Australia’s newest PM, Kevin Rudd, is visiting primary schools in his endeavor to get his ‘education revolution’ started and is visiting one particular classroom. The kids were in the middle of a discussion related to words and meanings and the teacher asks Rudd (who just happened to be picking earwax out of his ears) if he would lead the class in the discussion of the word ‘tragedy’. “No problem,” says Rudd as he slyly gets rid of the earwax, “can anyone give me an example of a tragedy?”
This little girl stands up and says, If my best friend gets run over by a car, that would be a tragedy.”
“No,” says Rudd, “that would be an accident.”
Another girl raises her hand and says, “If a school bus carrying 45 kids ran off a cliff and everybody died, that would be a tragedy.”
“Sorry”, says Rudd “but that is what we call a great loss.”
The room goes really quiet and no-one seems to want to contribute anymore after getting shot down for what seemed reasonable answers. “I’m sure that someone here can give me an example of a tragedy.”
Then in the back of the room a boy stands up and says, “If you and Mrs. Rudd were in a plane and a terrorist missile struck it blowing it to bits, I reckon that would be a tragedy.”
“That’s great,” says Rudd “and can you tell me why that would be a tragedy?”
“Well,” says the boy, “because it wouldn’t be an accident and it wouldn’t be a great loss.”
