Living in a micro-bus down by the Rhine

Senator Obama is being hailed in some quarters as the once in a lifetime inspirational leader these difficult times require. He has been compared to Kennedy and King in his ability to motivate people in a positive direction. I suppose it may even be true and only time will tell.

One of the more memorable characters played by the late comedian Chris Farley was the down on his luck motivational speaker Matt Foley. Foley's most significant motivation came not from personal achievement, but from his own failure and subsequent predicament of being forced to "live in a van down by the river."

When we talk of notable motivators of the past it is difficult not to mention the name Adolf Hitler. Although surely the most evil and certainly the most infamous of those to be found on the list, Hitler was arguably one of the most successful. After all, with a little help from his thuggish friends he convinced a majority of the population of one of the greatest nations on the planet to wage a world war.

I have from time to time heard people say that if Hitler had only used his powers of persuasion for good rather than evil, he may have become one of the most revered men of the twentieth century. But I think the truth lies more in the seeds of that persuasion.

Vengeance toward not only the European powers that forced Germany to sign the ruinous treaty of Versailles, but also laying the blame for the misfortunes of war at the feet of the Jewish people fueled his motivation. Without the opportunity to fan the smouldering national resentment of the German people, I doubt that Hitler would have been anything more than a historical footnote.

Unfortunately for humanity, hatred and revenge are two of the most powerful motivators of men.

Fortunately for humanity the majority of our most inspirational leaders have led with a message of hope for a brighter future.