Che vive! (Che lives!) - but why?

The first condition of immortality is death.
Stanislaw J. Lec, "Unkempt Thoughts"

I recently saw the 4-hour Steven Soderberg saga Che: A Revolutionary Life. I grew up in a communist country, so Che was a hero to me when I was a teenager. I've read his biographies, one of them while doing research at Senator Margaret Chase Smith Library in Skowhegen, Maine. I've bought t-shirts with his image from street vendors in Paris. I have a poster of him in my office, right above the shelf with books by Adam Smith, Friedrich Hayek, and Milton Friedman. My relationship with Che seems to be a paradox.

And so is the fact that Ernesto "Che" Guevara, the Argentine doctor-turned-hero of the Cuban revolution is one of the most successful brands (read commercial, capitalist success) today even though he led a revolution against capitalism. As the French economist and philosopher Guy Sorman wrote recently "No teenager in rebellion against the world or his parents seems able to resist Che's alluring image. Just wearing a Che T-shirt is the shortest and cheapest way to appear to be on the right side of history."

So if Che is associated with a now-discredited political and social order, why does he continue to live in the hearts and minds of so many around the world? All the arguments against him, from the coherent (see Alvaro Vargas Llosa's excellent essay The Killing Machine: Che Guevara, From Communist Firebrand to Capitalist Brand, ) to the hateful (read Sorman's article here) do nothing to diminish the power of his symbol.

It seems to me that the detractors are barking up the wrong tree. They are historically correct: Che supported an oppressive regime, he executed people without due process, his contribution to Fidel Castro's military victory in Cuba was probably immaterial, his record as a minister of industry after the revolution was dismal; his other military endeavors, in Africa and Bolivia, were utter failures. Che did not even stay to build communism in Cuba. But Che's popularity is not related to these failures. He is not a symbol of of great military leadership, nor of just legal process, nor of economic development. He is not even a symbol of successful revolutions.

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Che was a free spirit. He rode a motorcycle thousands of miles across Latin America, living the adventure of a lifetime that many only dream of. Budd Fox, the ambitious stock trader from the movie Wallstreet, wanted to ride his motorcycle across China. Ewan McGregor, the real-life movie actor did ride his motorcycle around the world.

Che did have a compelling B.H.A.G. (Big Hairy Audacious Goal--you Harvard MBA-types should recognize this term. For the rest, it simply means vision.) He wanted a world where most people would have a better life. He went about it the wrong way (like McKinsey consultants, he was an idea man, not much of an implementer) but his vision was one that most civilized and honest human beings share. Every politician, from the left or from the right, believes that her policies will make life better for her constituents. Every economist, whether a central planner or a free marketer believes that his theories would lead to better lives for the people. Every parent wants a better life for the children.

Che was selflessly dedicated to his vision. He suffered with his asthma during the years in the mountains of Cuba, and later in the jungles of Congo and Bolivia. He gave up his family and the cushy life as a Cuban minister of industry to lead small, disorganized bands in some of the roughest places in the world in pursuit of his vision. He did it despite the overwhelming odds against him. Ultimately, he paid with his life. Under most circumstances we call this idealism and heroism.

It was also just a coincidence that on March 5, 1960 the young, handsome, and brooding Che was captured by Alberto Korda's lens in that memorable photograph. That image has become the logo of the Che brand. Its artistic essence and impact are far better described by Trisha Ziff here. Without it "Che" would not mean the same thing. Could you imagine Nike without the swoosh and "Just Do It"? It would be just another Chinese sneaker. And Coca Cola without its cursive script and contour bottle is just another sugary drink. Coincidences, shared dreams, and misfortunes created the Che brand.

Sure, different people interpret Che differently. But for most the logo, this image, the brand have little to do with the particular political leaning of the historical person Ernesto Guevara. They have to do with the quixotic idealism and faith that, against any odds, a better life is worth fighting for. The Argentine doctor Ernesto Guevara, called Che by his friends, with all of his shortcomings, failings, and sins has long since been killed. Che--the symbol--the 20-th century Don Quixote, has taken on a distinct life of its own. And if Cervantes's character is any guide, Che will live on.