Do Great Men Live Today?

I think most Americans' ideas of greatness have become very skewed, to the point where we can't even recognize a great man (or woman) when we see one, and attribute greatness to one who has not yet--and may never--done anything to deserve it. Truly a sad state of affairs!

Well said, and I agree.

As do I, and I also agree with Terry's statement that "I don't think most people under fifty have really seen greatness" Although I am under 50, but as my mother says, I have "old fashioned" ideas.  Nowadays, people think someone is "great" because they're a famous sports figure or something--not because  they stand for what they believe in (and by that I don't mean they march around waving signs, yelling curse words and getting arrested).  As for Obama being "the greatest man that ever lived"????  I think not.

Great post, Terry!  Glad to see you back, but sorry to hear you lost the election!  I feel that one of the greatest human beings to ever live was Abraham Lincoln.........he has always been my "hero," and one truly great American!  Also, I greatly admire George Washington as well.  In my humble opinion, I don't think Obama could hold a candle to these two very great Americans!!!!

We used to have statesmen instead of politicians, people who did what was right and did not worry about chasing votes. If this lost them an election then so be it, they were able to accomplish great things in other sectors of society. True greatness comes from stepping outside of your comfort zone and laying it all on the line.

we could some some great men and women

Travis led those men to their deaths.  They really didn't help the Texas cause.  What's great about that?  It looks good in the movies but you really don't want to live there.

Great men and women do things which benefit lots of people.  Edison, for example, brought quite a few inventions into common useage.  We have benefitted greatly.  Edison was a great man.  Elenore Rooseveldt was a great woman.  I am sure you can think of your own examples.

I will tell you whats great about it. It inspired the Texas people. "Remember the Alamo," became their battle cry. Today you find a momument at the capital in Austin which honors those men who died for all Texas.  If you ever visit the Alamo you will be touched.

Great men and women go beyond inventions, and go beyond just for the benefit, "of a lot of people." Way beyond that!

Great men and women are willing to lay down theirs lives for the generations that are to come.

If it was not for people like William Travis, our nation would have been just another country. Beacuse of people like him we have the inventors free to invent, and people like Elenore who could go around making speeches.

Larry you have really dissapointed me.

Terry,

It didn't inspire the Texas people.  It scared them silly.  "Remember the Alamo" was used to justify killing and stealing land.  You have history and you have political show business.  The deaths in the Alamo were history.  The rest is show business.  The deaths were completely unnecessary.

Great men and women do smart things and self sacrificing things.   Great men and women work two jobs despite illness and exhaustion to support their families.  Great men use their minds for innovation and not just to preserve the old way of doing things.

Travis was a colorful sideshow who supported, if I recall correctly, slavery.  He was stupid to get himself and his men trapped in the Alamo.  His death and their deaths did not help the Texans steal Texas from Mexico.  They were a waste.

If you cannot learn from history you will be forced to experience such things again.

Well lets talk about the Alamo, if you can get beyond the movie. They were men from many states ,and even others countries . All who came to Texas to help in their fight for independence. And this is not the movie, if you go to the Alamo you find their names and where they are from.

Sadly they got trapped, not because of stupidity, it happens in wars. Surrender would have been useless.Since we are talking history, the men of Goliad surrendered and were murdered.

The battle cry for Texas was, "Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!" It would use to inspire. To say anything thing differernt is simply not true.

Elenor was not great, she was a partisan, a progressive, a leader of a movement that felt big government was the asnwers. She was born rich and died rich.

Then some people find greatness in movements and causes, where they contribute, but  not willing to sacrifice.  Most in this catagory only think about money, and what is in it for them.

So, Terry, you are opposed by an army 20 times as large as your group.  What is your stragegy.  Do you look for some place to hole up in the largest town in the area where the opposition is bound to come and find you?  Do you choose a building which is poorly designed for defence?  No, you travel light.  You hit and run.  You distract and annoy the opposition.  You threaten their supply train.  You give the main army of your cause time to prepare and as much inteligence as you can about the opposition army.  The Texans under Travis did none of these smart things.  What they did need not have delayed Santa Anna at all.  He should have left a small force to screen them and moved quickly after Houston.  But Santa Anna was rather stupid in his own right.

You need to read a biography of Elenor.

You are using hind sight. In war all the modern things are not always there. And in war you cannot always choose your location. It has nothing to do with being stupid. Sometimes you have to fight even if you must face defeat. Sometimes defeat leds  to victory. Sam Houston and his men  won at San Jacinto. None of things were avaiable that you just mentioned. But they won the war, the battle cry was Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!

Also the Roosevelts were progressives. The proggresives are the reason our nation is in such a mess.

Larry also you strictly look at facts, figures, and ideal conditions. Often you cant rely on these things. Sometimes it takes heart and faith, you seem to ignore this. Not everything can be obtained with pure brain power. Sometime it takes more. There is also a difference be defeat and giving up.

Also men in the  same condition, as those at the Alamo, have obtain victory because they had heart and faith. Just read the Bible, which I do beleieve in. You will find that great men of the Bible didnt rely on all the things you are pointing out.

The chief reason that America no longer has great men in the public eye is what they must do to get there.  Between the all intrusive eye of the media and increased demands on others' services by the many today, many simply won't bother with the pain and hassle needed to "become great"  So we are stuck with mediocre political leaders who love the limelight or sports "heroes" to fill that hole in our collective soul.  We've had politicians in the 19th century for instance who actually lived by principle and were actual public servants.  We had scientists, businessmen, church leaders, military men and more who sacrificed all for the their nation.  Those were the public great men.

The private great men were those who did their all for much smaller circles, families and friends.  We still produce them and though maybe in smaller numbers then before, there are still a great many of them and our nation (and those actually touched by them) are blessed by their existence

Thanks Charles.

"The chief reason that America no longer has great men in the public eye is what they must do to get there."

Well said, Charles. I'm quickly becoming quite the fan of your comments.

I think people tend to just label other people great without realizing what it means. Someone might think Britney Spears is great while others think Barack Obama is. (Not that they are close to being in the same league.) I think, as far as politicians are concerned, politicians are great when their feet are held to the fire and can thrive among challenging situations. (Hint, this is not you Rod Blagojevich!). Will Barack Obama be considered a great president or even a great man? Time will tell. History dictates who is great and who isn't.

I also think a willingness to self- sacrifice for the greater good of others is a quality a great man also has.

To me a great man is Ron Paul,  He fights for the Constitution when he does not have to do it.  He is honest and tells it like it is.

Another great man was Audie Murphy the most decorated hero of the 2d WW.

John Wayne was a great patriot.

Living today?   I can think of one I can look up to.

Ron P aul is a great man. Being a doctor, he could have had a very good financial career, and be retire.

Sadly the generation of the people 30 and under dont have a clue who Audie Murphy is. To them John Wayne was just an actor.

Wasn't Brian Keith a decorated war hero also ? We don't make a deal about war hero's or even police or foremen  heros anymore. Not like when I was a kid. People look up to movie stars and the rich. Put them on pedestal and worship them, It is sad !

So true.

Greatness is often confused with popularity or likeability.

Wow, you said it all!

Thanks Angela. Also have two more Snippet McMoo spippets since you have been away.

Great post Terry.  I agree with Holly, we use to have true statesmen not politicians.

Thank you for your comment on my post.