Wael Ghonim: 2011 Man of the Year.

I'll call it early. This man is not just Egypt's hero: he's a generational hero, really.

In many ways, rooting for the young Egyptians to succeed in taking back their country, we're rooting against the outside foreign influences that had helped keeped Mr. Mubarak in power. Including outside American influence via our "dollars, with directions" policies. Quid pro quo, so to speak. This for that. Scratch my back, I'll take care of you.

Realpolitik meant financially helping Mubarak to accumulate those billions, whether directly or whether he was skimming generously off the top. Surely America knew ... and for security reasons of our own -- an insurance policy, so to speak -- supported such actions that kept some people in check, and the right ones in power:

"Go along with this, and we'll give you that."

Wael Ghonim seized the moment, using technology and the passions of the people who were just sick of passively supporting such inequality and corruption.

Instead:
Equality of opportunity ... so that the meritorious may rise, and yet everyone has a shot at acquiring the resources to let him rise to such a level himself (without just lowering the bar so he can artificially get over) -- or his children/grandchildren if the striving continues, can reach further and further in fulfilling their own dreams.

Self determination. Independence. Fullfilling an individual potential, without having to conform to popular majority, or have that potential dulled because others aren't ready yet... So many have sacrificed so much for such a simple aim.

The American Dream and the Egyptian Dream. Like the Israeli Dream and the Palestinian Dream. Indian and Pakistani. Irish and English. Hard work and heartbreak ahead. Plenty of sacrifice. No guarantees, so take smart risks. Still, doing it for yourself -- without master direction from above -- that's really what it's all about, no? What people are willing to fight and die for?

To own our own losses, earn our own wins, play fairly in a game that's not systematically "fixed".

Funny how for all our cultural differences, our colonial and oppressed pasts, many people in the world do indeed dream in the same colours: Red, white and blue. Green and gold. Royal blue and white. Red, white and black. The tones differ, but the colors of independence really are the same...