If Minions Came to School

 What leader would you invite to come speak at our school?

Tall and two-eyed, Kevin is the iconic leader of the minions. He is selfless and strong, resilient and reliable, and always prioritizes the safety and well-being of his fellow minions. It may seem silly to speak so highly of a yellow capsule, but I think there is actually a lot we can learn from Kevin. Leading an entire population is arguably a difficult task to undertake, making Kevin a great example of many valuable traits in leadership and community. Kevin’s actions and treatment of his colleagues in various Despicable Me films demonstrate his kind heart and complete dedication to the well-being of others.

Kevin has a plethora of positive qualities, from his initiative to his intelligence. But I think the most valuable for all of society to learn from is his empathy-rooted selflessness. Society often preaches to “be kind,” “spread love, not hate,” etc. But I think we often confuse being “kind” with being “nice.” Niceness is passive positivity and pleasurable manners, while kindness stems from true empathy and self-willed effort to deeply consider others. Real kindness can be more difficult to come by these days, but I think there are so many global problems that could be solved much more easily if we take the time to practice true empathy. Only when we make the effort to put ourselves in other people’s shoes can we begin to actively understand how others experience the world. If we can constantly work towards understanding each other just a little bit better each day, feeling both the love and the pain, I think our world could foster so much more compassion and social harmony. And because mutual understanding leads to cooperation, and I strongly believe that what could be achieved with collaboration when people’s hearts are really into it would change our world.

But why would I pick a non-English speaking, goggled creature to speak for our beloved institution, instead of a regular human? Well, first, just imagine the Student Council lowering the mic for Kevin in Uni Gym. It would be the highlight of the year and really liven up our quarter assemblies, don’t you think? You may ask, how would we even understand him? A very valid question for which I did some research. Minionese is actually a fusion of many languages, including English, Dutch, Japanese, Italian, Korean, French, and more. Minionese was also designed to be universally understandable by heavily relying on tone, context, onomatopoeia, and visual cues. I don’t want to play too much into Uni’s reputation of having a bunch of smart or quirky kids, but I really think there are a lot of bright minds at Uni, and we would have a lot of creative ways to figure out what Kevin is trying to get through to us. 

Additionally, not that there’s anything wrong with regular empathetic people, but I think hearing certain messages in different ways can affect the impact they have on people. Because most, if not all of us have probably heard speeches about kindness and empathy before, and we need something new for a significant impact. Not only would Kevin totally capture everyone’s attention, but I also believe that a mild language barrier could compel a more meaningful connection. The audience must try harder to understand by actively listening and thinking carefully. The speaker would have to emphasize other methods of communication. Kevin wouldn’t be explaining technical analyses or complicated information to us because there’s no way we’d get all of that. The most effective way he would be able to communicate would be with his authentic feelings, and that is when geniunity shines through and touches people’s hearts.

It may be disappointing to hear that this glorious leader is no more than some pixels owned by the Illumination franchise. And even if he were real, I have no idea how we would ever get Kevin to come speak at our school. But think of it this way. Kevin’s not totally fake. He didn’t just spawn from nothing. He was thoughtfully designed and created by a team of real-life humans who wanted Kevin to be a vessel for inspiring empathy. So while Minions aren’t physically real, we can still learn from their characters. We can notice their pure joy in simple things and sincere love for each other, and choose to be inspired by that. He may just be an animated code, but if we look deeper into the purpose his story truly carries, Kevin can teach the world to be a kinder place for everyone.

Thank you for reading this blog. I am way over the word limit, unsure if my tone is consistent, and wonder if I need more reflection