What qualifies as a tragedy?

[genie47]

President Bush was visiting a primary school and he visited one of the classes. They were in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings. The teacher asked the President if he would like to lead the discussion on the word "tragedy." So the illustrious leader asked the class for an example of a tragedy. One little boy stood up and offered:"If my best friend, who lives on a farm, is playing in the field and a tractor runs over him and kills him, that would be a tragedy." "No," said the President, "that would be an accident." A little girl raised her hand. "If a school bus carrying 50 children drove over a cliff killing everyone inside, that would be a tragedy." "I'm afraid not," explained the President. "That's what we would call a great loss." The room went silent. No other children volunteered. The President searched the room, "Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of a tragedy?" Finally, at the back of the room, a small boy raised his hand. In a quiet voice he said, "If Air Force One carrying you and the First Lady were struck by a 'friendly fire' missile and blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy." "FANTASTIC!" exclaimed the President. "That's right. And can you tell me why that would be a tragedy?" "Well," said the boy, "it has to be a tragedy because it certainly wouldn't be a great loss and it probably wouldn't be an accident either."

 

[michaelc80]

This stuff has no place on the board.

 

[moribundman]

That "joke" also fails to explain what exactly a tragedy is. People use the term generally in an inaccurate manner -- expecially the talking heads on the news have no clue!

 

[439SW]

 

[Pablo]

Not funny - if Kennedy, Fararakkkan and Clinton (KFC) were on the plane it'd be a festival of lights. But certainly not a tragedy.

 

[Shannow]

I've seen that joke with Dubya, Clinton, Howard and Keating in the punch line. Usually uses great loss, and unfortunate (rather than accident) Always funny

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by Pablo: Not funny - if Kennedy, Fararakkkan and Clinton (KFC) were on the plane it'd be a festival of lights. But certainly not a tragedy.

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The funny part was Bush attempting to tell somone else how to use a word