Presidential Medal of Freedom

[Rezzy]

I saw the most recent batch of people who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and it just really rubbed me the wrong way.

I saw Ellen had gotten one, and was thinking okay, I guess it was hard for her coming out 20 years ago, but is that really worthy of the nation's highest honor? I went with maybe, and figured I guess it's okay. Then I'm seeing Tom Hanks and Robert de Nero getting one, and it's just not sitting right with me. This is supposed to be the highest honor the nation can bestow on someone. Why is the list littered with so many actors and athletes?

In my opinion, this award should be something given to very few, and only people who show courage, valor, or great benefit to society at large. Like the fire fighters who tried to save people in the Twin Towers on 9-11 level or a scientist that develops the vaccine for HIV. But it seems the threshold for the award is a bit low when we're giving one to an actor for playing Forrest Gump. I have nothing against actors and athletes, but I don't want my kids growing up idolizing them over the true heroes in our country. I think this is merely I symptom of a bigger problem, where we don't give enough props in society to the people who really deserve it.

If you hand the Presidential Medals of Freedom out like Tic-Tacs, they lose all meaning.

[Captain Karnage]

it means nothing anymore

it was ment for people who changed the world and helped mankind as a whole

now it's just for popular celebrities who have done nothing to advance civilization

[Balcerzak]

If you hand the Presidential Medals of Freedom out like Tic-Tacs, they lose all meaning.

Kind of puts it on the level of the Nobel Peace prize, huh. Yeah, I get what you're saying.

[EricaofRenais]

I agree with you, it seems like they give awards to people who play heroes but not real ones anymore.

[Yojinbo]

[...] I don't want my kids growing up idolizing them over the true heroes in our country. I think this is merely I symptom of a bigger problem, where we don't give enough props in society to the people who really deserve it.

Is it really a surprise though? It's what happens when mass murdering psychopaths are being made celebrities by the mainstream media while the brave fight for freedom of the native americans in north dacota is being almost entirely ignored. Edward Snowden has done more for the freedom of the people in the USA than all of the people that received it combined but he'll never get it.

The comparison to the nobel peace prize is valid. A completely meaningless tools that's used for propaganda purposes.

[Phoenix Wright]

Kind of puts it on the level of the Nobel Peace prize, huh. Yeah, I get what you're saying.

it's not like the peace prize ever really meant anything. the same with the presidential medal.

[Lord Raven]

It feels like it's human nature to attach any sort of movement, even if there's a vague attachment, to a singular person as a symbol. Like when you think of Civil Rights, you think of one of Rosa Parks and MLK Jr., and not of any sort of committee behind orchestrating certain events (such as Rosa Parks' "I will NOT stand in the back of the bus.") At this point it's only natural and it's not something I personally give a shit about, and if I raise kids of my own I definitely will not point to someone on the TV and tell them to be like them.

I'm also pretty cynical - very cynical - after Ray Rice punched his wife in the elevator. Ultimately, the broader story matters, such as Tom Brady's whole "started from the bottom now we here" shtick in terms of sports, but I don't give a shit beyond that. Most people in the public eye will have a public and private persona and I don't see anyone as entirely genuine, you can gather things from moments that seem genuine and like them, but ultimately they amount to nothing.

Personally it's just not something worth discussing beyond the idea of people as icons or symbols. The Presidential Medal and Nobel Peace Prize both have the same root - we're giving random people an idolizing symbol, but why should we honestly give a fuck? Movements or any of that stuff in general is significantly more than one person, and this single-person mentality is a much, much greater issue in society.

EDIT: would like to apologize after the fact for my rambling. I only just got a chance to sit down after a stressful (but very fun) Thanksgiving.

Edited November 25, 2016 by Lord Raven