James Gandolfini and Tony Soprano: They Stood For Something
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The outpouring of grief over an actor who played a mobster shows that society yearns for people who stand for real things, not Kardashian ephemera
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At first blush, it is somewhat difficult to understand how a great many people can mourn the loss of James Gandolfini as much as they do.
Certainly at 51 years of age, he died young and for those of us who are quickly approaching the mid-century mark, this is yet another reminder that mortality is the only other inevitability after taxes (and even someday people may well be immortal, even if never avoiding government tithing).
But his youth does not seem to be the predominant reason for people’s heartfelt sorrow. After all, bad people die young and society could not care less, if not is happy.
Whether Tony Soprano or James Gandolfini, you knew where he stood, much unlike many of our political, business and religious leaders
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The 2 predominant themes that seem to be coming from those weighing in on the late actor is: 1) he played the infamous Tony Soprano and 2) he was a nice guy.
These propositions seem mutually exclusive but are not. Their common thread is that both Tony Soprano and the nice guy took a stand; you know where they stood whether they were right (nice guy) or wrong (Tony).
This is a far cry from so many of our leaders in society who waffle (politicians), obfuscate (corporate and religious leaders), or downright lie (too many to list but, amongst others, politicians and corporate/religious leaders).
While we don’t want our leaders to be like Tony Soprano and it is likely too much to ask them to be nice like James Gandolfini, it should not be a bridge too far to ask them to be straight-shooters.
As Tony Soprano once eloquently put it, “Why don’t we put our &@%!$# cards on the table here.”
-I.M. Windee
