Uticopa Blog

As Barack Obama is sworn in as 44th President of the United States, he has already changed the perceptions of the world. Not only is he the first black man to hold the office, not only has he altered our views of what a middle-aged man can look like, but crucially he has already changed the way men of the world feel about themselves and their image in the world.

Ever since Martin Luther King uttered those immortal words -
‘I have a dream, brothers and sisters....Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.. Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!..'
- man has struggled to free himself from tyranny. But, the tyranny still terrorising the world largely stems from man himself. 

Let's take a look at modern man. Taken at a purely superficial level, we are used to political leaders playing the fitness card. Obama is in a totally different league to the tennis-playing Tony Blair, and he makes Vladimir Putin's recent bare-chested fishing shots look embarrassing.

Wesley Doyle, fitness editor of Men's Heath magazine, which recently featured the 47-year-old Obama on its cover, says: "He shows that in a largely youth-obsessed society, an older man can, and should, be interested in keeping in shape. And if you look after yourself in terms of physical fitness, you will feel better, look better and be a more powerful person."

The new President's honed physique has clearly taken much dedication. Once a man hits 40, the risk of heart disease, cancer and strokes, as well as conditions such as arthritis increases dramatically.  As far as his physical body is concerned, Obama clearly works out intensely. As Obama recounts in his autobiography, Dreams From My Father, he started exercising seriously at the age of 22, when he decided to stop dabbling with drugs and alcohol. He began by running three miles a day, and has done so ever since. He supplements this by regular resistance training, using both weight and cardiovascular machines.
But, a much more telling comment came from the man himself: "The main reason I do it is to clear my head and relieve me of stress." This is what the world needs to know. We can see how strong he is physically, but what is going on inside his head? Certainly Obama looks like he is preparing for the immense pressure that comes with his new position. Dr Michael Roizen, an American doctor who has assessed the medical records of presidents as far back as Theodore Roosevelt, believes one year in the White House equals two in the rest of the world when it comes to stress. He cites Reagan as an example. "When Reagan came into office (aged 69), he stood up absolutely straight," says Roizen. "When he left office, he was hunched over. The age signs on his face were there."  As the world now knows, Reagan was exhibiting the first signs of the Alzheimer's that was to debilitate him for the rest of his life. Had the increased stress of presidential duties been a contributory cause?

Obama has become renowned for his almost preternatural calm as displayed at every stage of the presidential campaign. And, he does have the genetic advantage of his father's African background, Kenyans being famous for inner strength and endurance. 

So, what lessons can middle-aged males learn from Obama? Forget for a moment the physical fitness; that can be acquired from any sports facility. Take a look at the outward signs of his mental health. Have you noticed that when he makes an important speech, he lifts his chin and stares into the far distance?  This is his own way of showing not only his own self-confidence but in his innate belief in looking to the future of all mankind.

Peter Baker, chief executive of the charity Men's Health Forum, believes Obama is setting a powerful example. "He is showing how a middle-aged man is taking part in physical activity, and of course it sends out a positive message," he says. "It should make other men - and politicians - think about these vital issues.''  But, what they don't say is the subliminal message his posture reveals about man's inner mental attitude. And there lies the rub. 

Man must learn to manage the testosterone-driven levels of stress, anxiety, anger and combat that have caused so many global conflicts in history.  Freedom comes in many forms. For man today, freedom must entail a new way of thinking about himself and about the world.  Only then will he set himself free: not just to live in peace, but also to eradicate all those stress-driven illnesses of the mind.  Let's hope that Obama's slogan of ‘yes we can' really comes true.

Like Martin Luther King, I too have a dream.