We (and the media) often celebrate a loud and charismatic leader as The One championing a movement. We forget the masses of behind-the-scenes individuals that enable this one leader’s success.
We as a society have an unhealthy obsession with the idea of The One. We aspire to be The One. We are the best. We are entitled. But we don’t want the hard work and humility of working with other people, or relying on others.
I have met a wide range of people in my life. There have been the odd few who are so full of their own hubris and believe so fervently in their own entitlement and superiority that they actively alienate everyone else. Because everyone else is beneath them. Because they are worth more than anyone else.
Not surprisingly they tend not to go as far as they believe they should. No matter the level of genius, no one can gain great success on their own.
For those of us in a supportive role (ie the rest of us), we must remember not to undervalue our contributions. We do not have to give our limited time and efforts to those who don’t value it, or to a cause we don’t believe in.
