Public Misconceptions
Contrary to a popular rumor, Spock's son did not commit suicide. Spock had two children: Michael and John. Michael was formerly the director of the Boston Children's Museum and since retired from the museum profession. John is the owner of a construction firm. However, Spock's grandson Peter did commit suicide on December 25, 1983 at the age of 22 by jumping from the roof of the Boston Children's Museum. He had long suffered from schizophrenia.
"Dr. Spock" is sometimes confused with the fictional character "Mr. Spock" from Star Trek. Trek creator Gene Roddenberry said he did not intentionally dub the character after Dr. Spock, but rather wanted to imbue his stoic creation with a strong-sounding, monosyllabic name.
Read more about this topic: Benjamin Spock
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“Nothing is so foolish, they say, as for a man to stand for office and woo the crowd to win its vote, buy its support with presents, court the applause of all those fools and feel self-satisfied when they cry their approval, and then in his hour of triumph to be carried round like an effigy for the public to stare at, and end up cast in bronze to stand in the market place.”
—Desiderius Erasmus (c. 1466–1536)