Robert Oppenheimer Syndrome of Punishment/Forgiveness - So, Will Bob Iger, Leon Black, Sam Altman and More Go Through That?

 With 13 nominations for Academy Awards, the film "Oppenheimer" is making the second round in movie houses. So the meme of "punishment and forgiveness," as applied to J. Robert Oppenheimer's rollercoaster career, is getting sticky. For creating a catastrophic weapon, disagreeing with government and being a free-thinker, he paid a high penalty but later resurfaced again as hailed hero. 

With such a concept out there at our disposal, we might come to apply it to those also who have gone from revered to reviled (at least in myriad circles). Will they, like Oppenheimer, be restored to an elevated position in various networks?

Take Disney boomerang CEO Bob Iger. At the top of the list of his currently unforgiveable sins was botching, voluntarily or involuntarily, succession. Had he done that right investors might be sitting pretty, not in a state of woe.

There's also that one-time financial innovator Leon Black. He enjoyed the wealth, power and pleasures associated with pedo Jeffrey Epstein. Although a large number of other high-profile men and, yes, women also, it has been discovered, did that such a reality has not been factored into absolving his relationship sinning. 

In time, though, much could be forgotten, especially since in the most recent photo ops Black looked old. That, in itself, can be viewed as a nice finish-off of punishment. Just about anyone with a resentment against an authority figure only has to encounter them post-65 to experience great joy. 

And there's Sam Altman who unleashed the game-changing generative AI. Those who experimented with Open AI's ChatGPT in November 2022 were stunned with its functionality, quality and speed. For example, it produced background research on a subject for an article in minutes. Usually that task would have required hours of manual sleuthing. Hail Sam Altman.

Soon enough various constituencies including the board of OpenAI turned on Altman. His perceived failings ranged from being power-obsessed to not being suitably concerned if generative AI would destroy the world (also an early beef about Oppenheimer). Since Altman is not laying low, even popping up at the World Economic Forum in Davos, one wonders if he can ever fully regain his former aura of selfless genius.

Oppenheimer predicted he would again be in the reputational catbird seat. How about the others? How do you size up their shot at branding redemption? Or, will the first line of their obit cast shade on the entire legacy?

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