Category: Reflections

The latest from Legendary Heroes By Scott T. Allison and George R. Goethals, authors of Heroes: What They Do and Why We Need Them

With Columbus Day fast approaching, we've been encouraged to write about Christopher Columbus and his unsurpassed impact on the world we live in today.  Recently, we proposed a distinction between a hero or villain whose influence on the world is very short-lived (an ephemeral or transitory figure) and a hero or villain who forever changes an entire society (a transforming figure).  Whether you believe his impact to be positive or negative, Christopher Columbus and his 1492 voyage to the Americas left an indelible mark on nearly every corner of the globe.

Transforming events do not take place in an historical vacuum.  To understand Columbus's motivation to establish a shipping route to Asia, we must look to the city of Constantinople, now Istanbul, Turkey.  For centuries, as the capital of the Orthodox Christian Byzantine Empire, Constantinople had been an important center for trade between Europe and Asia.  But in 1453, the Muslim Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople, forcing Europeans to search for a sea route to Asia that would bypass the Muslims.

Interestingly, Columbus may never have attempted his initial voyage had he not held several misconceptions about global geography.  He underestimated the circumference of the earth; he overestimated the size of the Asian landmass; and he believed that Japan lay much farther east of China than in reality.  He did, however, have an accurate understanding of the prevailing easterly trade winds that would propel his ships from the Canary Islands to lands far to the west.  With about 90 men and sailing under the flag of Spain, Columbus's three ships were fortunate to avoid both tropical storms and the "doldrums" €” pockets of sea where there is neither current nor wind.

Most of us know the rest of the story.  On October 12, 1492, Columbus and his men landed on the island of Guanahani, and called it San Salvador.  Although he failed to reach Asia, Columbus made the western hemisphere known to Europeans, forever altering human history on a global scale.  Until very recently, generations of Americans grew up learning that Columbus "discovered" America – a Eurocentric notion that ignored the presence of 50 million indigenous people inhabiting the Americas in 1492.  Moreover, other Europeans, such as the Norsemen, had ventured to America 500 years earlier.  "Columbus's claim to fame isn't that he got there first," explains historian Martin Dugard, "it's that he stayed."

The heroic interpretation of Columbus is that his daring voyage into unknown waters required courage and conviction.  In 1989 U.S. President George H. W. Bush said that Columbus "set an example for us all by showing what monumental feats can be accomplished through perseverance and faith."  Extraordinary changes resulted from Columbus's voyages.  The Columbian Exchange was established, referring to the two-way transfer of culture, foods, plants, and animals between the continents of Europe and the Americas.  The Americas were introduced to crops such as wheat, rice, coffee, bananas, and olives, and animals such as horses, cows, pigs, and chickens. Europeans also received from America many important crops, such as corn, potatoes, tomatoes, lima beans, squash, peanuts, cassava, cacao, and pineapple.

The past few decades have also seen Columbus cast into the role of villain.  Deadly European diseases were introduced into the Americas, including diphtheria, measles, smallpox, and malaria.  The Americas, in turn, contributed a virulent form of syphilis to Europe.  All told, Native American populations suffered to a much greater degree than did Europeans.  Epidemics wiped out 80 to 90% of the native populations in Hispaniola, and European settlers enslaved many Native Americans.  In fairness to Columbus, the worst of these problems occurred after he died, under the watch of later European governors and colonists.

In preparing this blog post, we googled "Christopher Columbus hero villain" and obtained over 100 websites debating Columbus's status as hero or villain.  It's clearly a muddied picture.  All we can say with certainty is that Columbus's voyages had a permanently transforming effect on the world.  "Every hero is somebody else's villain," said Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, a scholar and author of several books related to Columbus, including 1492: The Year the World Began.  "Heroism and villainy are just two sides of the same coin."

One of our readers suggested that we profile Christopher Columbus.  We welcome your suggestions as well.  Please send your ideas to Scott T. Allison (sallison@richmond.edu) or to George R. Goethals (ggoethal@richmond.edu).

The latest from the Heroes: What They Do and Why We Need Them by UR’s profs Scott T. Allison and George R. Goethals

In a previous blog post, we noted that the story of Jesus of Nazareth is undoubtedly the most powerful story of "the born hero" in the western world.  But what about the eastern world?  We would say that the greatest born hero in the east is the Dalai Lama, the head of state of Tibet and the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism.  The current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is believed to be the latest reincarnation of a series of spiritual leaders who have chosen to be reborn so as to enlighten others.  There have been 14 Dalai Lamas since the year 1391.

