Greenspan and Great Men

Digby makes an important point about Alan Greenspan and his Epic Fail:

He is one of the reasons I no longer have any trust at all in the great man theory. I know that people need heroes, but in our celebrity worshiping culture we take it to such ridiculous extremes that it turns dissent and questions into heresy. I no longer find it particularly useful to think in those terms much at all.

Greenspan may be one who stands out considering the horrifying ramifications, but there are many of these elders whose "reputations" have led us straight into disaster. (Colin Powell comes to mind.) Maybe it's time America gives the hero/wise man/guru concept a rest.

With about two more weeks until Barack Obama is sworn in as No. 44, I think we should remember those words.

As someone who makes a (meager) living in the media, I've learned that people are more competent and principled when they know critics and skeptics are waiting to hold them accountable.

Thus, hero-worship of Obama will do little to advance our country. Instead, it'd be nice if we could balance support with skepticism of Obama and his policies. If we can manage that, we're much more likely to get the sort of results we want.