Ferris Bueller, despite being completely fictional, is one of the greatest champions of American youth. After watching the film enough times to rewrite the script from memory, Ferris has become my personal philosophical hero. The 1986 comedy is an exaggerated portrayal of the classic “playing hooky” theme. Although crashing a car through plate glass and whimsically preforming on parade floats errs a little extreme, Ferris does not fail to shed some light on the thoughts and feelings associated with impending adulthood. Hilarious as it is thought provoking, here is a short list of every time Ferris encouraged us to view life a bit more optimistically.
1. “-isms in my opinion are not good. A person should not believe in an -ism, he should believe in himself.”
Whether it be socialism or Catholicism be sure that whatever -ism you identify under is an accurate representation of who you are. Never force yourself into a mold for which you do not fit. Stay true to the actions that exemplify the values you believe are the most important, regardless of societal pressures.
2. “Pardon my French, but Cameron is so tight that if you stuck a lump of coal up his ass, in two weeks you’d have a diamond.”
We’ve all met that person that takes everything way too seriously. Sometimes you can’t help but want to shake them. Life is full of stress and pressure, but beauty is hard to see without accepting the things we cannot change.
3. “ ‘cause you can’t respect somebody who kisses your ass, it just doesn’t work.”
Here Ferris gives us a bit of romantic advice. Relationships are not about gaining control over another person. Respect and effort should operate on a mutual give and take basis. Saying and doing things solely to please another will ultimately be obsolete.
4. “I am not going to sit on my ass as the events that affect me unfold to determine the course of my life.”
This one speaks for itself. You have control of your own destiny. Enough said.
5. “Anything is peaceful from one thousand, three hundred, fifty three feet.”
There is something to say about perspective. From a distance, it often seems that everyone else has it all together while you are broke, hungry, and emotionally unstable. The chaos of your own life seems so tangible because you are too close to it. It’s likely many people are looking at you wondering how you wake up everyday with such poise.
6. “The question isn’t “what are we going to do?” The question is, “what aren’t we going to do?””
The perfect ode to youth. Take advantage of being young and explore every opportunity that is presented to you. You could find a person, place, or activity that changes your life for the better.
7. “You’re not dying, you just can’t think of anything good to do.”
Heartache and disappointment are inevitable in this life. Although it is comforting to indulge in brief sessions of wallowing in self pity, channel that negative energy into something new.
8. “It’s understanding that makes it possible for people like us to tolerate a person like yourself.”
It is likely you will meet people you just don’t vibe with in this life. Sometimes those people just straight up suck. Regardless, treating people with respect (and sometimes a little sarcasm) will leave you on the winning side of most verbal battles.
9. “I don’t care, I really don’t. I’m just tired of being afraid.”
Due to past experiences, we often stop ourselves from trying new things or taking risks. However, there is a fine line between responsibility and cowardice. Never leave yourself wondering what could have been.
10. “First of all, you can never go too far. Second of all, if I’m going to get caught, it’s not gonna be by a guy like that.”
Confidence is everything. Even if you don’t have it, pretend like you do. You might be surprised at the outcome.
11. “Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Finally, my favorite quote of all time. I often find myself looking forward to the weekend or the next interesting person I will meet. This can be so distracting from the moment. This quote reminds me to stop and appreciate where I’ve been, where I am currently, and where I’m going. Although I believe it is important to set endless goals for the future, I also think it is equally important to recognize the great people and things I already have.
So there you have it, some legitimate wisdom from a character that reminds us that you are never too old to feel young. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is currently on Netflix (you’re welcome). Stop what you’re doing, go watch, now.
