Now we know that Tiger is human
OPINION - Why do we as a society so regularly expect and demand that the best of our athletes become superhuman?
Now we know the truth. Tiger Woods is indeed flesh and blood — a vessel of humanness — nothing more than simply a man.
Given all his sporting histrionics over the last decade, some have come to wonder aloud about that otherwise obvious humanity, while others have simply chosen to profit mightily by peddling the illusion of the myth of the man as if he were a virtual form of the gospel.
But now we know the truth. For whatever you make of Woods’ motives in scurrying from his home alone in the wee hours of post-Thanksgiving Day dinner, when the truth comes out, it’s sure to be ridiculous. What could have caused this billionaire-in-the-making with a pristine reputation to act in such a seemingly undignified manner?
Where can Tiger Woods, or any other human being for that matter, go once their natural imperfections and vulnerabilities are exposed to the world? Does the illusion of perfection finally cease to be a commodity?
That’s not to say that Woods’ days of being an effective representation of his generation have come to an end, nor will his career ultimately be seriously compromised by any of this. Indeed, we need look no further than the travails of Kobe Bryant or Alex Rodriguez as testaments to careers that endure personal scandal.
The danger here lies in the fostering of a sort of behavior from which such controversies spring. We speak in this instance not of any more unexplained behavior on the part of Tiger, but rather the climate that allows any human to convincingly pass him or herself off as something they’re not. Tiger Woods may well be the best golfer the world has ever known, but that hardly classifies him as a study in human infallibility.
Why do we as a society so regularly expect and demand that the best of our athletes become something so many of them have routinely proven they’re not. Just when did being a world class athlete come to assure one’s indisputable standing as global standard bearer of all thing righteous?
On his Website, Woods apologized and fully took responsibility for his folly, not to mention letting down everyone who has come to view him as a role model. The question now is when are we going to apologize for putting him in such a position?