After the 13th Dalai Lama died in December of 1933, Buddhist monks prayed for guidance to find the new Dalai Lama. They consulted oracles and meditated for signs that would lead them to him.  Within a few years they received a vision that the new Dalai Lama would be found in the northeast part of Tibet, and that he would be living in a house with turquoise roof tiles near a monastery.  Many monks journeyed to this region of Tibet to search for this house, ultimately discovering one that fit the description in the village of Taktser.  Living in the home was two year-old Tenzin Gyatso and his parents.

The monks presented young Tenzin with a number of objects that were owned by the previous Dalai Lama, and these objects were mixed with other imitation objects.  When Tenzin correctly identified the items belonging to the 13^th Dalai Lama, the monks knew they had found the reincarnation of their leader.  The boy and his family traveled to the city of Lhasa, where he was taken to the Drepung Monastery to study the Buddhist sutra in preparation for his role as the spiritual leader of Tibet.

The Dalai Lama's central purpose is to help people achieve enlightenment from Buddhist spiritual practices.  Buddhism provides insight into the true nature of life, and Buddhists use meditation and other practices to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom.  The Dalai Lama's job is made somewhat difficult by the fact that neighboring China has never recognized Tibet as an independent political country.  When China annexed Tibet in 1959, the Dalai Lama and thousands of his supporters fled into exile.  He has lived in Dharamsala, India, since 1960, and heads the Tibetan government from afar.

One of the most respected spiritual leaders in the world, the Dalai Lama embraces religious diversity. "I always believe that it is much better to have a variety of religions, a variety of philosophies, rather than one single religion or philosophy," he said "This is necessary because of the different mental dispositions of each human being. Each religion has certain unique ideas or techniques, and learning about them can only enrich one's own faith."  The Dalai Lama also embraces the union of science and spirituality.  Recently, he collaborated with MIT to study what role Buddhist meditation plays in human emotion and cognition.  He said, "If science proves facts that conflict with Buddhist understanding, Buddhism must change accordingly. We should always adopt a view that accords with the facts."

Born heroes such as the Dalai Lama and Jesus are not revered because of their special lineage or conception.  They are revered because they combine their inborn gifts with a lifetime of practicing good deeds and helping others do the same.  The Dalai Lama's message is quite simply one of love.  "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion," he said.  "My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness."

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One of our readers suggested that we profile the Dalai Lama.  We welcome your suggestions as well.  Please send your ideas to Scott T. Allison (sallison@richmond.edu) or to George R. Goethals (ggoethal@richmond.edu).

Two social psychologists have posed a critical question for our times: Is Lady Gaga a hero? University of Richmond professors Scott T. Allison and George R. Goethals put it like this on their blog Heroes: What They Do and Why We Need Them:

Is Lady Gaga a hero?  Over the past few weeks, we've asked a number of college-aged people for their opinions about Lady Gaga and whether she has earned the status of hero.  While few were willing to assign the label "hero" to her, they did concede that she was a great talent and a role model to many people.  Several also said that Gaga could become a hero over time but that right now it's too early to tell.

These responses raise the question of what Lady Gaga, or any rising entertainment star for that matter, would have to do to be perceived as a hero.  Possessing a great and unique talent certainly helps.  In 2008 Lady Gaga's debut album Fame reached number one in the UK, Canada, Austria, Germany and Ireland, and it peaked at number two in the United States.  Critics also loved Fame.  Her music style is said to combine the elements of many legendary rock icons, including Madonna, Gwen Stefani, David Bowie, and Freddy Mercury.  The latter singer's classic piece, Radio Gaga, was the inspiration for Lady Gaga's own moniker.

Lady Gaga has also won the respect of many of her peers.  Said Kylie Minogue, "She's like a meteor that just came from outer space and landed on the pop landscape or pop/dance landscape.  I think it's amazing.  She's largely responsible for bringing dance to the kind of mainstream or pop arena in the states.  She's incredibly talented. She's an absolute force to be reckoned with and I'm a great admirer." Barbara Walters chose Gaga as one of the 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009.  Gaga also became the first living person to have more than 10 million Facebook fans.

