Willravel

What does the label 'hero' mean to you, and do you fit your description?

Note: I searched for a similar thread, and found none.

ARTelevision

Note: some folks have responded with lists of their heroes here:

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthr...ghlight=heroes

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Willravel

Okay example: I think that a hero is one that can deal with fear and can self sacrafice for a cause that they feel is just.

maleficent

A hero is someone who does something to benefit someone else (or the greater good) when everything in you is telling you to get the hell out of there.

ie I don't know his name, i don't know whatever became of him, but the young man who stood in front of the tank in Tianemen Square in China years ago...

but if he's still alive, he'd probably tell you he was just doing what he thought to be the right thing. Most heroic people don't beleive that what they do is the least bit heroic.

Personal Example: A friends teenage son, who recently graduated from high school, referred to me in his graduation speech as one of his personal heros. Touching, but inaccurate. Why'd he believe this to be true? i don't race into burning buildings, I don't go to the moon. When he was in 2nd grade, he was diagnosed with leukemia. Bone marrow donor was his only hope. Lucky me, i was a perfect match. So, I did what I had to do... He felt that because I saved his life I was a hero. I didn't quite save his life, researchers, doctors and technology saved his life, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time...

What a hero is, I beleive is totally dependent on the person and how that person has affected their existence.

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the_marq

I think that's quite heroic, Mal. What you did was self-sacrfice and for all intents and purposes heroic and lifesaving in my mind. Not do put down the Doctors and Researchers etc, but they were just doing their jobs, so to speak. Where as you went above and beyond what was expected and did what was right. Heros almost never feel they are heroic, and that's as it should be, I salute you Mal (in the non-military sense of the word salute ).

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doomed

for me i belive in one thing, heroes know that they are heroes, heroes like being a hero, heroes save ppl's life and take ppl's hand through darkness to the light, but when it comes to them; they're not a heroes in their own eyes, they look for heroes and they find ones whenever they help a human, we are all heroes in a way or another, some heroes fight, some heroes work, and others die, and i know some who just talk.

:S

gondath

A hero exists in the eye of the beholder, but typically the reason someone is labeled a hero is overcoming great obstacles of some kind for a major goal. The act or process or achieving the goal is what gets someone labeled as a hero.

LeviticusMky

Modern theories of ethics seem to suggest that to be completely unselfish in helping someone you can't know that you helped them, and they can't know that they were helped.

Not really heroic, but something to think about.

Heroes are people who pick up litter for no other reason than to help out. Or who cut the plastic on their pop can six-pack holder. Or who respond to their grandma's letters. I don't think that it takes any real cultural acclaim.

livingfossil

A hero is some guy who risks his life to fight (successfully) to preserve his society from some grave threat. That society then remembers him, because he sustained its existence. If the hero is unsuccessful he is a loser, and not worth remembrance--or his society was destroyed, and its cultural memory with it. Sadness!

Heros tend to be nationalistic icons. And the fixtures of epic poetry.

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archer2371

A hero is someone who does their job irregardless of the risks apparent, and asks not to be recognized. And no, I by no means consider myself to be a hero, I'm just a student trying to make it some where in this world.

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Amarth

Oh fun fun! Good thread.

My idea of a hero is a raw idealist. It is someone who no matter what refuses to meet half-way on any of their morals. But an important aspect of my hero is that he is not merely stubborn. In fact, he's mostly the opposite. He doesn't want to argue about anything that doesn't matter. Life's to short to waste time on that. However, on an issue like killing (easiest example) he says "No. It's wrong." People would challenge him "What if it was a righteous cause?" "No." "What if your loved one's lives rested in the balance?" "No." It is our responsibility to do the right thing even when it is the hardest of all. I'm not saying we shouldn't sacrifice for our loved ones, in fact, my hero would easily sacrifice his life to save them. But before killing he would look for another way out. Life isn't linear y'know? There's no situation with a limited number of choices. Because of this, my hero is disciplined, and in this way alone is he disciplined. My hero may or may not have ambition. It doesn't really matter. My hero may be fat, skinny, bald, whatever. My hero is wise, and he helps those around him. My hero know truth in the deepest sense of the word. My hero isn't necissarily physically strong. That's unimportant. Finally, my hero never turns his back on those in need, whether it be his worst enemy or his best friend. That's my hero.

Dragonlich

Actually, a lot of people who are seen as (war) heroes see their actions as rather normal - it had to be done, and they happened to do it; all of their comrades would've done the same, etc. A lot of them don't actually like the attention and would prefer to be left alone.

