We live in a world of heroes. We lionize certain individuals because they excel in sports, music, acting, politics and a whole host of other things. While society idolizes these creations, we don't truly idolize them as human beings; no, we objectify them. So, when we one day find out that they put on their pants one leg at a time like we do, we become distraught at the idea that each is not as perfect as the image of them we had created.
The latest tempest involves Olympic champion Michael Phelps. A photo has been circulated all throughout the media which strongly suggests he used marijuana. My reaction to this sensational news is: So what? A sizable portion of US males age 23 years old have tried or use pot. Just because he's a hero doesn't mean he's not a human being too!
All humans have flaws (note: I'm not necessarily suggesting that using pot constitutes a "flaw"). It's one of those things that makes us who and what we are. Regardless of one's standing with other human beings, this one fact doesn't change.
In fact, I prefer flawed heroes to supposedly perfect ones. One of my personal heroes is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was my hero when I was young and I didn't know what I know today. Now that I know he drank, smoked and was a womanizer, he's still one of my all time heroes.
What makes MLK remarkable in my eyes is that, despite his many human foibles, he was able to rise above them to achieve greatness. This informs me that each of us shares the same capacity. We too can each rise above our own frailties and peculiarities.
A "perfect" hero sends the exact opposite message. Since we're each flawed in our own way, it would be impossible for us to achieve the kind of greatness they have, so we become armchair human beings. We passively live our greatness vicariously through others.
In my book, that's a really pathetic way to live.
The latest tempest involves Olympic champion Michael Phelps. A photo has been circulated all throughout the media which strongly suggests he used marijuana. My reaction to this sensational news is: So what? A sizable portion of US males age 23 years old have tried or use pot. Just because he's a hero doesn't mean he's not a human being too!
All humans have flaws (note: I'm not necessarily suggesting that using pot constitutes a "flaw"). It's one of those things that makes us who and what we are. Regardless of one's standing with other human beings, this one fact doesn't change.
In fact, I prefer flawed heroes to supposedly perfect ones. One of my personal heroes is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was my hero when I was young and I didn't know what I know today. Now that I know he drank, smoked and was a womanizer, he's still one of my all time heroes.
What makes MLK remarkable in my eyes is that, despite his many human foibles, he was able to rise above them to achieve greatness. This informs me that each of us shares the same capacity. We too can each rise above our own frailties and peculiarities.
A "perfect" hero sends the exact opposite message. Since we're each flawed in our own way, it would be impossible for us to achieve the kind of greatness they have, so we become armchair human beings. We passively live our greatness vicariously through others.
In my book, that's a really pathetic way to live.
Even Jesus had flaws.
ReplyDeleteOooh! You're asking for trouble with a statement like that! :-) Some fundamentalist might happen by and you'll never hear the end of it.
ReplyDeleteThe main issue, in America anyway, is that many christians and fundamentalist believe and hope that the U.S. will one day be completely run by christians as a christian nation. This would create an utopian society in America. A world without flaws that is perfect and run by God. This belief in the ability of perfection makes it unacceptable for their heroes to have flaws. Only through the perfection of the spirit through God can man become truly successful. Utopia sounds very boring and dangerous for people like me. What do you do with people who disagree with the majority in a utopian society?
ReplyDelete