Rory Stewart on the cult of the hero (and how he got over it)

Rory Stewart MP is, according to the New York Times, 'leading one of the most remarkable lives on record'. At 38, he's already been tutor to Prince William and Prince Harry, walked 6,000 km across Afghanistan, been deputy governor of two provinces in occupied Iraq, set up an arts charity in Kabul, written two best-selling books, sold the movie rights to his life-story to Brad Pitt, and, most recently, returned to the UK to become an MP. Here, he talks to Jules Evans about the classical cult of the hero, how it has become irrelevant in the modern world, and how he feels he has 'liberated' himself from its allure.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Rory Stewart
• hero
• heroism
• afghanistan
• iraq
• gladiator
• plutarch
• machiavelli
• alexander the great
• Julius Caesar
• Lawrence of Arabia
• Churchill
• Jules
• Evans

[greenwoodelk]

yes . . the 60 second pause . . . was quite something . . made me chuckle

interesting to hear a more light-hearted conversation with Mr Stewart for a change

as for his office décor . . . yikes !! . . a bit dour

[theultimateshoe]

@The86416 why all this venom based on the aspersions of one gaurdian editor!!

[corcaighrebel]

In time all forgotten.

[The86416]

Rory Stewart MP is a Bilderberg Reptile.

Care to tell us what you discussed in Switzerland, Mr Stewart?

[thespeechwriter]

Terrific stuff. Love the 60 second pause for thought. What an amazing chap!

[Pangel2012]

Mr. Rory Stewart looks exhausted and was too nice to let the interviewer know this. The interviewer should have done the interview later and by phone- Skype - if he really wanted to capture Rory in video. Get some zzzzz Rory!