A Prize Won for Good Intentions

Since 1901 the Nobel Prize has been awarded to men and women from around the world for achievements in chemistry, physics, physiology or medicine, literature and for peace. The prize was founded by a man named Alfred Nobel, who, in his will left much of his wealth to the establishment of the Nobel Prize. You see, he was the inventor of dynamite, which he used to blast rock in his family’s business of construction work. However, the market for dynamite grew quickly and his business was exporting the dynamite to other countries in Europe, America and Australia; he also founded factories and laboratories in 90 different places in more than 20 centuries. As he grew old he put an advertisement in the newspaper looking for a “lady of mature age…as secretary and supervisor of household.” A woman came, but soon decided to leave in order to marry a man back in Austria (where she came from). But they did keep in touch and she became a prominent figure in peace, which no doubt influenced him to write a peace prize into his will. He died in 1896 and when his will was opened he surprised everyone with the fact that his fortune was to be used as a prize in the few fields above.
Very recently, the Nobel Prizes have once again been awarded to a select few people for the year of 2009. The Peace Prize, which just may be the best know of them all was awarded to the United States own president, Barack Obama for “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”. When I heard this I was extremely surprised. I wondered to myself, why? Why has he won the Nobel Peace Prize? He hasn’t accomplished any big peace agreement or anything, what has he done to earn this? His extreme efforts are what they all say. Personally, I was under the impression that the prize is presented for an accomplishment, not a set of goals made that haven’t been reached. Even the President himself wondered what he had done to have such an honor thrust upon him. He didn’t have to accept it, of course, but he did accept it, he said “as a call to action.” Although I feel that to have won this extraordinary prize, action should have already taken place. When he actually accepts the award, on December 10th, 2009 he will also receive his cash prize of 1.4 million dollars, which he intends to give to charity. This fact alone makes me feel a little better about his winning the prize.
Again I wonder what he has accomplished to win this prize. He hasn’t. He has been given the reward for his efforts towards nuclear disarmament and American engagement. And the former president of Finland, Martti Ahtisaari “saw the award as an endorsement of Mr. Obama’s goal of achieving Middle East peace." In each of the previous sentences, I think we need to look at a few key words, such as “efforts” and “goals”, especially “goals”. I do not believe the Nobel Peace Prize should be won for setting “goals.” Reaching these goals, yes, but not by setting them. And by setting these goals and achieving this prize, there is now quite a bit of pressure on President Obama to reach them. But the wars are not over yet and there isn’t peace in the Middle East, when someone actually achieves this they have definitely earned a Nobel Peace Prize. But for now, I guess we’ll just continue to fight.
For more information on Alfred Nobel or President Obama accepting the Nobel Peace Prize got to:
nobelprize.org
www.nytime.com