"Those who can't do, teach. And those who can't teach, teach gym" Woody Allen
Those who can't
Have you ever heard the saying from Woody Allen, "Those who can't do, teach. And those who can't teach, teach gym"? Well if you have, I wanted to discuss if there is any truth to the statement. I picked five of the top fictional characters who not only were able to teach but could do also. These teachers always have wise words or a lesson to teach. Besides being endowed with wisdom, their abilities physically are unmatched.
The List
Yoda
Yoda is a character from the movie 'Star Wars' that teaches Luke Skywalker about the force. When you first meet Yoda he seems like an innocent creature that couldn't cause any damage. He is a witty character who enjoys sarcasm. We weren't able to see Yoda's true abilities until later movies, that were actually prequels. Yoda is definitely a force to reckoned with and wise beyond his years. I mean let's face Yoda is a badass who is over 900 years old today.
“PATIENCE YOU MUST HAVE my young padawan”
Yoda
Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing
Patrick Swayze's character Johnny in the famous movie 'Dirty Dancing' had some great dance moves. This happens to be my mom's favorite movie, so I figured I'd include him on the list. Johnny teaches Baby how to dance... dirty, very dirty. He proved himself to be a teacher and a doer. Not only that, Johnny also had his trademark line, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner". Don't mess with Patrick, and don't forget his role in the movie 'Roadhouse' where he was a bouncer that cleaned up a rough bar.
“Look, spaghetti arms. This is my dance space. This is your dance space. I don’t go into yours, you don’t go into mine. You gotta hold the frame.”
Johnny
Master Oogway
Master Oogway was the master of all the martial arts students. He gave the Kung Fu Panda the insight to find his own style. Oogway was an inspirational teacher who happened to be a slow turtle. This slow turtle has super powerful moves. In martial arts, it is not how fast or strong you are, it is about concentration and patience.
"...yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.
Master Oogway
Ip Man
Ip Man was Bruce Lee's teacher. He can fight more than ten men at once without breaking a sweat. You won't want to get in Ip Man's way when he is angry. Ip Man doesn't fight for fun. He tries to stay away from violence, but if you push him he will not back down. Not only can this powerhouse fight he can teach a whole factory of average people how to fight to defend themselves.
"Do not fight with the strength, absorb it, and it flows, use it."
Yip Man
Mr. Miyagi
How can I leave the great Mr. Miyagi out of the list? This guy contributed to my childhood in the movie 'Karate Kid'. It was an epic tale of a young boy needing guidance against the local high school bullies. They were going to ruin Daniel Russo's reputation, which would make his life even harder being the "new kid". Miyagi made it point to teach this child life lessons that he would never forget. Like the time he taught Daniel Sun how to catch a fly with chopsticks. Mr. Miyagi's style of teaching martial arts in unparalleled to anyone else's approach. Not only did he teach Daniel to stand up for himself, he protected him from his attacks on a few occasions. Miyagi has that hidden talent that you would never think of an older man. Don't mess with Miyagi or he may honk your nose. HONK!!!
“First learn stand, then learn fly. Nature rule Daniel son, not mine”
Mr. Miyagi
Then Again
It looks as though some people can teach and do at the same time. These are almost all fictional characters, with an exception of Ip Man, it wouldn't be hard to relate them to people in the real world. It is nice to imagine that people actually do have magical powers and can do the impossible. The truth is anything is possible. There are people who can do amazing things. So the lesson is, don't do less than your best and remember not to anger people wiser than you.
@johnnyyash in Athens, Greece @ Acropolis of Athens
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Sincerely Yours,
@johnnyyash
Excellent post, as usual. I especially appreciate your sense of humor and imagination. This is the best defense of gym teachers I never imagined! Delightful and hilarious.
Thank you very much. Appreciate the comment.
Lol
I remember when I told my dad that I wanted to be a teacher. His response - "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." I decided not to be a teacher, but I think you're right. Obviously, some people that are very capable of doing, also teach.
I guess the saying fits certain people, but not all. Thanks for the comment!