Mr. President

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Today I saw the President of Georgia. Wow, right? Him, his wife, the boyfriend, myself and a few dozen other people enjoyed the Tbilisi Orchestra conducted by Mariano Rivas. At the beginning of the performance, Mariano Rivas did a little speech, beginning with an attention to us the spectators and Mr. President. Everyone started looking around the small theater.

“Is he really here?”

It would make sense for him to be there since entering the theater there was quite the security check. I looked around as well, but I didn’t see anything. The performance began and it was indeed very lovely. There is something really quite majestic about conductors. They stand there, with their back to you, their heads popping to the right, to the left, upwards and downwards – their entire body dancing away comically but with so much power and emotion it’s almost frightening. The Soloists were lovely and they performed the “Messa Da Requiem” by Guiseppe Verdi, which, since I’ve never heard it in full, was really enjoyable.

However, I’m off on a tangent there. Let’s get back to Mr. President. At the end of the performance, I turned my head to look at the small size of the Theater and there he was, standing proudly with his Dutch wife at his side. Americans in front of us kept looking up at him, others turned around as well. A lot of the applauding attention that should have been given to the Orchestra was distracted with his presence. And here is what I have to say about that.

Really?!

I understand that he’s the boss man of this country. I understand he does great (and not so great) things. I understand that he’s important. Yet, I’ve never understood this notion of fame. Yes, people have great talent and they’re known world wide, but how does that allow them to be elevated on a pedestal. Don’t get me wrong, I am not jealous or bear any sort of grudge against fame in general – I just don’t see how these people are any more important or special than other people. I haven’t been able to see this in the past, nor has it changed recently.

In my opinion, everyone is special. Everyone is capable of doing great things, although it is true that not everyone puts their talent to its best use. However, most of these people don’t do so simply because they don’t have the means to. Would they have the means (and by this of course I mean money and the right environment), they might have been Mr. President at the Rustaveli Theater today. There are many people out there who would be more capable and do a better job than Mr. President, yet not everyone has the means.

Not having the means however, does not mean that it puts them on a lower level of importance. Humans do not have any sort of hierarchy determining their importance – or at least they shouldn’t, in my mind. Every single person in this world is keeping the world running full steam ahead. Every single person in this world is of equal importance – Mr. President, the lawyer, the doctor, the professor, the factory worker, the housewife, the cleaning lady, the sick, the poor, the wealthy. Take one out and there is, all of a sudden an imbalance. Everyone does in fact need each other. We don’t need Mr. President any more than we need that factory worker. Or the Orchestra.

4 Responses to “Mr. President”

1. Alastair Lancaster says:

   February 2, 2010 at 12:27

   Surely you misunderstood. The concert was because you are back in the country. (We know if sensible people had known, it would have been packed.) Politicians do this to divert attention. The concert was in your honour. The President was adding an unexpected twist.

   I like your general politics. There are some, however, that despise others and hate sharing. I say the vote signals we keep a place warm for them in many ways. In practice, only those who think take part. They support the latent potential in others. Everyone has undreamed of ability, icluding the sick and poor. You have the right focus.

   The problem is the software (beliefs) running in people’s heads. Installed by others, unrealized by individuals.

   Nice to read your post. I missed you.

   Reply
   • K says:

     February 3, 2010 at 16:57

     Haha, thanks Alastair! Hope you’re doing well!

     Reply
2. Sonia Thomas says:

   February 2, 2010 at 14:08

   I so totally agree with you on that. Its as if the famous people are not people and they are from a different planet. People stare at them as if they have seen an alien which is so weird..
   Sonia Thomas´s last blog ..Paths of Glory

   Reply
   • K says:

     February 3, 2010 at 16:59

     I find it really disturbing actually – and in many ways I pity them, for if you have fame, you lack quite a bit of privacy on an everyday basis. Then again, it’s something that they chose, and they’re definitely getting paid of it, so I suppose I shouldn’t pity them. :)

     Reply