Manyarticleshaveappearedinrecentyears,claimingthattherearenomoreheroesintheWesternworld.
Theauthorssaythat,particularlyinEuropeandNorthAmerica,theyoungnowrefusetoadmireanyone;thatweaarelivinginaworldtoowellinformed,toocuriousandcriticalforheroworship.
Thepress,books,andtelevisionkeepshowingusthefaultsofthepublicfigureswhocouldbecometoday’sstars,untilwelosefaithandstartlookingfordefectsinanypersonwhoseemsworthyofrespect.
Inaneighbororastatesman,wetrytodiscovertheweaknesses,failures,oruglymotivesthataresurelyhidingbehindhisnoblestactions.
Isittruethatweknowtoomuch?
Wereourancestorsluckytobeonlypartlyinformed?
ThosewhoreadthefirstbiographiesofCharlemagne,GeorgeWashington,JoanofArc,orothergreatmenandwomenofthepastwerenottoldthattheirherohadbadbreathordislikedhismother;theyonlyfoundadescriptionofhisgreataccomplishmentsandtheiradmirationwasstrengthened.
Infact,earlybiographersdidn’thesitatetomakeupanadmirablestoryortwoabouttheirhero.
ThemanwhowrotethefirstbiographyofWashington,forinstance,inventedthecherrytree;headmittedlaterthattherewasnotruthinit,buthesaidthatitwasincharacterandthatitwouldgiveyoungmenagoodexampletofollow.
Hisreadersdidn’tseemtoobject;thebookwasreprintedeightytimes—atremendoussuccessinthosedays.
Modernbiographersdonotinventsuchstories,theyrespectthefacts,asindeedtheyshould.
Butwepayapricefortheirtruthfulness,forintheireffortstoshow“thewholeperson,”theytellusmorethanwereallyneedtoknowaboutprivatelives,familysecrets,andhumanweaknesses.
Thetruegreatnessofafinemanisoftenforgotteninthedisplay;andpeoplelosenotonlytheiradmirationforhim,buttheirwillingnesstotrustanyother“star”completely.