Schwarzenegger Honors Himself with Bronze Statues, Glosses Over Past

COMMENTARY | Have you ever thought of having a bronze statue made of yourself? Years after you're long gone, people would be able to view your likeness and forever be able to envision what you were like when you were on this earth.

No? Me neither. But Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks highly enough of himself to have not just one, but at least three, and possibly as many as seven, bronze statues made of himself when he was in his prime. The former California governor apparently can afford the expense of only about $100,000 for each one.

These statues will, of course, not depict Schwarzenegger as he is today; they will show him at his prime, back when he won his seven Mr. Olympia titles, six consecutive titles in the '70s, and one in 1980. They will not be life-size, but the statues are enormous. Each one is 8 feet tall and weighs 580 pounds.

Schwarzenegger likes to see himself as a hero, even though his soon-to-be former wife, Maria Shriver, may not agree with his assessment. He already had the first statue shipped off to his childhood home in Austria, which is now a museum dedicated to his life. Schwarzenegger said that he "definitely wants one for himself," reports New York Daily News.

The man who created the bronze sculptures recommended that Schwarzenegger have the same number of statues made as the number of Mr. Olympia titles he has credited to his name; Arnold felt that seven would be just "perfect." It is not known yet as to where all seven statues will be displayed.

While I'll admit Schwarzenegger's rise to success from a small village in Austria to becoming Mr. Olympia, a Hollywood star, and finally to running the state of California are great accomplishments, the man himself is not much of a hero in the eyes of many.

Perhaps he believes when people look at his statue in the future they will only see what Arnold wants them to see: That is certainly the mark of a true politician. Will he be remembered for his glory days or his later years, when he used his position as the governor of California to serve his own selfish purposes and nearly run the state into the ground?

It's not surprising that he would rather be remembered as a hero than a crook and philanderer. Schwarzenegger's statues will go down in history as the reflection of how he sees himself. Maybe after several generations have passed, the rest will be long forgotten.