Obama and Beethoven

(Originally published in The Davidsonian)

Every so often, someone comes along who has the ability to transcend generations. These people can be athletes, scientists or authors. They have the ability to speak to an audience broader than most. Frequently, people are inspired not just by what they have accomplished, but the manner in which they did so. In today’s confusing and often frightening society, it would behoove us to look at such past and present figures for encouragement. They overcame insurmountable obstacles; perhaps their life stories can be a catalyst for the rest of ours.

During the early-nineteenth century, Ludwig van Beethoven was making his living as an organist and composer. His childhood was filled with tragedy; his mother died while he was a teenager, and his father was negligent, abusive and alcoholic. As if adolescence wasn’t tough enough, Beethoven had to fend for himself as well has his siblings.

Before long, Beethoven started having trouble hearing. He was (rightly) confused and frustrated; as a musician and composer, why did God take away the one thing he needed the most? He started using an ear-trumpet in order to hear what others were saying. Towards the end of his life, his hearing had turned so bad that the ear-trumpet wasn’t cutting it anymore. He turned to keeping conversation books; he would literally have conversations through the written word. What dedication and love for humanity and music! Beethoven, for whom giving up would have been so easy, took painful steps to keep communicating with his fellow man and writing music.

He appeared reclusive, angry, perpetually aggravated at everyone and everything around him. He was unable to hear; yet he had the drive to create music. His music thrives to this day. One can find works by Ludwig van Beethoven in concert halls, film scores and commercials. His name is everywhere, including a film starring a dog. People all over the world were – and continue to be – inspired by Ludwig van Beethoven’s story of conquering slim odds to achieve great success in his field.

President Barack Obama is another such figure. One need not involve politics at all in order to appreciate his life story. His father was an immigrant from Kenya, and his mother was a white woman from Kansas. Both of his parents died relatively early, so his grandmother started taking care of him. He lived off of food stamps for a part of his life. Cut to several years later, and he is the junior Senator from llinois. Today, he is President of the United States. That story itself is miraculous; the American dream truly is alive. Obama’s presidency teaches us that if we work hard enough, we can realistically achieve our dreams.

On top of that, consider the fact that he is African-American. Although they have not been completely broken, Obama’s victory in the 2008 presidential election showed that racial barriers are quickly coming down. His message of hope and change inspired millions. People participated in the political process in unprecedented numbers. Leaders all over the world have a new-found enthusiasm for their relationship with the United States. I am confident that for a long time, Obama’s and presidency will not only be remembered for the policies, but the underlying story as well.

These two individuals deserve accolades for creating something out of nothing. Even with odds stacked against them, they found a way to succeed in such a way that people will look to them for years to come. As Lou Reed once said, nothing is everything. And if nothing is everything, I’ll have it all.