Courage Matters. Does John McCain’s Book?
It’s not coincidental that I’m reading the books written by presidential candidates. I’m growing interested in what the people who may become our leaders have to say as I grow more weary of what the pundits and the critics do.
In Profiles in Courage, John F. Kennedy wrote about the courage of Senators making important choices in their political careers. I remember feeling a sliver of disappointment that there was not any attention paid to other varieties of courage or suggestions at how we common folk might cultivate courage in our own lives. There was also not much paid to the nature of courage.
Senator McCain wrote the book I’d hoped Jack Kennedy would, but in doing so demonstrated that he has less to say than (then) Senator Kennedy did. Why Courage Matters is chock full of inspirational stories of courage of many varieties, and each of these stories stands on their own. Disappointingly, Senator McCain never indulges us with insight about these courageous acts. He does a fine job of narrating them and highlighting the courageous parts, bringing home the aspects of the stories and individuals he admires, but he never goes too deep and never gives us much more than a collection of true and inspirational stories.
Likewise with his suggestions of how to cultivate courage in ourselves. He channels Eddie Rickenbacker long enough to tell the reader that courage is a function of our fear, the product of it rather than the absence of it. He instructs us that courage is like a muscle and must be exercised in order to develop. But where I went looking for more I found Senator McCain’s book wanting. This is no self-help book. It’s worth reading for some mild inspirational values, but it’s not going to change anyone’s life. I think a book about courage owes it to us to challenge and transform.
But this is a book written by a modern man who seeks public office for a living.I suppose it’s too much to ask for our leaders today to reveal if they are men or women of virtue. We, as a nation, are both so cynical about and ironically enough, fearful of our leaders that any evidence of his or her intelligence, virtue of character, or thoughtful reflection makes that candidate a threat. We say we want our leaders to be people of character, but none among us will vote for anyone we admire. How sad it is that even in a book about courage that a politician dare not exhibit that he might know something about the subject.
