Rebecca VA Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 My daughter needs a quick example of someone (preferably someone living) who was recognized as a leader and highly respected, and then lost their prestige due to an accident or other incident. She is writing a paper. It seems like an easy challenge, but I can't think of anyone! Thanks to anyone for any suggestions!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 Other incident - Bill Clinton Tiger Woods (several others following a similar theme ;)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 Joe Paterno? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverland Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 Joe Paterno? That's who popped into my head as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 See I wouldn't think of any of those people as losing their prestige accidentally. It was due to their own actions. To me that isn't an accident. I guess it depends on the point you are trying to make in the paper. But now that's I've 'nay-sayed' I am not coming up with someone. Hmmm.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 See I wouldn't think of any of those people as losing their prestige accidentally. It was due to their own actions. To me that isn't an accident. I guess it depends on the point you are trying to make in the paper. But now that's I've 'nay-sayed' I am not coming up with someone. Hmmm.... :iagree: I would say someone like Congresswoman Gifford or Press Secretary James Brady might qualify, but I am hard-pressed to think of an exact match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 (edited) I would say someone like Congresswoman Gifford But Gifford did not lose her prestige. She was injured - but she did not lose the peoples' respect and good opinion. I think the loss of prestige will usually be caused by the person's own action; the original question was "accident or incident". An incident can definitely be caused by the person. Clinton and Paterno qualify. I fail to see how an actual accident can cause a loss of prestige. ETA: one other scenario that comes to my mind is, of course, if information about the well regarded person comes to light that is not "his fault" or something he did, but that is regarded with a stigma by society: being gay, or having a mental illness. Can't think of an example, but there must be people who lost their prestige due to societal prejudice and not because they behaved badly. Edited August 24, 2012 by regentrude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 Lance Amstrong comes to mind right now, he is all over the news today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 But Gifford did not lose her prestige. She was injured - but she did not lose the peoples' respect and good opinion. I think the loss of prestige will usually be caused by the person's own action; the original question was "accident or incident". An incident can definitely be caused by the person. Clinton and Paterno qualify. I fail to see how an actual accident can cause a loss of prestige. It is why I qualified that it might be a match b/c accidents for which an individual bears no responsibility shouldn't diminish others respect. However, reality is that prestige is often more than simple respect and good opinion. In politics, it is often associated w/prominence of position. Since she had to resign from Congress, her stature w/in the political system was diminished in terms of power or authority, hence it could be a loss of prestige (to a degree). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 But Gifford did not lose her prestige. She was injured - but she did not lose the peoples' respect and good opinion. I think the loss of prestige will usually be caused by the person's own action; the original question was "accident or incident". An incident can definitely be caused by the person. Clinton and Paterno qualify. I fail to see how an actual accident can cause a loss of prestige. I think that's why it's hard to think of something - because for the most part a loss of respect is a reflections of one's own actions. To me neither the term accident or incident fits that since accident means... well accidental and using the term incident really downplays culpability as well. Listen to a criminal discuss his crime sometime - they almost always use the word 'incident'. The only other way I can see someone losing respect without being the cause themselves would be people like Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey (JonBenet's parents) or Sam Sheppard. These people were well respected in their community (not famous but still well-respected) and then they lost that respect because something happened to them and they were suspected of doing something they didn't do and they weren't absolved of guilt until well after it was too late to save their respected position in the community (coming after death of Sheppard and Patsy Ramsey). But I don't know if that really fits either. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverland Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 My daughter needs a quick example of someone (preferably someone living) who was recognized as a leader and highly respected, and then lost their prestige due to an accident or other incident. She is writing a paper. It seems like an easy challenge, but I can't think of anyone! Thanks to anyone for any suggestions!! I guess it depends on the definition of "other incident." Do I think that Joe Paterno or Tiger Woods or ...... lost his prestige accidentally? No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-FL Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 The Duke Lacrosse team. Yes, they invited a stripper to perform for them, but they did not do any of the other things they were accused of and were slandered for in the press. Any man accused of rape where his name appears in the paper, while the woman's is never given. If he later is proven innocent, he still has lost prestige (his name) to the accusation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca VA Posted August 24, 2012 Author Share Posted August 24, 2012 Thanks, all! She chose...Lance Armstrong! The book she's assigned to write a report on (Things Fall Apart) has a main character who was a tribal leader. He was respected but not especially popular due to his grumpy personality. One night there was a celebration, and the tribe was dancing wildly around a bonfire. The main character's gun accidentally fell in the fire (the book says the gun exploded and the victim was hit with a piece of iron) and the victim died. The main character had to go and live in a neighboring village for a while until the death was atoned for. When he was finally allowed back in his native village, he had lost his prestige. There was no one to welcome him back because he wasn't especially popular. We talked this over in light of today's news story. Lance Armstrong *might* be innocent of the charges, but he is certainly under suspicion. He has been so arrogant that few people are willing to stand up for him. He has lost the prestige he once enjoyed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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