Everyone is familiar with “rags to riches” stories – they are inspiring, uplifting, and create the idea that the dream of coming from poverty to prosperity can be reality. This idea, however, is based on false pretenses. A recent study conducted by The Century Foundation found that children born into poverty are more likely to stay in or near poverty (“Century Foundation”). Of course, there are exceptions in which people have been able to overcome these odds. Bono, Oprah Winfrey, and Barack Obama all came from humble beginnings, yet were able to surpass their hardships and become powerful and influential people today. These high profile examples represent a small portion of the population that used their humble beginnings as inspiration to gain wealth and power, ultimately leading them to become positive influences.
More affectionately known as “Bono,” Paul David Hewson was born on May 10th, 1960 in Dublin, Ireland. He grew up as the second child of a middle class Irish family, living in the typical three bedroom house. As lead singer of one of the most popular and influential rock bands in history, Bono used his humble beginnings as motivation and influence to become the rock star that he was, and eventually the respected, admired, multi-faceted figure that he is today (“@ U2”). Because of the respect and wealth that he’s gained through his music, he is able to use his celebrity to generate influence and awareness outside of the music scene. Over the course of his career, he has met with countless world leaders and politicians, constantly supporting many global causes such as debt relief in third world countries, world poverty, and AIDS awareness among many others (“Bio”). Maddy Fry, a well-renowned and respected writer for U2’s number one fan site on the internet had this to say about Bono: “His rare ability to effectively straddle the spheres of both entertainment and politics remains rivaled by few in the realm of popular culture, and his determination to change the world for the better continues to inspire millions on both sides of the political divide.” (“@ U2”)
Oprah Winfrey was born to an unwed teenage mother on January 29th, 1954. During the course of her early life, she was abused and emotionally devastated, eventually being sent away to a juvenile detention home (“Academy of”). Moving past her rough childhood, Oprah was able to use her difficult early years as inspiration to become the respected and influential benefactor that she is today. She used her hardships to become the richest self-made woman in America, and then proceeded to use her wealth to garner support for many global causes, specifically focusing on AIDS awareness in South Africa among many other things (“Encyclopedia of”). Like Bono, she used her humble beginnings to motivate her to help change the world in any way that she can. Former United States Secretary of State, American politician, diplomat, and author Condoleezza Rice said this regarding Oprah: “I believe influence is the union of power and purpose. As a TV star, magazine founder, businesswoman and celebrity, Oprah Winfrey certainly has power. But most important, she has purpose—an abiding commitment to the principles of goodness and generosity that transcend any one individual.” (“TIME”)
Born on August 4th, 1961, Barack Obama had what many would consider an unstable childhood. Growing up without the presence of his biological father, he and his family moved often until settling with his grandparents during his teen years (“Bio”). A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, Obama was elected Illinois State Senator in 1996, United States Senator in 2004, and President of the United States in 2008. Now known as the 44th and current President of the U.S., he is also the first African American to hold office (“Barack Obama”). Obama, like Bono and Oprah, used his humble beginnings as motivation to become influential. He uses his power and influence to govern, reform, and enact laws that help people in the U.S. and all over the world. This statement was taken from the White House’s official website about Barack Obama: “His story is the American story — values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others.” (“White House”)
As can be seen, Bono, Oprah, and Obama all share the same theme within their stories. Starting out with humble beginnings, they used their hardships and experiences as inspiration to become the influences that they are today. Instead of abiding by the standard, these examples wanted to be different and make a difference in the world.
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