Ever since I was a boy, the name Nobel sparked a sense of awe within me. The Nobel Prizes are widely considered to represent the pinnacle of human achievement across chemistry, physics, medicine, literature, peace, and economics. But only recently did I learn about the man behind the prizes, and the sad story of how they came to be.
Born and raised in Sweden, Alfred Nobel was a success by all traditional measures. He was a leading chemist and inventor, most known for inventing dynamite, and was a wealthy businessman due to his work in the arms industry.
In 1888, an obituary was accidentally written for Nobel following the death of his brother, Ludvig. What Nobel read brought him deep sadness, “the merchant of death is dead”, and “Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday.”
7 years later, just one year before Nobel’s death, he signed away 94% of his assets to create the Nobel Prizes, in the hope of leaving a better legacy in death than he did in life.
When I read this, I felt sadness that this was the genesis of such a revered prize.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a fan. The Nobel Prizes celebrate the feats of remarkable individuals and who inspire millions of people each year.
However, this story reminded me of the saying “all that glitters is not gold”, and how it’s important for us to be aware of and acknowledge that there is often a messy grey area within many of our favourite stories.