More Popo
The Chicago Sun-Times has this article contrasting Hitler and the Pope. It also has some interesting things to say about Nazism.
Quick: Name a world leader who could easily go off and totally kick ass at another pursuit/occupation/endeavour.
I can't think of any. Asa and I have talked about this before, but Taft was the only (fairly recent) successful presidential multitalent we could think of, as he was capable enough to get himself elected President, and to serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Although not regarded as the greatest POTUS or SCOTUS member, he clearly possessed exceptional political, social, and legal skills.
It would be a mistake to believe that Nazism had no spiritual power while it still lived. As "Downfall" makes clear, it was a dark, negative, and self-consuming form of spirituality -- but a form of spirituality nonetheless. Hitler's denunciations of "compassion" point to its central perversion: It was an attempt to make power, violence and oppression things of virtue and beauty -- and weakness a sin. It was a pagan inversion of the Christian message.Also, the New Republic has a good article up that talks about how besides being a good Pope, JPII was also a pretty good playwright. I would not put JPII in the realm of Jefferson or Franklin when it comes to the great polymaths of our times, but JPII certainly had a hyper-literate quality that nearly all contemporary men lack.
Quick: Name a world leader who could easily go off and totally kick ass at another pursuit/occupation/endeavour.
I can't think of any. Asa and I have talked about this before, but Taft was the only (fairly recent) successful presidential multitalent we could think of, as he was capable enough to get himself elected President, and to serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Although not regarded as the greatest POTUS or SCOTUS member, he clearly possessed exceptional political, social, and legal skills.
3 Comments:
A few years ago, there was talk of Bill Clinton getting his own talkshow and I feel pretty confident in saying that he could've kicked ass at that (a little long-winded, maybe, but certainly more watchable than Oprah or Dr. Phil).
Oh, and I don't know if VPOTUS counts as a world leader, but we're about to see if Mr. Gore can run a TV station.
And since California is oft-cited as the world's fifth largest economy, what about our Governor, the Golden Globe winning actor and seven-time Mr. Olympia. The only pursuit/occupation/endeavour he can't kick ass at is restaraunt ownership.
And Jimmy Carter is a best-selling novelist who even painted the cover illustration himself.
I suppose because I was so classically renaissance minded when I wrote that post, I didn't really think of "pop culture" talents as counting (e.g. body building, talk show host, etc.).
But you're definitely right: Clinton would make a great talk show host.
And I completely forgot about Carter's novel and cover illustration. That is pretty cool.
So I guess you might as well disregard this post.
Key difference being that with the exception of Arnold, none of those people will be famous for both things. Carter's novel is something of a curio, and Clinton's talk show would mostly be ex-Pres Clinton! He's an ex-Pres!
Back in the day people really respected the multi-talented. And you certainly don't get people in diverse disciplines like politician/inventors. Talk show host and actor are really a stones throw from politician these days.
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