Another factor that appears to be propelling Lady Gaga toward heroism is her effort to promote positive social change, especially in the area of gay rights.  She is an active proponent of gay marriage, and she revealed that her song Poker Face was about her bisexuality. Gaga credits her gay fans for much of her early success. "The turning point for me was the gay community. I've got so many gay fans and they're so loyal to me and they really lifted me up. They'll always stand by me and I'll always stand by them." Gaga is well aware of her impact on young people.  "The truth is what I'm a role model for is the ability to change culture," she said.

Fans of Gaga have labeled her a "fashion icon" with superb vocal and performing instincts during her concert tours.  Gaga's unique look is her own creation; she designs and makes her own costumes on stage.  One blogger has written:  "She isn't afraid to act smart, dress for herself, focus on things other than her body, be odd, and have a sick name."  Critics rave that her live performances are "innovative" and "highly entertaining."

Although the jury may still be out on Lady Gaga's heroic status, there is no denying the impact of her unique artistry on pop culture.  There is something compelling about her courageous trailblazing in the areas of music, dance, fashion, and redefining sex roles.  Gaga once said, "I want women €” and men €” to feel empowered by a deeper and more psychotic part of themselves.  The part they're always trying desperately to hide.  I want that to become something that they cherish."

"You have to be unique, and different, and shine in your own way," she said.

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Jepson School of Leadership Studies Professor Douglas A. Hicks discusses his new book “Money Enough: Everyday Practices for Living Faithfully in the Global Economy.” March 1, 2010

Talk about a fresh voice from the academy. Two professors, social psychologists George R. Goethals and Scott Allison, introduced Hereos: Who They Are, Why We Need Them, a blog tied to their forthcoming book of the same title.  In the book and in the blog they reportedly will explore “the psychology of herorism, shedding light on wht heroism and villainy mean to most people and why heroes are so vital to our lives.”

They had timing on their side and published opening commentary on Tiger Woods. Check it out:

Tiger Woods' news conference today revealed that he is a long way from completing his journey toward healing himself and his personal life.  There was a searing honesty in Tiger's words that suggest a genuine desire to repair his personal life, even at the cost of his golf career achievements.  Tiger would not say when he would return to the golf course, and at age 34, the clock is ticking on his quest to eclipse Jack Nicklaus's records.

When will Tiger Woods play golf again?  From his words at the new conference today, the question is almost irrelevant.  He devoted 99% of his words to what he's doing to improve himself as a person, as a husband, and as a father.  Clearly, his career comes second.  Tiger spoke more about returning to his Buddhist roots than returning to Pebble Beach.  His contrition was powerful and his priorities are now clear and in the right place.

As human beings every bit as flawed as Tiger, we applaud the great humility he showed at today's news conference, and we wish him well on his emotional and spiritual journey.  As golf fans, we can be patient for his return.  First things first.

We suspect that Tiger is in the midst of completing a 12-step program, and if so, we give him great credit for embracing a highly proven way of undertaking personal growth.  What are the clues that give away his program?  He admitted he had a problem (Step 1).  He cited the tenets of Buddhism as a path toward healing (Steps 2 & 3).  He admitted his wrongdoings and what he is doing to correct them (Steps 4-7).  He acknowledged who has has hurt and how he will make things right (Steps 8 & 9).  He then alluded to what he needs to do to remain a good person and to help others as well (Steps 10-12).

If there is one thing we learned today, it is that Tiger Woods is just as hungry to achieve the same success off the golf course as he has achieved on the golf course.   How many world-class athletes put their careers on hold until they get their personal houses in order?  Very few if any.  If Tiger fulfills his personal goals with the same relentless drive that he's shown with his professional goals, we'll be witness to a remarkable transformation. We wish him well.

Today's meeting of Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama will be framed by most commentators as a political event.  Indeed, the symbolic impact upon U.S.-China relations of the American president's outreach to the Tibetan spiritual leader is well documented.  Also fascinating and vital, however, is the moral dimension of this encounter of these two leaders.  After all, this is the meeting of two Nobel Peace Prize laureates. 

A tension remains between the views of peace-and-conflict espoused by the Dalai Lama (the 1989 recipient) and the complex perspective offered by Barack Obama in his December 2009 Nobel address.  Obama's view on the particular obligations of a political leader€”who may need to declare war to defend a just cause€”led Obama to distance himself, in the presidential role, from the strategies of a movement leader like Martin Luther King, Jr.  The Dalai Lama is neither a political leader nor a social movement leader, though he is in some ways both of these.  Will he make any public comments on Obama's leadership?  What will Obama say about the Dalai Lama's vision and values?  These are the key moral and even perhaps spiritual questions at stake in the meeting.