Why is Che Guevara Idolised so much?

I was just playing Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker, when the whole "OMG Big Boss is liek Che Guevara!" thing started. It saddens me that Kojima Did Not Do The Research and went all "Surely Che was a simbol of freedom and purity!". I mean hell, could someone explain to me what YOU guys think Che did so good? Just to hear what (for lack of a less insulting term) the ignorant people think that makes Che into a simbol of goodness.

What, is it the Cuban Revolution?

No, it's because his face is a good t-shirt image.

edited 7th Mar '11 8:52:58 PM by MarkVonLewis

Cause people have a poor grasp of what people stand for and tend to project imaginary attributes onto unsuccessful but charismatic men.

For the same reason we have a store named the Banana Republic. People don't really grasp foreign politics very well at times.

The Beret. Chicks dig the beret.

He was instrumental in the Cuban revolution. If you watch the Andy Garcia film The Lost City, it paints him as a Blofeld supervillain.

I've often dreamed of storming a Banana Republic store and staging my own coup and taking control of store.

But that'd be a felony so I decide against it.

Because of one really good photograph.

edited 7th Mar '11 9:33:52 PM by Talby

To quote Cracked.com, he owned the original Thriller jacket.

But yeah, it's kinda baffling to see how idolized the guy is, especially by people who don't even have a working knowledge on who he was and what he did.

One the era Che was prevalent in and two the usual romanticized nature of La Resitance

edited 7th Mar '11 10:27:18 PM by TuefelHundenIV

Who?

This Guy

edited 8th Mar '11 12:36:37 AM by TuefelHundenIV

He was revolutionary and he wore a cool hat. That's about all most people know about him and thus he represents anyone dissatisfied with their government, I guess.

While he was sort of evil, at least he crushed an Empire-backed, conservative dictatorship. That's more than most men do. 'T least, give that man some credit.

I generally like whoever screws The Man hard and painfully. It's a gut reaction.

edited 8th Mar '11 5:35:07 AM by SavageHeathen

I have seen it argued that the popularity of Guevara is partly a result of conservative pundit condemnation of him.

Then again, if someone is so illogical as to like someone for who hates them that is THEIR problem.

About the worst you can say about Che is that he summarily executed agents of the old regime, and was big on land reform (ala Mugabe), which displaced a lot of people and ruined livelihoods.

The fact that so many Cubans in Florida are to this day seething with rage is a testament to how much he pissed them off.

He executed more then just agents the man was rather blood thirsty.

I can't fault him for being blood-thirsty. If I had been in his position, it would probably have been much worse.

edited 8th Mar '11 6:52:17 AM by SavageHeathen

The moral of the story is, while there are reasons that you would wear his image, don't be surprised if random Cubans beat the you-know-what out of you.

Batista was a bastard. Guevara was a bastard. Castro is a bastard.

Eh, lots of people are idolised a lot. Once you get the popularity train running, the impetus it carries forward is just very strong no matter what the actual character of the person was in real life. Some people idolise mass murderers as great leaders, like Kublai Khan, because we no longer connect with the millions of people he slaughtered we just look upon his significant military victories over the most powerful countries in the world. We could also connect with guys like a great writer over his literature, like HP Lovecraft, yet he was a raging racist who despised Asians the most and believed they were in an inevitable race war with the yellows who would overrun them with their numbers despite their genetic inferiority.

edited 8th Mar '11 9:04:38 AM by breadloaf

Yeah,I know. But most Lovecraft's followers I know Idolice him DESPITE knowing he was a racist (I am neutral, I do not know how far he went with that, and while I am interested in reading his works, I haven't yet). Guevara is idfferent. Most people I have known do NOT know what he did, thinking he was a savior, and that the angry cubans are a bunch of ugly old farts/republicans. The other half of people I know that love him, are those who are complete mosters IRL

I mean, what is so heroic in a revolution that "Toppled a goverment"? Yeah, he did do it, just so Castro could go and rule with his 50 plus years of dictatorship. I mean, the guy was a Communist who was ok with slaughtering anyone who OPOSSED the new regime. That isn't "A symbol of freedom" at all, those who think that are official idiots or Hypocrites. Heck, in my country, (Venezuela) He is just a symbol for the "new" socialist revolution that president Chavez has. (And no, I don't mean "Socialism" in the Nelson Mandela way. I mean it in the "Final step before Pure Communism enters into action" Marxist way. God I hate the people who also think that Chavez must be a good wholesome leader fighting for the Oppressed ones' rights).

• End Rant*

edited 8th Mar '11 9:34:01 AM by Polarity

How about we don't mention H.P. Lovecraft in the same breath as Genghis Khan.

I mean, what is so heroic in a revolution that "Toppled a goverment"?

Everybody loves an underdog.

Yeah, he did do it, just so Castro could go and rule with his 50 plus years of dictatorship.

A revolution is quick, politicized, and drowning in propaganda. Fifty-year rule, not so much. Outside the country, I mean.

edited 8th Mar '11 9:38:21 AM by Tzetze

At the time, in Europe at any rate, there were a lot of people who were looking for some kind of socialism/communism that wasn't Soviet-style Stalinism. The Cuban Revolution and Che tapped into that hope.

Of course, it's obviously been a busted flush for decades and what Guevara really represents now is a guy who looks cool on a poster/ T-shirt with a frisson of being anti-establishment in some way. He's a brand.

Because he did something we want to do (overthrow the government, have an effect, etc). Also, we don't have to put up with him killing us, and fantasizing about overthrowing a government by making an Idol of him allows us to ignore the negative consequences and morally wrong things he did.

What they're doing is idolizing specific elements of the man, and disregarding others.

What's really on the T-shirt is the idea of rebellion, of anarchy, of an individual with power to bring anarchy and rebellion about.