I think it would be hard for one to say the name “Nick Offerman” in conversation on a college campus and not elicit some kind of response. The 46-year-old actor is best known for his portrayal of Ron Swanson on the hit TV show “Parks and Recreation.” His role as the government hating head of a government branch bought him huge recognition and also branded him as one of the more unique talents out there today.

Complementing this, Offerman is also a woodworker, author and stage performer. Offerman came to Gallagher-Bluedorn on Friday as part of his newest tour, “Full Bush.”

After watching his Netflix special “American Ham” and thoroughly enjoying his work on “Parks and Recreation,” I thought I knew what I was getting into when I went to his show. He’s not a stand-up comedian per se; what he does cannot really be called jokes. He played guitar and actually sung a lot, which surprised me. And while his songs were definitely funny, there was always some wisdom or something deeper behind them.

His rant about Facebook was particularly poignant. After the show ended, I found myself struggling over what Offerman was actually doing on stage. His act mostly consisted of insight about life: What direction to follow, thoughts on love, sex, modern beauty standards, social media, technology, politics and so on and so forth.

In some ways the performance was something of a contradiction. Offerman rails against technology and social media even though he admits to using them both.

I imagine some people in attendance were dismayed last night by his stance on his fans, which I thought was sort of beautiful. He said that people often ask him to take a picture or sign something for them and he refuses – not because he doesn’t have the time or is being rude, but simply because he would prefer to shake the person’s hand and get to know them a little.

His stance seemed to be that he doesn’t want an interaction with another human being to just be for their Facebook page. He asserted that people often miss things these days because they’re too focused on what it will look like on social media.

Make no mistake; although he does share hobbies with his mustachioed, TV counterpart, Offerman repeatedly stressed that he is not Ron Swanson. Ron is a fictional character that he played on television for seven years.

He even went so far as to perform a song called “I’m not Ron.”

This is not to say that Offerman does not appreciate “Parks and Recreation.” He stated that those seven years were some of the best times in his life because he found a tribe, a group of people that understood and challenged one another.

The closest comparison to Offerman that I can think of is a man who was referenced several times during the show – Mark Twain. Twain might not be the first person one thinks about in regards to comedy, but in his later years, he often toured theatres giving lectures about life. He would talk about his own work but also offer humorous observations and commentary. What makes this special is that there really hasn’t been someone who is able to bring the ideas of comedy and wisdom together since Twain, until Nick Offerman.

I truly believe that Offerman is one of the most interesting people out there today. He has a very “Average Joe” aura to him, but it’s clear that he thinks about the bigger things. Even as I write this now, words fail to describe the kind of person he is.

In this age in which people only show themselves on Facebook or Instagram, it’s hard to find someone that truly expresses all of themselves – their opinions, their frustrations, their queries and their concerns. One word keeps jumping to mind when I think of Offerman – genuine.

Nick Offerman doesn’t really fall into one category. In the end, he is just a very honest and compassionate person with a love for the simpler things in life.

If I had to pick an idea from his show that hit me the hardest, it was something that a former professor told him: “Always maintain the attitude of a student.”

Keep your mind open to everything. Don’t be afraid to fail. I’m not saying that the world would be a better place if everyone was like Nick Offerman, but I will say that it is a breath of fresh air to see someone so real.