Friday, August 24, 2012

Lance Armstrong and Death of a Salesman


I remember having a difficult operation on my leg in 2006.  For inspiration, I read Lance Armstrong's autobiography. I felt duly motivated: if he could win le Tour de France so many times, suffer and recover from cancer in the process, what on earth did I have to worry about.

So, I felt somewhat deflated today, when hearing that Mr Armstrong is to be stripped of all his titles, for alleged drug use. Yes, he vigorously denies any wrong doing - as he always has done. Yet - the US Drug Agency surely would not have acted in the way it did - especially discrediting a national hero in this fashion.

Part of me hopes that Mr Armstrong is still not guilty - even though he has decided not to contest the allegations any further.  The other part makes me think of that play 'Death of a Salesman' by Arthur Miller, when the two sons - Biff and Happy - with great difficulty - come to terms with the fact that their father is not such a hero after all - after some personal misdemeanours and business failures.

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