Reading another thread here regarding Fidel sparked something thats been in my mind for awhile now. For the longest time I have seen Che Guevera parapanalia on T-shirts, on spraypainted walls and so forth. They all idolize the fact that he was a revolutionary leader. But as far as I know of his history, he began life as a doctor and eventually cast it aside to help Fidel Castro come to power. Even more to the point (according to my knowledge) he was very socialist and did not value hearing the democratic voice of the people. That and he was involved in many battles and killings. If my facts are correct, why do young people idolize him so much. It would seem to be a strange role model. Perhaps the two new Che movies coming out will answer my questions.
You’ll generally find Guavera-worship among college and high school kids. From my own memory of that time in my life, people of that age are generally pretty idealistic and romantic. Communism looks good because you don’t have the age and experience to understand that people aren’t good enough for communism to work except in very small, self-selecting groups. Che Guavera was an intense, idealistic figure who was romanticized after his death, which makes him very popular with that particular crowd (idealistic, romantic college students).
That’s al lwell and fine, but the absolute fact of the matter is that most people - college students or otherwise wearing Che Guevara’s likeness haven’t got a clue who he was or what he stood for, or just don’t care. His likeness is now a clothing brand, like the Nike swoosh, more than it is a political statement.
Like James Dean, he looks great and he died young and of course violence is always romantic.
Here’s Slate:
*“Che was a totalitarian. He achieved nothing but disaster. Many of the early leaders of the Cuban Revolution favored a democratic or democratic-socialist direction for the new Cuba. But Che was a mainstay of the hardline pro-Soviet faction, and his faction won. Che presided over the Cuban Revolution’s first firing squads. He founded Cuba’s “labor camp” system—the system that was eventually employed to incarcerate gays, dissidents, and AIDS victims” *
Is this a Nazi speaking or the beloved Che – well it hardly matters? ““Hatred as an element of struggle; unbending hatred for the enemy, which pushes a human being beyond his natural limitations, making him into an effective, violent, selective, and cold-blooded killing machine. This is what our soldiers must become …””
And Jean-Paul Sartre as well had himself more than a little affair with totalitarian ideologue and romanticising of violence, so I wouldn’t necessarily take his word what makes a complete human.
Another addition to the Che Guevara mystique: there is very good evidence that Castro wanted to be rid ofhim. hence, the “missionary” trip of Che to Bolivia. Che was “set up” ,in the Mafia sense of the word…his presence was leaked to the Bolivian military, who promptly ambushed and killed Che!
All of whhich makes the funeral orations by Castro a bit over the top…he wanted Che out and had him killed, like any Mafia don would have a subordinate “whacked”.
Another angle to consider beside the others previously mentioned; Guevara was also extremely dedicated and unwavering in his devotion to socialism- he refused many of the perks he, as a recognised official, could have taken. He refused to collect his allocated salary from the government positions he held. He worked unpaid overtime and weekends to try to show the necessity of “removing the individual” and being part of the socialist whole. He had a level of dedication to his ideology, for good or ill, that many may find to be remarkable regardless of disagreeing with his worldview. *
The use of his image on t-shirts would be completely contrary and repellent to anything Guevara ever stood for, and could well be the last laugh for Capitalism – companies profiting off marketing his image and reputation to unknowing students.
I can thoroughly recommend “Che Guevara: A revolutionary Life” by Jon Lee Anderson for a in-depth answer.
Well, I always see one available for sale when there’s a poster sale. However, I’ve never bought one or seen anyone buy one. Or seen one in anyone’s room. Beer posters, naked or near-naked models (of either sex), and old pop-art seem to be more popular.
Yes, but in a minor cult status, and as mentioned before very often more as a brand-name fashion statement than as a real ideological model. You’re more likely to see the t-shirt at the anti-globalization protests.
It should be noted that Sartre visited Castro & Guevara in Cuba shortly after the successful revolution, during the (Honeymoon) time of celebration, and it was during this meeting (or just after) he made that particular comment. It was a viewpoint he later came to retract and regret as the perceived ‘glory’ of the revolution (and attempted armed revolutions elsewhere) became ever more tarnished.
I would also say that the particular iconic image (*that * photo by Korda) has been popularised due to two main considerations; Korda refused to apply copyright or collect royalties for its use which allowed swift proliferation, and it is quite a cool poster image (especially silhouetted in black with the red background) regardless of whether the viewer even has any idea who or what it represents.
