I like the Jeep commercial starring Harrison Ford – first aired during the Super Bowl — quite a bit.
It’s difficult—perhaps impossible—for brands to take political stands these days, but Ford’s Jeep ad does so beautifully without stepping over a line and causing fragile people of a specific political leaning to throw their little tantrums and boycott a product because criticisms of a leader, movement, or belief are too much for them to take.
Ford is especially effective in this regard when he says:
There are real heroes in the world,
but not in the movies
Real heroes are humble.
They’re not driven by pride.
Pride is a terrible driver.
It’s hard to argue this point. Almost impossible. Yet if you apply this principle — “Real heroes are humble” — to specific political leaders today, you can see how they fail the humility test spectacularly.
In place of humility is self-aggrandizement, constant boasting, and the fabrication of endless lies and deceptions designed to inflate one’s image and sense of self-worth.
It’s not surprising, of course.
Humility requires a strong sense of self.
A healthy ego.
Competency and decency.
The ability to put others before yourself.
The desire to elevate others above yourself.
The capacity to accept criticism absent fear or the desire for retribution.
The silliness to laugh at your own mistakes.
Harrison Ford is right. Real heroes are humble. Not driven by pride.
Pride is a disastrous driver.
I can’t imagine who he might have been speaking about…
