The twin cinematic retrospectives on the careers of Hoover and Thatcher, both notorious conservatives that packed a lot of clout in recent Western history, invite this question. Today’s article at Eureka Street, Humanising Hoover and Thatcher – Eureka Street, takes rather a dim view of the practice.
I wonder though. As one privileged to work across a wide spectrum of the community, embracing idealists from the extremes of both the right and the left (and all the places in between), I consider it important to contemplate the human element that we all share. Heaven forbid – it might give rise to compassion for those who have committed the inexcusable! Well, compassion springs from knowledge, knowledge leads to understanding, understanding leads to constructive dialogue for improvement.
Maybe if we saw the human in each other rather than competing ideologies we may be able to deal more effectively with some of the contemporary challenges confronting us.
How successfully these two cinematic efforts achieve the task of putting flesh and bone on these historic figures is another matter. However, I do not question the desire.
Related Articles
- Leonardo DiCaprio and Clint Eastwood Ask: Who Was ‘J. Edgar?’ (screenrant.com)
- Phyllida Lloyd: how to humanise Margaret Thatcher (guardian.co.uk)
Wondering Pilgrim 
I think our reluctance to bring these people out of caricature has a lot to do with our own deep-rooted fear. Stepping away from polarisation and collecting evidence is always a good way to distance ourselves and look at people like this with dispassion. And in doing so, I find it is freeing.
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I agree – it’s like looking in the mirror and meeting our nemesis. The choice is to flee or befriend.
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Love this: “Maybe if we saw the human in each other rather than competing ideologies we may be able to deal more effectively with some of the contemporary challenges confronting us.”
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It might even lead to some constructive bi, tri or multi-partisan policy design in Canberra!
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