As a child growing up in the 1970s, I naturally adopted the standard viewpoint of those years: that the late Bruce Lee was a superhuman philosophical warrior. Thanks to years of kung-fu flicks, martial arts magazines and 80% of the black-and-white magazine output of Marvel Comics, it was hard to separate Lee the man from Lee the legend (a problem many still share, thanks to the movie “Dragon.”) Even accepting him as a man with flaws and foibles, though, I think I’d still like to have Bruce as my trainer and teacher in the ways of life, both out of respect for his worldview and the hope that I’d get my own yellow onesie, which leads us to today’s mentorian query…
The MS-QOTD (pronounced, as always, “misquoted”) has always enjoyed the subtle wisdom in the words of Socrates, who reputedly said, “I drank what?”, asking: What personage, real or fictional, would you most want to share their personal philosophy as your life coach?
7 Comments
I think it would be a close one between Gandhi and Mandela. For quite obvious reasons.
At one time I thought I would saw driving leaders like Napoleon Bonaparte as who would be a great life coach. Now I would like to talk to George Washington, Lincoln as my life coach. And I would love to get advise from Batman. ;)
Hoo boy, no. Batman would give terrible advice, worlds greatest detective he may be but on a personal level he’s a total basket case. I would opt for Superman to be my mentor of steel or maybe Wonder Woman, always worth getting tips from someone with the wisdom of Athena.
Kal Skirata of the Star Wars Republic Commando novels. We already share some similarities anyway, such as the belief that family is more than blood, it is the people you care about and who care about you, and protect your friends and family no matter the cost, even if it means you have to make some questionable choices. Plus, he’s a Mandalorian so I’d probably pick up some new combat skills along the way.
Or maybe Yoda. I mean, come on, he’s Yoda. How could you NOT want to be taught by the mischievous Jedi Master?
You’ve gotta be one of the good guys son.
Cause there’s way too many of the bad.
-Jesse Custer’s Dad
Beyond my Dad and Gramp (of whom my gram said I’m basically a clone of)? I think in all things in life you have to have the courage to try and the self confidence, faith and belief that when you fail you will succeed. So take your pick of any of many men and women who persevere and you’ll do well for yourself in life.
And always remember to keep General John Stark’s words in mind “Live free or die, death is not the worst of evils.”
Goku and Luffy would be great mentors for the direction I should be going. Rorschach would fit better for the direction I feel I’m going. Samuel Vimes is the mentor I would choose for where I am.