It’s hard for me to focus on anything today, but PRESIDENT ELECT BARACK OBAMA. Around the world, millions of words are being written about the epic story of Barack Hussein Obama and his resounding victory to become the most powerful leader of the world. There are so many personal and political aspects to this story of triumph; it is easy to see how our deepest desires and fears can be projected onto this tremendous saga. The universal need to share our life experiences endures in the oldest art form – storytelling. Our cultural and personal myths are developed (often with some editing) through repetition until they become ingrained in our collective memory. I wonder how the story of the victorious President Barack Obama will be crafted for the history books…
Will it be a tale of Good vs. Evil? Youth vs. Age? Black vs. White? Hope vs. Fear? Change vs. Status Quo? While reality is hardly ever so clear-cut, lasting narratives are based on archetypal figures (ie. hero, villain, trickster, sage) that reflect our need for a clear demarcation of good and bad (something Hollywood producers have clearly figured out to a mind-numbing degree!). Swiss psychologist Carl Jung claimed that our “collective unconscious” reflected the content of all mankind’s thoughts. Quite honestly, I was terrified by some of what I heard coming from the unconsciousness of my fellow Americans (including media elites and party leaders) during this election cycle. It seems unfitting to mention the dark forces that threatened our land during this time of high hopes, but we also must not forget their existence. Every tale has a hero and a villain to keep us on our toes, and it has been clearly demonstrated that there is muck in our mist.
Today should be about celebrating a historic victory that has far-reaching cultural and political ramifications. How will each one of us retell the story of election night 2008 to our children? Will the emotion of the historic night fade when the enormity of the task before our President elect hits us? Will the glow of triumph be dimmed by the first hardship or misstep? Or, will we remember the fiery autumn day as the time the sun shined so bright it drove off the darkness that had befallen our great land?
Being a romantic and an optimist, I am rooting for a fairy tale ending. I prefer the legend of the brave young knight that rose to power not on privilege, corruption, or nepotism, but through hard work and a dedication to the greater good. A warrior that saw the broken spirit of the people and knew they deserved better. A sage that offered a new way of governing and communicated in a way that inspired people to reach for the best in themselves. A hero to all those that have faced challenges and overcame them.
The United States of America has found its story again and it is based on HOPE!
Cheers,
Ms. Cosmopolite
Press Room