Seemingly trivial things that elicit an emotional response of some kind

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briantrumpet

Timewaster
Honorary Degrees & Doctorates
People awarded them in an academic field well they have their academic track record yet not followed through the work required for the Honorary Degrees & Doctorates so what justified the award?

Those awarded for not academic reasons eg Ms Billy Jean King getting awarded an honorary degree.

To me it denigrates degrees and doctorates awarded to those who have spent a lot of effort, done the work, proved their capability, etc. to achieve the award.

Quite a few a bit like FIFA Peace Prize.

I think it's just an accepted way of getting a free motivational speech from someone who might be famous. I think everyone recognises them for what they are, and it's just a bit of dressing up, as everyone else is wearing silly gowns.

Mind you, I think I should get one for having done the music for 400 degree ceremonies, a milestone which should be passed in July.
 

briantrumpet

Timewaster
And, to be fair, most Honorary Graduates do reference the fact that they haven't earned their honorary degrees (sometimes very self deprecatingly), whereas the real ones have.

This was one of the funniest - Floella Benjamin's "He's going to be a good boy today", was not only because they had censored his first speech script for 'language', but I think it was a reminder for him not to misbehave.

 
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secretsqirrel

Über Member
I think it's just an accepted way of getting a free motivational speech from someone who might be famous. I think everyone recognises them for what they are, and it's just a bit of dressing up, as everyone else is wearing silly gowns.

Mind you, I think I should get one for having done the music for 400 degree ceremonies, a milestone which should be passed in July.

I can’t cope with 25 degrees today. 400 in July will finish me off :heat:
 

Ian H

Shaman
I think it's just an accepted way of getting a free motivational speech from someone who might be famous. I think everyone recognises them for what they are, and it's just a bit of dressing up, as everyone else is wearing silly gowns.

Mind you, I think I should get one for having done the music for 400 degree ceremonies, a milestone which should be passed in July.

Is that one per year?
 

Beebo

Legendary Member
Honorary Degrees & Doctorates
People awarded them in an academic field well they have their academic track record yet not followed through the work required for the Honorary Degrees & Doctorates so what justified the award?

Those awarded for not academic reasons eg Ms Billy Jean King getting awarded an honorary degree.

To me it denigrates degrees and doctorates awarded to those who have spent a lot of effort, done the work, proved their capability, etc. to achieve the award.

Quite a few a bit like FIFA Peace Prize.

Kermode and Mayo often play up to this.
With Kermode referred to as the Good Doctor, having earned his qualification whilst Simon Mayo is the bad doctor as he got given his.

Surely no one takes these thing seriously. Apparently David Attenborough has 32 separate degrees.
 
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