Well, hey--I didn't realize he was even still alive. But Gregg Easterbrook reports that the greatest living American got the Congressional Gold Medal yesterday--he can hang it next to his Nobel Peace Prize.
Kudos to Gregg for noticing, and for scolding the mainstream press for its inattention, but I think his analysis is a little confused:
Borlaug's story is ignored because his is a story of righteousness -- shunning wealth and comfort, this magnificent man lived nearly all his life in impoverished nations. If he'd blown something up, lied under oath or been caught offering money for fun, ABC, CBS and NBC would have crowded the Capitol Rotunda today with cameras, hoping to record an embarrassing gaffe. Because instead Borlaug devoted his life to serving the poor, he is considered Not News. All I can say after watching him today is that I hope Borlaug isn't serious about retiring, as there is much work to be done -- and I hope when I'm 93 years old I can speak without notes, as he did.
I believe Borlaug is a "magnificent man" all right, but I'd say the main reason we haven't noticed is that he never turned himself into a publicity machine. I don't think there'd be the slightest problem for the right kind of agent (with the right kind of percentage) to have Norman Borlaug in our faces 24-7. We could have Borlaug TV specials: "Hi, I'm Norm Borlaug and I'm here to tell you about world hunger." There could have been any number of books, including cookbooks (a dollar from each purchase goes to fight world hunger!). How much would Kellogg have paid to put his face on a box of breakfast cereal (the man who solved world hunger can solve your hunger today!). The mind reels at the thought of the joint world tour of Norm Borlaug and Princess Di.
Understand that I'm not knocking Borlaug here (except in the restricted sense that I can imagine a world where he uses his brand to support his good works). My point is that--well, forget about the Peace Prize and the Congressional Medal, there ought to be a special prize for people who do acts of heroism and do not hijack Larry King.
1 comment:
"How much would Kellogg have paid to put his face on a box of breakfast cereal (the man who solved world hunger can solve your hunger today!)."
Trust me, after 43 years in the ad game, I can promise you Kellogg would pay zilch, zero, zippo. You have the right idea but the wrong kind of breakfast cereal.
Special K, maybe even Raisin Bran or whatever they call the Kellog version of Muselli, are more like it. "The nutritional expert who's saving lives in 35 nations can help you stay thin and fit."
Sorry, but freshen up your ad portfolio and and then send it to us again real soon.
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