I tend to go the other way. While MLK’s message was both elementary and revolutionary—short version: everyone is a child of God, so let’s treat each other that way—it was his conduct, the carrying that message into hostile places, in a non-violent manner, suffering all manner of threats and even dying for it that that pounded that message into the national psyche.
His human, all too human flaws while shocking (especially as he had been something of an American saint) can also remind people that despite their sins and flaws, they are not barred from trying to make the world a better place.
It is perhaps noteworthy MLK’s sins have to do the opportunities/situations that arose for him as the leader of movement; success creates new problems. He wasn’t so much a reformed sinner as a man who caved to temptation (there but for the grace of God and all that).
Of any message, I think people believe them in a fractured, conflicted, kaleidoscopic manner; soldiers may, at any moment, love their country, but they fight for each other because that’s what humans do.
Huberman. I saw SoulStar’s just after reading the news about Huberman. I just thought he was going to have a rough patch ahead.
I do think his behavior probably distorts his relationship musings somewhat.
From the DailyMail quoting one of his podcasts:
‘And so… then by definition can’t be long-lasting. You can’t have the long-term affairs with six different partners.’
‘Yeah,’ said Mr Huberman, ‘unless he’s, um, juggling multiple, uh, phone accounts or something of that sort.’
So that seems more like a guy trying to workshop his life with a podcast guest than distill some neurology paper for the general public. Maybe his relationship advice will be conflicted, but getting some sunshine everyday still seems right as rain.