Reactionary

It’s one of those things that have been festering in my mind and it’s one of those things about Humanism and the American mindset that really bothers me. It’s the whole “He’s just a man” thing. This anecdote is actually concerning Bono but it can be extrapolated to concern other people and other circumstances.

People constantly reminding others that “He’s just a man” as if to negate whatever he’s done, I find irritating and beside the point. Yes, he’s just a man, a kid from North Dublin. He has a beautiful singing voice and great blue eyes but he isn’t more godlike or divine than anyone else. We know that. So why is it certain people use that constant reminder as if to bring him down a notch? Do they think it actually brings him down? It actually makes him better. Because being a man, a human, just another little creature in the human family, he’s accomplished a lot. A lot. All without any degree of divinity or easy shortcuts. He didn’t descend from heaven with hosts of angels to accomplish things. He doesn’t walk on water, but damn it, look what he’s DONE. It’s taken hard work. Plagued by human faults and foibles, look what he’s managed to do. Perfection is too easy and hence not worthy of praise. Winning over adversity deserves every award imaginable. He’s started from (as these people would argue) from the same place as the rest of us and yet this “man” this “human” has moved mountains. What have you done for the world today?

I don’t believe everyone was created equal, but arguing it from the “Just a man” crowd’s point of view, it still makes him better. It hasn’t been easy and yet he’s still done it. What I believe is that people are not equal in the sense of who has more light within them, or more talents than others. Everyone has a burden to carry. For some it’s their own mediocrity. For others, it’s their own brilliance. They’re both burdens and it’s upon the individual people to decide how it is they’re going to carry it. The B’s got gifts, to negate them is to be stupid, and he’s used them. That’s the difference between the brilliant and the mediocre; some shine, others hide it in the sand. I hope no one ever gives me that “He’s just a man” argument or I may be forced to get violent.

Posted on July 4th, 2005 under Rant •  Print •  Email • RSS 2.0 feed • Both comments and pings are currently closed