Let me tell you about my recent deep dive into this guy, Bill Strauss. I kept seeing his name pop up all over the place, and finally, I just had to figure out what his deal was.
So, I started where any curious person would – good ol’ Wikipedia. Right off the bat, I learned that this Bill Strauss guy, born in 1947 and passed away in 2007, was a real doer. He wrote books, wrote plays, directed theater, and even lectured. Not just a one-trick pony, that’s for sure.
Then I dug a little deeper. Apparently, this guy was quite the brainiac. He went to Harvard, can you believe it? Got a law degree and a master’s in public policy. But here’s the kicker – he also co-founded this hilarious group called the Capitol Steps. They sang and made fun of politicians. I watched a couple of videos, and let me tell you, they were a riot! I couldn’t stop laughing.
But wait, there’s more! This Strauss guy also worked in Washington D.C. for a while, on some Presidential Clemency Board. Then he got involved in research. This man’s career path was a rollercoaster! The more I read, the more amazed I was. But not only that, he also wrote some books like Chance and Circumstance, Reconciliation After Vietnam, Generations.
Then I stumbled upon this whole theory he developed with some other guy, Neil Howe. It’s called the Strauss-Howe generational theory. Basically, they talked about how every 80 years or so, there’s a big social shake-up, and how generations cycle through these different roles every 20 years. My head was spinning a bit at this point, but it was fascinating stuff.
And just when I thought I had a handle on who Bill Strauss was, I found out he was running for mayor in Columbus! Sadly, he’s no longer alive, but it seems he was a prominent figure in his community, also a realtor, and very active, with a company called LifeCourse Associates.
Here is what I got from Bill Strauss’s life:
- Born in Chicago and grew up in Burlingame, California.
- Graduated from Harvard University in 1969.
- Worked in Washington, D.C.
- Co-founded the Capitol Steps.
- Co-authored the Strauss-Howe generational theory.
- Ran for mayor in Columbus.
Honestly, this Bill Strauss guy was something else. A real Renaissance man, with a serious side and a funny bone. I went in knowing nothing, and I came out with a whole new appreciation for this multifaceted individual. He had a law degree and a master’s in public policy, that’s amazing. It’s like he packed multiple lifetimes into one! Now every time I see something about generations or political satire, I’ll think of good ol’ Bill Strauss.
It just goes to show, you never know what you’ll find when you start digging into someone’s story. There are some interesting folks out there, that’s for sure.
