Unlikely Heroes

I am extremely excited about two new biopcs that are about to be shared with us, the viewing public. The stories of James Brown and Jimi Hendrix appeal to me as a musician, of course. Their influence on American music was so integral, that we would not have Rock, R&B, hip hop or Dance music of all sorts without it. But the appeal of these gentlemen’s stories goes far beyond their valuable contribution to American music and Pop Culture. Their stories appeal to me for the complexity of humanity that they both displayed. 

We are a society that CRAVES heroes. However, we want them pristine and without blemish. We leave no place for humanity with our iconography. The moment they show the slightest bit of human frailty we are ready to cast them aside and forget their many contributions. Don’t get me wrong, I’m in no way implying that poor decisions should not be accompanied by the appropriate consequences for those decision. Neither am I saying that people should not be called to task for some of the decisions they make in life by others who might productively show them the error of their ways. I’m just saying that one, two or even three poor decisions should not define the totality of a person existence. And even if the decisions they make bring about their eventual demise it does not negate the contributions they make to the big picture of humanity's progression. It is hard to determine what people are providing to the world in the present tense. We usually only realize the part people play in the grand plan once we are looking back on them in the context of history.

These gentlemen’s stories remind me of the biblical account of King David. In all accounts he was a murder and adulterer. There is no denying that. However he was also a valiant warrior and his presence united a nation.

Similarly these men whose lives were problematic and riddled with questionable or downright poor decisions were able to unit a nation, if but for a moment, under the universal language of music. Not only did they effect the space in time in which they inhabited, they each provided a body of work that inspired every generation of musicians that followed them. Their lives are inspirational to me, not because they were flawless, no. I am inspired by the story of flawed humans like these who show us that we can be both imperfect and impactful; People whose stories, rife with slips, falls and short comings, are still able to show that there are contributions to be made even if we don’t have it all together. And THIS is the reason I am excited about these as well as most honest biographical movies. If done with true perspective they allow the viewer to see that these people they idolize are no better than they are. And hopefully it excites in the viewer an understanding that they too, in all their humanness, has the ability to do great things. 

We ARE a society that craves heroes. It is my belief that when we start allowing them to be the flawed, imperfect humans that we all are, more will arise to fulfill their part in the grand design. We are all in some way, unlikely heroes.