Overcoming Adversity

What makes a person truly qualified to be the next President of the United States? Is it their record of achievement and the issues they’ve tackled as a politician? Is it their pedigree? Or is it the personal obstacles they’ve overcome en route to success? Of late, it appears that most Presidential hopefuls have emphasized their perseverance and have done all in their power to use the media to minimize the public’s knowledge of their positions on certain issues. While some may cry that this may keep the public ignorant and prevent them from selecting a candidate who will advocate their personal interests, the overwhelming emphasis on triumphing in the face of adversity is exactly what allows the American people to relate to the people.


Everyone has had to overcome some sort of obstacle to get where they are today. Handouts and freebies are rare in this world, are regardless of who you are, chances are that if you have achieved any level of success, you have had to learn how to bypass the impediments to your prosperity. Because of this, it would only seem natural for a politician to construct their personal narrative around their own personal triumphs in the face of adversity. Not only does this create a level playing field between themselves and the masses, it facilitates a relationship between the two where the people can relate to their leaders based solely on their inherent struggles. Nothing seems more dramatic than overcoming adversity and by appealing to each person’s emotions and flare for the dramatic, candidates are able to knockdown barriers to their ability to be seen as a man/woman of the people.


Some critics have asserted that the political use of narrative has diverted attention away from the key issues at hand. While this may or may not be true, when selecting a leader, nothing is more important than discovering which candidate has the best ability to lead in the toughest of situations. Yes, one candidate may have stronger sentiments or a safer plan in regards to one issue, but does that really matter if that person can’t provide assurance and guidance when they are needed most? By overcoming adversity in the past, a candidate shows that he or she will be able to learn from their experiences and overcome a new set of obstacles the future. While issues and ideals are significant, the key issues facing a country seemingly change from day to day. Rather than finding a candidate that can merely discuss the issues, we need to select one that can deal with the everyday challenges associated with these issues in the order of magnitude in which they come about.