THE THREE TYPES OF AMERICANS

It seems to me that in a society there are three typical prototypes:

1.  The Leaders;

2.  The rebels; and,

3.  The apathetic rest of society. 

Most people don't care about power or politics, or believe they have no power to change things.  They get by and concentrate on their own lives. This is probably what Nixon was referring to as the "silent majority."

Then, there are the over-achieving movers and shakers who have political or business ambitions and want to get to the top. Some may be very ethical, but some are not.  They love leading and most love power. In business, they are the Jack Welches and the Jamie Dimons.  In politics they are the Mitt Romneys and the Bill Clintonses.  They work within the rules to climb the ladder.  Sometimes they do a wonderful job, sometimes they suck.  Power can be addictive and a few over-achievers cannot resist the temptations of corruption. Unfortunately, corruption still flourishes. Too temper the corrupt over-achievers, we need the third group - the rebels. 

Rebels are great, they keep the overachievers in check. Great rebels throughout American history include Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, John Brown, Malcolm X, Henry David Thoreau. Mohandas Gandhi was a rebel in India, as was Lech Walesa in Poland. I represent people who are rebels, and I like them. They rock the boat, as Whistleblowers, and as employees crying out against discrimination.  

The problem I see is that the rebels often do not fare well when put in a position of power.  Lech Walesa was a great rebel leader, but a mediocre leader of a country. Real rebels seek out injustice and fight against it and that's what they should do.  They are not men and women of compromise as are the political and corporate leaders.  The rebels keep the leader in check, like the balance between the three branches of government. Rebels can become corrupt leaders, like Mugabe in Zimbabwe. Rebels should fight wrong. They don't know what to do with real political or business power. We need the real leaders and we need the rebels to challenge them. What we don't need is the apathetic masses. 

I represent rebels. I like to think I have some rebel qualities in me.  Let the others be the leaders.  Nothing good happens without the rebels challenging, continuously challenging, the status quo.