For thirty years, the Gillette Corporation has used the term, "The best a man can get" as its tagline. It sounded good, and it appealed to the cultural standard of competition, the idea that to be a real man, one needed to be the best, even if it meant to win at all costs.
Gillette advertisements showed how men shaving with their razors attracted the most beautiful models or had the most dominant athletic careers. The question arises, however, as to how well that ideal has served us. How realistic are these goals for the majority of the male population? Even if a man did attain those goals, was his life more satisfying? Was Gillette simply pointing us toward the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow in order to sell its product?
Albert Einstein tells us, "The important thing is not to stop questioning."
It seems that the decision makers at Gillette have been asking themselves these difficult questions. What does "The best a man can get" really mean? A recently released extended Gillette commercial thus begins by playing audio news headlines and asks, "Is this the best a man can get?"
It seems that the decision makers at Gillette have been asking themselves difficult questions. A recently released extended Gillette commercial thus begins by playing audio news headlines and asks, "Is this the best a man can get?"
Along with greater instances of certain stress related illnesses, men tend to have much higher incarceration rates than women, and global statistics show that men are much more likely to commit criminal acts of violence. Data such as this usually indicates that there are problems which needs to be addressed.
Asking questions about the way we do things tends to make us uncomfortable. Perhaps this explains the overwhelming initial backlash to the new turn in Gillette advertising. There are twice as many "dislikes" as "likes" for the commercial on YouTube, and comments are extremely critical. The media is also filled with editorials reflecting this backlash, with British commentator Piers Morgan leading the way.
What is interesting is that asking ourselves difficult questions and challenging ourselves to be our best is a characteristic of those who live the happiest and most peaceful lives. Effective people recognize their value and do not find these types of questions to be a threat. Perhaps that is where we need to begin.
We are born with a gender, and all genders are good. I am a male. I have a certain body type. Certain hormones are more prevalent and others are less prevalent in my blood. I have facial hair. Though I am taught certain standards by my culture, what I do with my maleness is my choice.
Gillette makes shaving products which they want men to buy.
Perhaps all that Gillette is asking is whether or not their advertisements in the past have helped or hindered men in embracing what it means to be male. It is admirable to publicly question oneself, and it can also be good business.
What does it mean to be the best that I can be? I value effort and determination, but the people I admire also practice compassion, understanding, forgiveness, acceptance, kindness and love. Some of the men I see as the "best a man can get" are Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu and Jesus of Nazareth.
It should be noted that the qualities which made these men great have nothing to do with their maleness, and great women like Mother Teresa, Mary of Nazareth, Dorothy Day, Angela Merkel and Oprah Winfrey display similar qualities.
Perhaps the question we need to be asking ourselves is not "What is the best a man can get?" It is simply, "What is the best that I can be as a human being?"
Gerry Chidiac is a champion for social enlightenment, inspiring others to find their greatness in making the world a better place. For more of his writings, go to www.gerrychidiac.com
