by Lauren Reynolds

Created on: May 23, 2008   Last Updated: May 25, 2008

Greatness is a sign of achievement. People labor diligently day and night so that society will consider them remarkable. . But what sets great people apart from everyone else? Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "To be great is to be misunderstood." While this may seem like an extreme statement, empirically, being misunderstood has been a prerequisite to success and prominence. In fact, facing opposition causes a person to reach his or her fullest potential. While it may be true that great people are eventually accepted, they must first endure ridicule from misunderstandings. Misunderstanding can be the result of genuine confusion. However, despite this common and simplistic interpretation, misunderstanding has a much broader definition. It also encompasses ignorance and difference in opinions. Experiencing any of these types of misunderstanding is sufficient to lead to greatness. Although it would inherently make sense that understanding is necessary to win popular support, an analysis of historical leaders, artists, and masterminds shows that greatness can only be achieved through an initial misunderstanding.

Great historical leaders share a common trait: they have all endured long battles of misunderstanding in order to fight for their beliefs. This causes them to be well remembered and revered today. Abraham Lincoln lives today in the minds of many, as a lanky man sporting a tall black hat and standing outside of a log cabin. But, if he had not been a strong advocator of abolition, this president would have fallen into the forgotten abyss of history. During his time in office, Lincoln's ideas caused dissention in Congress and he consistently lost popularity among the people. Until his assassination, Lincoln virtually sacrificed all popular opinion to champion his principles. His strong support for the African American's cause not only uplifted his own status after his death but it also inspired other passionate promoters of abolitionism in the future. One of these abolitionists was Martin Luther King, Jr. Today he is considered one of the most accomplished men in the United States. But in the late twentieth century, King was scorned by the American populace when he fought against slavery. Nevertheless, he continued to lead civil rights movements all throughout the nation to end the historical discrimination of African Americans. Only King's lasting courage and persistence gave him the edge to ultimately escape misunderstanding and be recognized as a great hero

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