The problem with revolutionaries is that they’re revolutionary. They are misunderstood, misfits in their own right and time. Revolutionaries are doubted – told they will never make it and told to slow down and wait for society to catch up. It took Christopher Columbus seven years and rejections from the kings of Spain, Portugal and England before he secured funding for his triumphant voyage. Society vilifies revolutionaries because the ordinary man can’t tolerate his own ordinariness. It is far easier to bring someone down so as not to feel bad about one’s own mediocrity than it is to level up. The ordinary man is trained to think that revolutionaries are the root of all evil – and oftentimes refuses to utilize the genius of their ideas and inventions. We’d rather cut off our nose to spite our face.
Last week, Elon Musk became the planet’s first trillionaire with the IPO of SpaceX. He has brought tremendous ingenuity, wealth, inspiration and leadership to literally billions of people on this planet. His influence is undeniable. Yet his haters took to the pulpit immediately to denounce his “absurd” wealth. In a Washington Post article, Sen. Elizabeth Warren wasted no time bashing Musk for his success. “I want to be clear: This is not just some fluke. It is a figure of a rigged economy. Today’s marker should be a wake-up call … Time to make a change.” I’m sure she didn’t say that when electric cars revolutionized by Tesla took to the streets. Or when reusable rockets landed perfectly on their launch pads. Or when Starlink provided millions of people with high-speed internet. Warren wasn’t the only one, however. Other naysaying pooh-poohers included Bernie Sanders, Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who said this wealth accumulation marks a “new pinnacle of oligarchy.”
The frightening reality is that those elected officials who fight for democracy are the same ones who fight to limit personal freedom and self-determination. On the one hand they want you to believe that individual rights are important. But they just don’t want anyone to break the mold too much. Don’t make us uncomfortable with your success because it stings. The desire to bring someone down breeds a culture of dependence and blame. It’s never our fault. Our current situation, for better or worse, must be the fault of billionaires! The system is rigged! It’s intergenerational and historical trauma that keeps me back. If it’s not one crutch it’s another.
Cayetana Alvarez de Toledo, the Spanish historian, journalist and politician, understands this sentiment clearly and makes the argument that Mexican sovereignty is under threat. Not from abroad, but from within Mexico itself. In a speech delivered at the Universidad de la Libertad in Mexico a couple of weeks ago, Cayetana responded to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s defense of national sovereignty. Cayetana said the threats against Mexican sovereignty do not come from the United States or any outside forces. They come from three sources. First, organized crime fulfilled through narco-terrorism. Second, from authoritarian populism that often works in conjunction with terrorism. And third is the mindset and culture of dependence. When a society becomes complacent with the idea that it must accept what is given, it continues to ask for what must be given. Combined, these internal forces weaken national sovereignty and personal and national independence.
Haters have existed since the beginning of time. It’s not their jealousy of others that stings most; it’s the recognition that they’re mediocre.
Which brings us back to earth. When even iconic greats such as Christopher Columbus and Elon Musk can’t escape the orbit of vituperative jealousy, what chance does the common person staging his own revolution have? The guy trying to change the world or the girl who says enough is enough – even if it is in their backyard or a small town such as Española or Chama. Or even El Duende. With so much disdain for success, societies risk losing their vigor for change, adaptation and even survival as they quash the next great revolutionary. Don’t let the fear of the common man stop you from starting your own revolution. Even if it’s a small step toward independence, make that change. Life has become so boring from the collective monotony of people afraid to dress differently, speak differently or, God forbid, think differently. We stick to our usual catch phrases such as “They don’t get us because they’re not from here.” Or my personal favorite: “It’s always been done that way.”
At the bottom of La Rambla, the street that takes you from the city center to the harbor in Barcelona, Spain, you see an enormous statue of Christopher Columbus. It is awe-inspiring. He is pointing west. To the new world. He is pointing to us. To the next revolutionary. Don’t shy away from your calling. Let the haters hate.