For some reason, I just can’t forget the immortal video of the “Tank Man” as shot in Tiananmen Square in June of 1989 during the (in)famous protests that led to a terrible tragedy of students getting killed and injured .
For those who don’t know this incident or need a refresher, take a look at this 2 minute video and watch the man with the 2 bags carefully :
(From Wikidepdia : The incident took place near Tiananmen in Beijing, China, on June 5, 1989, one day after the Chinese government’s violent crackdown on the Tiananmen Protests. The man stood in the middle of the wide avenue, directly in the path of a column of approaching tanks. He wore a white shirt and black trousers, and held two shopping bags, one in each hand. As the tanks came to a stop, the man gestured towards the tanks with his bags. In response, the lead tank attempted to drive around the man, but the man repeatedly stepped into the path of the tank in a show of non violence. After repeatedly attempting to go around rather than crush the man, the lead tank stopped its engines, and the armored vehicles behind it seemed to follow suit. There was a short pause with the man and the tanks having reached a quiet, still impasse.
Having successfully brought the column to a halt, the man climbed onto the hull of the buttoned-up lead tank and, after briefly stopping at the driver’s hatch, appeared in video footage of the incident to call into various ports in the tank’s turret. He then climbed atop the turret and seemed to have a short conversation with a crew member at the gunner’s hatch. After ending the conversation, the man descended from the tank. The tank commander briefly emerged from his hatch, and the tanks restarted their engines, ready to continue on. At that point, the man, who was still standing within a meter or two from the side of the lead tank, leapt in front of the vehicle once again and quickly re-established the man–tank standoff.
Video footage shows two figures in blue pulling the man away and disappearing with him into a nearby crowd; the tanks continued on their way. Eyewitnesses are unsure who pulled him aside. Charlie Cole (there for Newsweek) said it was the Chinese government PSB (Public Security Bureau), while Jan Wong (there for The Globe and Mail) thought that the men who pulled him away were concerned bystanders. In April 1998, Time included the “Unknown Rebel” in a feature titled Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century.
Why does this video haunt me?
First of all, I want to know – Who is this man? (His identity was never discovered, but almost all rumors and reports confirmed that he was caught and executed).
I also introspect and ask:
What was your Tiananmen Square moment?
Would you have the courage to stand in front of something that could kill you just to stop it from happening?
What is it that would make you flip your switch and make you ready to lost it all?
As a startup entrepreneur, there are several such moments that happen in the journey of a startup that include
– Co-founders trying to bulldoze their way into getting their way
– VCs dictating the path of a Company and threatening to not fund the business if their wishes are not met
– Key employees acting strange by threatening to quit if obnoxious salary terms are not met
– Key customers acting tough and asking for business terms that are just not favorable for the Company.
– Many personal problems of friends, family, relatives, loved ones ‘giving up’ on you and threatening to not support you if you continue with your passion…
What do you do in these situations?
Most of us crumble and understandably so. No one wants to lose or throw away what they have worked hard for – so what if a big compromise is required..
But in my humble opinion, it NEVER works.
You have to SAY NO. Even if the odds are getting run over by a giant tank.
In this blog, I ask YOU : “Have you been to Tiananmen Square”?
If yes, please share your story (without naming people or companies if that makes you comfortable). Just share what you can so that people can get inspired.
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I will also share my story too…
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