I'd say that's true heroism - seeing your perceived heroism as natural and normal. Telling everyone how heroic you are is rather egocentric.

For example: someone saves a person from a flaming house, knowing full well they're not equipped and trained to do that. They then say to the people involved they just did what they thought was right (and believe it!), they're a hero. If a fireman does the same, he may be a nice guy, but it's his job (with all the training, equipment and backup), and he's not really *that* heroic, just very brave.

Xell101

Doing what needs to be done in spite of something that would create quite the desire not to do what it is you set out to do is what constitutes a hero in my mind. Helping an old lady cross the street, super nice. Helping an old lady cross no man's land in WWI, mightily bold, heroic, and stupid, but heroic none the less.

Mr. Skillman

[QUOTE=livingfossil]A hero is some guy who risks his life to fight (successfully) to preserve his society from some grave threat. That society then remembers him, because he sustained its existence. If the hero is unsuccessful he is a loser, and not worth remembrance--or his society was destroyed, and its cultural memory with it. Sadness!

I compleatly agree with this, but for me i have to take it a step further. A hero is an average person that someone looks up to for some reason. I see it as a deeper for of respect that i can't really qualify in words. I know i have my small set of "heros" and they are average men that i have known for a while. They have never faught in a war, stood up to armed gunmen, or been recognized by society for what i see as great accomplishments.

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livingfossil

I agree with this, minus the average part. A hero has done something to pull himself from the grist of society--which, here, need not signify nationstates proper, but any social groupling, I suppose. A hero's special, and so gets respect, reverence, etc. It's a culturally relative thing, but not completey: being a hero is one's one mind does not make one a hero, or even in three peoples' minds. What's the number that makes the difference? Who knows, but it must be a significant amount.

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aRs3N1c42

I thought a Hero was a sandwich...

No, really...

A hero is someone that is looked up to by someone else, perhaps because of something they've done or because of the relationship between the individuals. My 3 year old son probably views his dad as a hero, but I'm pretty sure his dad is nothing special. Since there is no such thing as altruism, hero is definitely in the eye of the beholder.

archpaladin

I think the very fact that there are so many definitions among people about what a hero is proves that heroism is a subjective concept.

A hero for me is someone who is not afraid to have convictions and stand up for them when everybody else says to sit down and shut up.

Unright

The simple answer is that a hero is someone who defeats the villain.

Of course that a very black & white concept that doesn't necessarily apply in a world full of grey strokes. So heroism is in the eye of the idealist. In order to be a hero, you have to consider someone a villain.

The first step towards heroism is to define your villain. Choose anything you consider evil: Bin Laden, cancer, Microsoft, Ric Flair, anything you want.

Now if you make any attempt to fight that evil and make any kind of success (captuing Bin Laden, curing cancer, etc..) then you are a hero to yourself and those that share your viewpoint. Obviously you aren't a hero to al-Queda members, but heroism is culture-specific.

In the example of the lone tank stopped at Tiananmen Square, it was an idealist who viewed the communist government to be the villian.

Suave

Or maybe Enrique Iglesias. I can be your hero baby...

Sorry. I think a hero is someone who performs a heroic act. I also think it's undefinable past that, because heroic acts can take on (in my opinion) so many different forms, and involve so many variables. One aspect of heroism that I think is intrinsic in all acts though, is a glorification of them, and I think there are acts that can be morally greater than heroic ones, yet their lack of glorification disqualifies them from being heroic. I consider firefighters to be heroes, yet despite the goodness in their acts, I think Mother Teresa has done more good than any firefighter I could name, yet she was not heroic. She did not fit a glorified archetype, and her actions, while incredible and awesome in their compassion, did not have, to my mind the sort of glorified, idol worship-inducing, type of qualities. I applaud anyone who can understand what I'm trying to get at, as it's very difficult for me to even explain this to myself, much less other people.

d*d

I might be a hero I've just never been tested,
I like to think that if I was I would pass.

