Leaders....and Death
Alexander 323 BC
Hitler 1945
Gandhi 1948
John F Kennedy 1960
Martin Luther King 1968
Great leaders.....but not great deaths... Most were assasinated.. some suicide... while others had a mysterious end. The great leaders stated above are only few among the many who have had such an end.
Take the death statistics of great leaders and comapare them against those of an average human and you'll notice the stark difference. My theory to explain this is based on the power and responsibility a leader possesses over the masses.
One standard theory argues that jealousy and envy is the main cause of their end. The hunger for power is a major motive to get rid of a leader. Pick up any history book and you will see that every country has seen this. Of course we now live in an age where this would be considered animalistic.... This has changed its form.... no longer is it done in the open.
Given that the impact a leader has on the masses, a smallest decision made by a leader will have a major impact in the public. Now each one of make many decisions during the course of the day, but the impact (or the circle of influence) of those decisions is very minimal for us as compared to a leader.
Secondly, a smaller group of people are easy to satisfy that a larger group. Given that a leader impacts a large mass, his/her decision will upset/dissatisfy someone or the other. An average person has a less likelyhood of upsetting someone with his decision.
A mistake on the other hand will have a negative impact on affected person irrespective of whether the mistaker is a leader or an average person. But a leader would still have a greater impact given the large masses involved. There is a greater chance that some dissatisfied soul assasinating the leader.
Suicidal leaders also face the same situation, though in their case, they loose their calm before others do so. They can see what they have caused and can't face it any longer. Some are too ashamed for their actions while others are too scared to face the world.
So, do leaders have a chance to die happily? Live old and die in peace? Maybe.. or maybe not... But does it really matter how one dies... a plane crash.. a car accident..... assasination... suicide.... AIDS...Cancer...
What matters is what you did when you were alive.
Did you make a difference in this world?
Do people remember you for good?
A leader has the ability to do so..... Thats what we need leaders for.... To make a difference... To make an impact.... Bring people together..... Change this world... hopefully for good.
Hitler 1945
Gandhi 1948
John F Kennedy 1960
Martin Luther King 1968
Great leaders.....but not great deaths... Most were assasinated.. some suicide... while others had a mysterious end. The great leaders stated above are only few among the many who have had such an end.
Take the death statistics of great leaders and comapare them against those of an average human and you'll notice the stark difference. My theory to explain this is based on the power and responsibility a leader possesses over the masses.
One standard theory argues that jealousy and envy is the main cause of their end. The hunger for power is a major motive to get rid of a leader. Pick up any history book and you will see that every country has seen this. Of course we now live in an age where this would be considered animalistic.... This has changed its form.... no longer is it done in the open.
Given that the impact a leader has on the masses, a smallest decision made by a leader will have a major impact in the public. Now each one of make many decisions during the course of the day, but the impact (or the circle of influence) of those decisions is very minimal for us as compared to a leader.
Secondly, a smaller group of people are easy to satisfy that a larger group. Given that a leader impacts a large mass, his/her decision will upset/dissatisfy someone or the other. An average person has a less likelyhood of upsetting someone with his decision.
A mistake on the other hand will have a negative impact on affected person irrespective of whether the mistaker is a leader or an average person. But a leader would still have a greater impact given the large masses involved. There is a greater chance that some dissatisfied soul assasinating the leader.
Suicidal leaders also face the same situation, though in their case, they loose their calm before others do so. They can see what they have caused and can't face it any longer. Some are too ashamed for their actions while others are too scared to face the world.
So, do leaders have a chance to die happily? Live old and die in peace? Maybe.. or maybe not... But does it really matter how one dies... a plane crash.. a car accident..... assasination... suicide.... AIDS...Cancer...
What matters is what you did when you were alive.
Did you make a difference in this world?
Do people remember you for good?
A leader has the ability to do so..... Thats what we need leaders for.... To make a difference... To make an impact.... Bring people together..... Change this world... hopefully for good.
posted by Avyakt at
1:06 pm
