What would it take for the Goliath to be the hero and David to be the pessimist? Not just in fictional narrative depictions but throught history too. The only scenario I can think of that kinda fits the mold was 9/11. Where America may not of been the hero or “good guy” but the underdog Taliban was unanimously viewed as the “bad guys.” I’m not super knowledgeable when it comes to global geopolitical relations so I’m all ears for any scenarios that prove otherwise and would love to hear them.
Edit: I am loving all the responses and its a great conversation, I just wish I phrased the title differently so it wasn’t getting downvoted. I didn’t mean for it to come accross like I didn’t think it ever happened.
The challenge isn’t finding counter examples, it’s limiting the narrative of history to have a simple “good/bad divide” but here are some selections of underdogs one may consider the greater of two evils:
- The confederacy (US Civil War)
- Caesar’s army crossing the Rubicon
- Imperial Japan post Pearl Harbor
- Pakistan’s complicated history with India
- King Leonidas and his men (Persia was arguably more equitable)
- Austria-Hungary (WW1)
- Fascist Italy (WW2)
As for David and Goliath, keep in mind David was using a sling, a weapon that can hit with the same force as a modern revolver when used properly. It’s entirely possible that story is an allegory and/or propaganda of the value of properly equipping one’s armies; it probably shouldn’t be viewed as anymore impressive than a rampage killer fatally wounding somebody twice their size
Fuck yeah the civil war is exactly thr type of scenario i knew i couldn’t think of. I fuckin love that you also gave me a list of historical events I’m not super familiar with to look up too. Thank you for this comment🍻
The reason stories exist of the underdog winning, is because the underdogs lose almost all the time.
Think of how common a story it is that a Walmart being built in a small town basically shutters all the local businesses.
Also, David basically brought a gun to a knife fight against Goliath. Seems like Goliath should have been considered the underdog :3
Confirmation Bias!
These make GREAT stories! These are the historical moments that get passed down.
So, we’ve got the tale of America breaking free from the British Empire, but you know what stories you haven’t heard? All the times the British Empire took over and kept the land it stole from underdogs. You don’t get called an Empire without multiple successful takeovers.
I think I forgot exactly what you were asking as I was typing, so this doesn’t exactly fit the question.
By the end of ww2, the nazis were the underdogs.
Melon Husk used to be the underdog of carmaker you know.
I’m a little conflicted about Telon Cusk. I don’t think the EV auto industry would be as far advanced today if not for his efforts; I think we’d have gotten here eventually, but maybe a decade or two later.
Same with the space industry. I wish that, instead, NASA would have been well-funded and space would have remained a science-first (with hidden military objectives; that was unavoidable) effort, but Tusk stepping in and pushing created a new space race where governments had failed.
He created neither Tesla nor SpaceX, nor was he the technical mind behind them; but his pumping money into them and his grandstanding did a lot to motivate other players in those industries.
Does that good outweigh his fundamental evil nature? Probably not. But he has been instrumental in some good advancements.
Don‘t you call a „bad“ underdog in other words? Just like gangster, criminal, activist, terrorist, …
“Low-life” and “scumbag” are kind of the shitty versions of underdogs.
