2013 was a year of myths falling apart. The myth of President

Hear now the words of Ben Shapiro, sharp as the edge of iron and cast with the fire of contention: “2013 was a year of myths falling apart. The myth of President Obama – a myth in which Obama was a messianic figure descending to bequeath health care, equality, and brotherhood on mankind – imploded. The myth of an America embracing the leftist social agenda collapsed.” In these words, he speaks of illusions shattered, of false visions that could not endure the weight of reality. Whether one agrees or not with his judgment, the spirit of his saying is eternal: every age is filled with myths, and in every age, those myths must be tested by truth.

The meaning of this quote is layered. Shapiro is not merely speaking of one man or one year; he is invoking a principle as old as politics itself. Leaders often rise cloaked in the garments of myth—seen not as flawed men but as saviors, reformers, redeemers. Nations, too, often imagine themselves more united, more righteous, or more harmonious than they are. But when the fire of reality strikes, when promises falter, and divisions deepen, these myths unravel. In 2013, Shapiro claims, the myths surrounding Obama as a near-messianic figure, and of America embracing an ever-expanding progressive vision, collapsed under the harshness of events.

The origin of these myths lies in hope and longing. In 2008, Barack Obama’s rise to power carried with it the dream of a new dawn—of health care for the sick, equality for the marginalized, and unity for the divided. To many, he was more than a president; he was a symbol. But symbols can be dangerous when they are mistaken for perfection. No mortal man can fulfill the role of a savior. The burdens of politics, the resistance of institutions, and the complexities of governance soon exposed the gap between myth and man.

History provides many examples of this same drama. Consider Napoleon Bonaparte, who rose in France not merely as a general but as a myth—“the little corporal” who embodied the spirit of the revolution and promised glory. For a time, the myth held: victories crowned his armies, reforms reshaped his nation. But when defeat came at Waterloo, the myth shattered, leaving behind not a messiah but a fallen man. So too, Shapiro argues, the myth of Obama as an unerring redeemer collapsed when his policies met opposition, when promises fell short, and when the idealism of his followers confronted the stubbornness of reality.

The second myth Shapiro names is that of America itself—that it was shifting permanently toward a vision of leftist progress. In his words, 2013 proved otherwise: the nation was not yet united in such an agenda, and resistance to that vision endured. This too is an ancient lesson: nations rarely march in unison. Just as Rome dreamed of eternal empire only to find itself divided within, so America in Shapiro’s telling revealed not one voice, but many, not one destiny, but competing visions of the future.

The lesson for us is timeless: beware the seduction of myths that crown mortals as gods or nations as perfect vessels of destiny. Myths can inspire, yes—but when they are mistaken for reality, they breed disappointment and division. To hold leaders as saviors is to set oneself up for betrayal. To imagine society wholly united behind one agenda is to ignore the fractures that will inevitably surface. Wisdom lies in seeing clearly: honoring hope, but tempering it with truth; following leaders, but remembering they are flesh, not divine.

So, children of tomorrow, live thus: let hope inspire you, but do not worship it. Let leaders guide you, but do not deify them. Let visions of justice and equality stir your heart, but do not blind yourself to the struggles required to achieve them. Myths may fall, but truth endures, and in truth lies the strength to build anew. When illusions collapse, do not despair—rejoice, for in the ruins of falsehood lies the fertile soil where genuine progress may at last take root. For it is not the myths that endure, but the hard work of those who face reality with clear eyes and steadfast hearts.