LiveStrong and A-Rod

Cal · 11-06-2014, 12:04 PM

The analogy is not lost on me, Ohio. Armstrong was a icon here in Austin. Even our pastor voiced his admiration for him.

George F. Will once wrote, "Heroes make vivid the values by which we try to live." Lee and Armstrong were heroes because they (seemed to) personify values we held dear and aspired to.

God once showed me that celebrity is not wrong; it has a purpose. Famous people exist to embody values and inspire imitation. Lee and Armstrong were supposed to be this kind of person, but they let people down. They abused their celebrity.

Their motivations were different, but they made the same basic mistake. They cut moral corners to achieve their goals. Armstrong thought he could cheat his way to fame, fortune and even impactful good works. Lee thought he could bully a following into fulfilling "God's purpose." When questioned they went into denial and blame-shifting, not simply because they were self-centered, but because they believed their intentions justified their means. The ultimate results were disillusionment and scattered sheep.

Some admirers retreated into denial about their hero's failure. Others succumbed to cynicism and iconoclasm. But the best lesson is to learn to differentiate the values from the hero, and never take celebrity too far.

11-06-2014, 12:04 PM	#10
Cal Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: USA Posts: 4,333	Re: LiveStrong and A-Rod The analogy is not lost on me, Ohio. Armstrong was a icon here in Austin. Even our pastor voiced his admiration for him. George F. Will once wrote, "Heroes make vivid the values by which we try to live." Lee and Armstrong were heroes because they (seemed to) personify values we held dear and aspired to. God once showed me that celebrity is not wrong; it has a purpose. Famous people exist to embody values and inspire imitation. Lee and Armstrong were supposed to be this kind of person, but they let people down. They abused their celebrity. Their motivations were different, but they made the same basic mistake. They cut moral corners to achieve their goals. Armstrong thought he could cheat his way to fame, fortune and even impactful good works. Lee thought he could bully a following into fulfilling "God's purpose." When questioned they went into denial and blame-shifting, not simply because they were self-centered, but because they believed their intentions justified their means. The ultimate results were disillusionment and scattered sheep. Some admirers retreated into denial about their hero's failure. Others succumbed to cynicism and iconoclasm. But the best lesson is to learn to differentiate the values from the hero, and never take celebrity too far.