Some say doubling down; I say potato.
It’s appropriate, I guess, that the expression noblesse oblige should be resurrected in my mind by a man immodestly known as King James. When I read basketball star LeBron James’s statement as to why he was returning home from the winning, sexy environment of the Miami Heat to the rebuilding, blue-collar environment of the Cleveland Cavaliers, I was struck, as were many others, by this:
I feel my calling here goes above basketball. I have a responsibility to lead, in more ways than one, and I take that very seriously. My presence can make a difference in Miami, but I think it can mean more where I’m from. I want kids in Northeast Ohio, like the hundreds of Akron third-graders I sponsor through my foundation, to realize that there’s no better place to grow up. Maybe some of them will come home after college and start a family or open a business. That would make me smile. Our community, which has struggled so much, needs all the talent it can get.
That’s about as clear a statement as a 21st century urban black man can make on the 19th century French aristocratic concept that the higher and more privileged your station in life the greater your responsibility to those less fortunate. In its early version, it was an essential part of the upbringing and training of the upper classes…too, often, alas, to be abandoned or ignored in adulthood. But it did take hold in many notable instances, and Western countries, at least, abound in institutions of art, health, education and science that are the direct product of the largesse of the wealthy.
This sense of patrician duty has not just found expression materially, but symbolically as well. The Romney and Rockefeller families, among the wealthiest of Americans, stood publicly with blacks in the 1960s in their struggle to gain basic civil rights (Photo above: Mitt's dad George showing more character in a single afternoon than his son would in an entire career). But somewhere--right about the time of the civil rights marches in fact--the whole notion of noblesse oblige began to attract carping. I recall a liberal mentor of mine at the time calling into question Bob Dylan’s dedication to the movement. “Sure,” my mentor groused, commenting on Dylan’s appearance at the 1963 March on Washington, “he flies in on his private jet, sings a few songs then gets back on his jet and goes home.”
I was just coming into my own as a Dylan disciple, so the dismissal was unsettling, especially coming from someone who had so influenced my political development. Had I been on a more equal footing with the man and had my powers of critical thinking been more fully developed, I may have reacted to his charge more vocally, as in, “What the hell are you talking about? What do you expect him to do? Unwrap a bedroll in front of the Washington Monument? Move to Alabama? Besides, he doesn’t even own a jet plane!”
Skepticism about the best intentions of the privileged classes seemed to accelerate through the 60s and into the 70s. Beau geste came to smell more and more like beau shit, as people were increasingly inclined to bury rather than praise noble acts. Donations to needy causes were denigrated for their tax benefits. Volunteering for worthy causes was scrutinized for its PR benefits. Advocacy of good causes was held suspect to ulterior motivation. Careers (notably devoid of charitable effort) were built on debunking the good works of the elite.
And then came the 80s, and whatever benefit of the doubt the privileged had coming to them went blowing to the four winds. With fictional Gordon Gekko’s proclamation that “Greed is good,” reinforced by actual government policy called trickle down economics, the privileged appeared to abandon all pretense at noblesse oblige. In fact, to fully and wholly flaunt your wealth became de rigueur (and for those scoring at home that is the fourth French idiom I’ve employed so far…sacré bleu!). What ended up trickling down was the selfishness which manifests itself today in a segment of the populace gathering on street corners and shamelessly screaming, “Not our children, not our problem!”
In some quarters LeBron James’s explanation that his recent move back to Ohio is “for the children” has fallen under our general suspicion of noblesse oblige. Practically every 20-year old athlete who turns pro has one of those foundations established by “his people” when he signs his first big contract. It’s usually for both tax purposes and PR…so no one is much impressed with the fact that LeBron has a foundation for kids. Some critics also question why Ohio’s children weren’t important enough to LeBron four years ago when he left them literally in tears to go to Miami. Others wonder how big a sacrifice this really is and how big a deal should we be making of a guy making more than 20 million dollars a year wherever he chooses to bring his talents. Fair enough questions…in a democracy no one should be above question, especially those who loom above the rest of us in status and wealth. If anything, our society errs too much on the side of giving the privileged a freer ride than others.
But privilege is relative…and the price of eternal vigilance as to the motives of the privileged is ultimately corrosive…as is any relationship based on continued mistrust. I had my own run-in with such corrosiveness when I posted my most controversial diary to date The War on Straight White Men. I already addressed my role in making that post unnecessarily inflammatory here. But some readers brought their own fuel to their reading of the post…which rather led to a bonfire of misunderstanding. Here are some examples of the feedback that post elicited:
I hope you don't speak
for all straight white men. I'd hate to think they are all so coddled and self-absorbed that they petulantly expect a pat on the back merely for displaying basic human empathy and regard, and then whine when they aren't made the star of everyone else's dramas.
Yes, because
. . . the first concern of people who wish to confront codified discrimination should be, "Let's make sure that we won't make any straight white guys uncomfortable."
I think that sadly there is still this
belief that without a white guy fronting the effort and "opening doors," etc, there will be no credibility and therefore no success. The gatekeepers do not want to give up the power of the stamp of approval.
Po, po, pitiful me
The Persecution of the Privileged. It's so hard to watch.
Well, if I understood the garble
Straight white men are...I dunno, picked on? But why stop there? Why not rich, able-bodied and young straight white men? I mean, there (sic) lives aren't perfect, so that means they're picked on too.
Shorter Version
'black man isn't sufficiently begging me to be a martyr to his cause'
Well, here I invite more astute readers to go back to the original post and see if any of that is even implied in it, let alone stated outright. Also, to consider if such knee-jerk hostility may be a contributing factor in what I described as an uninviting atmosphere for the enlistment of straight white men in just causes. The intent of the post was to lament the fact that straight white men seem marginal figures in current struggles for human rights across the board. I asked…and ask again…did nobility of purpose get bred out of these men? Are they now more inspired to troll shopping malls with assault rifles than take up arms against injustice? Has the
what can my country do for me call to greed killed any
what can you do for your country idealism they may ever have felt?
Although there is growing scientific evidence that we are, as a species, biologically inclined to value equality over inequality, it might also be asked if we are doing all we can as a society to nurture our better angels. Having reactions against most any and all acts of noblesse oblige range from skeptical to rabid does not seem the best way to reinforce that inclination–whether we’re talking about straight young white men or rich young black men. And yes, even the privileged need a pat on the back occasionally for doing the right thing. They are--despite the privilege--still only human after all.