by ANDERS GUSTAFSON and MATTHEW ROSEMBAUM
Over the past few weeks, there have been a tragic string of high-profile deaths across the political and cultural landscapes, with the passing of Henry Kissinger, Norman Lear, Sandra Day O’Connor and Charlie Munger. Each one of these figures on their own had a tremendous impact upon society and perhaps even the course of history. But when taken together, their deaths may well signal the end of a remarkable era.
Henry Kissinger
May 27, 1923 – Nov. 29, 2023
After a long and highly eventful career in U.S. politics, Kissinger died at his home in Kent, Conn. Known for his bold, ambitious and controversial strategies, Kissinger was the recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize and advised 12 U.S. presidents over the course of his career.
He also successfully negotiated the American opening to China, the exit from Vietnam, and even the gradual reconstruction of Russo-American relations. Born into a Jewish family in post-World War I Germany and raised in the United States, Kissinger went on to live out the American dream. He served during World War II before entering the world of geopolitics, eventually becoming Secretary of State in the Nixon administration.
While his legacy is complicated by his facilitation of the Chilean coup, support for the Argentine Junta in its “Dirty War,” and or-dering the bombing campaigns in Cambodia during the Vietnam War, it is impossible to deny the tremendous impact he had on the world.
Norman Lear
July 27, 1922 – Dec. 5, 2023
The groundbreaking TV writer, producer and visionary behind shows such as All in the Family, The Jeffersons and Good Times, Lear died at his Los Angeles home after 101 vibrant years. He is most notably credited for revitalizing the very concept of a situation comedy and introducing the witty, often political jokes that have become staples of modern sitcoms.
Born and raised in New Haven, Conn., Lear, like many other centenarians, enlisted in the Army Air Corps for the duration of World War II. Afterward, he went to work in public relations before switching over to screenwriting and eventually directing. From there, with his political views as his guide, he began experimenting with the then-novel concept of inserting contentious and topical issues into sitcoms to both revive the genre and bring public attention to where it was needed most. After CBS picked up his proposal for All in the Family, Lear’s fame only grew. He mastered the art of spinning off separate series, and used his renown to advocate for political causes, even creating an activist group, People for the American Way, and supporting political candidates of both parties.
Lear’s $5-million gift established the Norman Lear Center at USC, which explores the impact of entertainment on society.
Sandra Day O’Connor
March 26, 1930 – Dec. 1, 2023
After a five-year battle with dementia, O’Connor, the first female justice of the Supreme Court, died in her longtime city of residence, Phoenix, at age 93. Born to a ranching family in El Paso, Tex., she almost immediately demonstrated her intellect, enrolling at Stanford University at the age of 16. Four years later, she entered Stanford Law School, where she earned her law degree and even
briefly dated William Rehnquist, future Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
After finishing college, O’Connor returned home and found work as an attorney before moving to Germany to be with her husband as a civilian attorney for the Army’s Quartermaster Corps. In 1973, after returning to Arizona, she was elected to the state senate, where she served for two years before becoming a judge for the Maricopa County Superior Court and, later on, the Arizona Court of Appeals. In 1981, as a result of her excellent record, O’Connor was nominated and successfully appointed to the Supreme Courtby then-President Ronald Reagan, where she would work until her retirement in 2006.
O’Connor was not just an inspiration for young women around the world, she also made massive contributions to the American legal system, weighing in on critical issues such as abortion and freedom of speech.
Charlie Munger
Jan. 1, 1924 – Nov. 28, 2023
The co-founder and vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and a prominent philanthropist, Munger died at age 99 at a hospital in Santa Barbara. Born in Omaha, Neb., he joined the Army Air Corps and used the GI Bill to obtain an education, even managing to get accepted into Harvard Law School without an undergraduate degree.
Munger went on to be employed by Wright & Garrett LLP and even started his own law firm, which he promptly left to form a partnership with Warren Buffett in their efforts to turn Berkshire Hathaway, then a struggling New England textile company, into the behemoth it is today. He had continued to maintain his status as one of the world’s greatest investors, with one of his companies even acquiring a seat on the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange. With his extraordinary wealth, Munger donated more than $500 million to various schools, universities and other institutions.
It can be concluded without a shadow of a doubt that Munger will be remembered for his generous philanthropic efforts and his massive contributions to the development of the modern financial landscape.
The Mainsheet 