This isn’t just another one of the thousands of articles, blogs, and stories sharing personal feelings of betrayal in light of Lance Armstrong’s recent confession to Oprah.
There’s already been so much public outrage that anything I add about him would be redundant.
This is about something bigger and infinitely more important.
I’m more concerned about how I 
should frame this to my own kids.
Not that I have to frame anything, mind you. My kids are now grown and gone; young adults with children of their own. Who am I to try to continue to shape their attitudes, habits, and beliefs?
Perhaps I should just ignore this sad story and let it taint their worldview just a little more. (After all, the world today is chock-full of liars, cheats, and thieves. Isn’t is wise to have them keep their guard up and be suspicious of everyone?)
I could keep silent and allow their skepticism to grow about the role medical science is playing in all the record breaking athletic performances we’re seeing. (Because, hey, everyone dopes, and that makes it a level playing field, right?)
If we never discuss this, they might not feel like a sucker for selling and wearing those yellow bracelets back in high school. (Surely the money they raised for cancer atones for the fact that the compelling story behind it was all a sham.)
Yeah, maybe I’ll just keep my mouth shut and not say anything.
If only I could.
But I can’t stand by and allow them to feel stupid for believing in a hero, because there are still heroes among us. There are many great men and woman in sports, in business, in politics, and in life: people who play by the rules and are victorious. And when forced to compete against cheaters, real heroes still play by the rules.
It’s important for my kids to know and to remember that when hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and character collide, remarkable achievement always follows. And a victory of that variety can never be taken from you.
I want my children and grandchildren to believe in their fellow man, and to be more prone to trust others than to doubt them. Even if that ‘naive’ outlook results in a trust that’s betrayed and an occasional defeat, it beats the hell out of going through life scared, cynical, and disillusioned.
Yeah, this is much more than the end of a sad story.
It’s an opportunity to shed light on some new ones.
Great points; well said! Sad story – not made better by Lance doing “goodworks” – 2 different things – as is – what’s in it for me vs. how can I make the world better than I found it – the first is as small as your atoms – the second as big as your dreams…
Eric, your point about helping our children understand ethics is so critical. My dad has a Ph.D. in philosophy (yes, he’s piled high and deep twice) and literally “wrote the book” on ethics used at the USAFA. He drilled us until our ears bled about “there IS a right/wrong/good/bad, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” My three children are still at home, and we’ve had many conversations about integrity since Lance came clean. Lance knew the rules, he knew what he was supposed to do, he didn’t do it, and then he lied about it. You’re so right—we must have conversations with our children about the values we try to hard to instill—and why it’s important to take the right path and DO the right thing. It’s just so sad when we finally think we have a hero (Tiger Woods and Manti Te’o not excepting), and we end up yet again disappointed when they fall from grace. Do not let our children fall from grace! You said something REALLY important: “When forced to compete against cheaters, real heroes still play by the rules.” I’m going to talk to my kids about this right now! We usually know the right thing to do—we just need to do it—what you teach is so valuable!
In the words of Bonnie Tyler, I need a hero…
Good one Eric. I think we all feel a little duped on this one. Unfortunately, my skepticism started a long time ago, but thanks to my parents and models like you, I’m half decent at feeling out the good guys and the bad guys. I am POSITIVE there are real heros out and I am absolutely “more prone to trust others than to doubt them.”