Flaymin'

Unselfish acts are, what I think, what makes a hero. A hero does what NEEDS TO BE DONE.
Personal experience: I was in a bus, in the back of it. I always read in public transportation, cuz my thoughts usually piss me off. I don't much pay attention to my fellow commuters, unless there's a babe or something equally interresting there.
One day my concentration was broken by a loudmouth (drunken) old man who kept yelling his stupored opinions about the Finnish government and so forth.
Now, I lack that little part of the brain, that prevents me to keep my mouth shut when someone totally moronic does something that pisses a general Joe Schmoe off. After listening that guy blabbing for a while and noticing that the busdriver was a pussy for not saying anything, I yelled at the man "Shut up!". That shut him up for a while, after a moment he continued.
I put my book down and walked to the man. Luckily we were at a random busstop so I told him to get the fuck out or I'll throw his ass out, cuz he harrassed fellow passengers. That go tthe busdriver off his seat, too, and he joined me telling the bum to get off the bus. (I personally have no problem to be rude to idiots, when they're acting like idiots)
The geezer finally got off the bus. After we continued our ride and I had returned back to my seat a woman thanked me and told me that I am "an everyday hero".
Sounded odd. I didn't think of my self a "hero", I just was pissed off that I was the only "Man" in the bus to verbally taunt and remove an old distubing alcoholic.
All I needed was Balls. (metaphysical, I mean
So; if you have balls and are not afraid to use them, you are a "hero"?
(in Finland you don't need to fear to get shot by telling someone to "Shut the fuck up!")

Seer666

Me? Hero? HAHAHAHAHAHA. I've broken everyone of the 10 commandments except thou shall not kill, and that was incompitence on my part at the time. I do what I have to, and I do it for me, except the few people in this world I care about, in which case I woudl send my soul to hell without a second though if it would help them, but hero? Nope. Not I.

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aberkok

Some great ideas. I am definitely of the camp that doesn't consider public recognition a necessary part of the definition. It IS possible to be a hero in secret. Take Batman for example...seriously.

Has anyone seen the movie "Hero"? Besides all the AMAZING fight scenes, I think the ethical question it raises at the end mirrors what a certain world leader is doing right now (clue: he was in the news a little bit yesterday).

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Scheme

Imo a hero cannot just become a hero, people who view this person have to believe that he or she is infact a hero, you dont nessicarily have to risk ones life but more make the person viewing it feel that you have done something very special which most people wouldnt try to do

WarriorBuddha

I agree that a hero should do what's right and stand up for his beliefs. But do they really have to be successful in their endeavor?

Say there is some vile oppressive government. One man (or woman, let's not be sexist here) stirs the people into rebellion. They maybe have a civil war for a number of years. Over time our hero is killed, before his(or her) dream comes to fruitition. Eventually the rebellion succeeds and a kinder benevelant government is put into place. Is not our original instigator of the rebellion a hero, even though they themsesves did not succeed?

I would think so.

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I believe that we are all heroes, but not in a "rescuing" perspective. More of the "angel in disguise" perspective. We all do/have done things that hurt others or do the complete opposite of what others want, only for them to realize what they are not and more of who they are.
We don't learn or gain from people who are like us or who we wish to be like, but by those who define who we are not. I've had quite a few of those angels in my life- and I've also been one, even if I didn't want to be.

fnaqzna

No hero here... just a father and a veteran.

justjt

To define a hero is a never ending task because there a so many levels of heroism.
We all have the potential to be heros in our own way (yes even you)! Everybody needs to be saved at some point in their life.
Do I consider myself a hero?
I have charged an enemy position to rescue a fellow soldier who had risked his life to save two small girls from the crossfire and taken alot of damage to myself in the process....does that make me a hero?
I have given first-aid to a pregnant women injured in an car accident....does that make me a hero?
I take my elderly neighbor to the doctor's office because she can't see well enough to drive....does that make me a hero?
Those people have called me a hero.
Do I believe that I am a hero?
No...I don't believe that I am a hero, I'm just a regular man who doesn't know how to not help a person in need on any level.

There are many oppurtunities everyday for everyone to be a hero on some level....look around.

Robaggio

I should note that there's no such thing as a selfless act.

I don't understand why people who volunteer and donate their time to charity are labeled heroes. I'd argue that they're no different than anyone else. Volunteering is just as selfish as anything else. Charitable people get their kicks from helping people, I get my kicks by playing videogames. There is no distinction- we're both being selfish. If people didn't receive satisfaction from doing charity work, they would not do it.

You might argue that people might not actually like doing charity work. I'd say that although they might not like the actual work they most definatly like the result of the work. Getting satisfaction from other's satisfaction is still 'getting satisfaction', which, is selfish.

Stiltzkin

Ken Kesey. If you know anything about his life, you know what I'm talking about. I agree with Ayn Rand: man is heroic.

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