Doe.

"I’m going to talk about us. The average guys. The John Does. If anybody should ask you what the average John Doe is like, you couldn’t tell him because he’s a million and one things. He’s Mr. Big and Mr. Small. He’s simple and he’s wise. He’s inherently honest, but he’s got a streak of larceny in his heart. He seldom walks up to a public telephone without shoving his finger into the slot to see if somebody left a nickel there. He’s the man the ads are written for. He’s the fella everybody sells things to. He’s Joe Doakes, the world’s greatest stooge and the world’s greatest strength. Yes sir, we’re a great family, the John Does. We are the meek who are supposed to inherit the earth. You’ll find us everywhere. We raise the crops, we dig the mines, work the factories, keep the books, fly the planes and drive the buses. And when a cop yells stand back there you, he means us. The John Does. We’ve existed since time began. We built the pyramids, saw Christ crucified, pulled the oars for Roman emperors, sailed the boats for Columbus, retreated from Moscow with Napoleon, and froze with Washington at Valley Forge. Yes, sir, we’ve been in there dodging left hooks since before history began to walk. In our struggle for freedom, we’ve hit the canvas many a time, but we always bounce back because we’re the people and we’re tough. They’ve started a lot of talk about free people goin soft, that we can’t take it. That’s a lot of Hooey. A free people can beat the world at anything, from war to tiddlywinks if we all pull in the same direction. I know a lot of you are saying, what can I do? I’m just a little punk. I don’t count. Well you’re dead wrong. The little punks have always counted because in the long run the character of a country is the sum character of it little punks. But we’ve all got to get in there and pitch. We can’t win the old ballgame unless we have teamwork. And that’s where every John Doe comes in. It’s up to him to get together with his teammate. And your teammate, my friend, is the guy next door to you. Your neighbor, he’s a terribly important guy, that guy next door. You’re gonna need him and he’s gonna need you. So look him up! If he’s sick, call on him. If he’s hungry, feed him. If he’s out of a job, find him one. To most of you, your neighbor is a stranger. A guy with a barking dog and a high fence around him. Now you can’t be a stranger to any guy who’s on your own team. So tear down the fence that separates you, tear down the fence, and you’ll tear down a lot of hates and prejudices. Tear down all the fences in the country and you’ll really have teamwork. I know a lot of you are sayin to yourself, “He’s askin for a miracle to happen. He’s expectin people to change all of a sudden.” Well you’re wrong. It’s no miracle. It’s no miracle because I see it happen once every year. And so do you. At Christmastime. There’s something swell about the spirit of Christmas. To see what it does to people. All kinds of people. Now why can’t that spirit, that same warm Christmas spirit, last the whole year round? Gosh, it ever did, if each and every John Doe would make that spirit last 365 days out of the year, we’d develop such a strength, we’d create such a tidal wave of goodwill that no human force could stand against it. Yes sir, my friends, the meek can only inherit the earth when the John Does start loving their neighbors. You better start right now. Don’t wait til the game is called on account of darkness. Wake up, John Doe; you’re the hope of the world."

The second one was from another guy in the movie. It's pretty funny, but this is kind of how I feel about money!

What Is a Heelot?

"Listen, sucker, you ever been broke? You’re walking along, not a nickel in your jeans, you’re free as the wind, nobody bothers you. Hundreds of people pass you by in every line of business. Shoes, hats, automobiles, radios, furniture, everything. And they’re all nice loveable people. And they let you alone. Is that right? Then you get ahold of some dough and what happens? All those nice, sweet, loveable people become Heelots. A lot of heels! They begin creepin up on you, tryin to sell ya something. They get long claws, and they get a stranglehold on you. And you squirm and you duck and you holler and you try to push them away but you haven’t got a chance, they got ya! First thing you know, you own things, a car for instance. Now your whole life is messed up with a lot more stuff. You got license fees, and number plates, and gas, and oil, and taxes, and insurance, and identification cards, and letters, and bills, and flat tires, and dents, and traffic tickets, and motorcycle cops, and courtrooms, and lawyers, and fines, and a million and one other things. And what happens? You’re not the free and happy guy you used to be. You got to have money to pay for all those things. So you go after what the other fella’s got. And there you are. You’re a Heelot yourself."