Lessons from MacArthur’s West Point Speech: Vulnerability & Courage

The second in a series of connections to Timeless & Timely topics in his 1962 speech.

Orestes Pursued by the Furies by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1862 (public domain - Wikimedia Commons)

“Most of us admire strength. It’s something we tend to respect in others, desire for ourselves, and wish for our children. Sometimes, though, I wonder if we confuse strength with other words—like aggression and even violence. Real strength is neither male nor female; but it is, quite simply, one of the finest characteristics that any human being can possess.”
— Fred Rogers

It isn’t often that we associate top military brass with so-called “soft skills.”

Yet in his 1962 speech to the graduating cadets at West Point,¹ General Douglas MacArthur pointed to a number of these leadership virtues that are timeless in nature, and we already covered some of them in the first of this series, on the topic of duty and honor.²

When he cited West Point’s motto (“Duty. Honor. Country.”), MacArthur referred to why such a set of virtues was important, and he uncovered a deep truth:

“They build your basic character. They mold you for your future roles as the custodians of the nation’s defense. They make you strong enough to know when you are weak, and brave enough to face yourself when you are afraid.”

At first glance, the concept of finding strength in weakness and courage in fear might seem oxymoronic.