Classifying Bobby Knight

Good or bad?

Friend or enemy?

With us or against us?

It's easy to get caught up in trying to classify people into all-encompassing buckets like the ones listed above.   A politician is either good or they're wicked.  An athlete is a either a team player or a self-absorbed prick.  An actor is either an artist, or they're a sell-out.

But these all-or-nothing labels cover up all the fascinating complexities that we might learn from. 

Hall-of-fame men's college basketball coach Bob Knight, who passed away on November 1, is a prime example.  He was famous for his temper and generated great ire over the course of his career.  But Knight was also a passionate teacher and a tireless mentor. He was incredibly invested in helping young men grow and develop.  And at times he could be incredibly thoughtful and generous. 

If we reject the people we don't like because of one attribute, we inhibit our ability to understand them, connect with them and learn from them.  We'll end up disregarding lots of people who have important lessons to teach us.  The black-and-white thinking doesn't hurt the person being labeled.  It hurts the person doing the labeling.

Walt Whitman famously wrote "I contain multitudes".  Yes, he contained multitudes, and so does everyone else.  And when we accept and acknowledge the complexity in others, it can help us understand and appreciate the wonderful complexity in ourselves.

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See this article for more stories and details on Bob Knight:

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/38489269/jay-bilas-liked-bob-knight-knew-died-age-83