Where have all the heros gone???

[FlamingoBlue]

Last time I looked, the only real heros left were policeman, fireman, astronauts and teachers. Today, however, it's really quite difficult to find a hero anymore. I wonder why that is? Have we all become so jaded that a hero is someone who makes a lot of money throwing a ball through a hoop or at a guy holding a bat or to some other guy who runs fast with it?

Ask a kid who their hero is. And then ask that kid why that person is their hero. And then ask yourself if you have a hero, and why.

blue

 

[YoungGun69]

the problem is how do you define hero?

 

[lobito]

Blue, I have to agree with policemen, firemen (my step fathers a fireman), and teachers, but I'm not sure personally about astronauts. I mean sure they are risking their lives to go into outerspace, but for me personally, I don't feel they are risking their life. And since I'm not really into space stuff, they aren't really teaching ME anything. Personal opinon though.

I would say that kids' hero's today are sports "stars" and most likely for the wrong reasons.

MY personal hero, is my Papitooooo. My Dad, for reasons too numerous to mention here.

 

[RudeNastyAssBitch]

And Where Are All The Gods?

Somwthing Something bout Hercules
And Fighting The Rising Odds...

Sorry Blue

 

[BlondGirl]

I think this is an interresting question. I just told my son that his homeschool critical thinking assignment for tomorrow is to come up with the names of 3 heros that are alive today.

He complained.

I increased the number to 5.

He complained again.

I offerred to "allow" him to write a single page essay on each choice with arguements as to why each is heroic.

He elected to simply list 5 for me.

LOL. Typical. If you want, I'll give the results tomorrow evening.

(BTW--My boy is 9.)

 

[bluntforcemama]

Where have all the cowboys gone?

So if I'm a teacher, than I'm a hero. Well, a ten-year-old did ask me to marry him. I don't suppose that counts, though.

 

[BlondGirl]

My kid just told me that his dad is a nurse so that makes him a hero.
He then asked me if I am a hero. Immediately afterward, he retracted that statement by saying that I was just an _____________. (I am an allied health person--meaning that I am not a nurse or doctor--but someone else who wears scrubs and can get filthy in a hostpital setting.)

I smiled and told him he has to write the names down. He asked if he could begin right now.

Hhhmmm...

I think I should have required 10 in the first place, huh?

 

[YoungGun69]

Re: Where have all the cowboys gone?

So if I'm a teacher, than I'm a hero. Well, a ten-year-old did ask me to marry him. I don't suppose that counts, though.

I dont see why not. You obviously made a differnce in his life.

I can define hero this way. A hero is someone who helps a person change his/her life for the better be it by physical safety (cop,fireman) or indirectly (scientist,teacher)

 

[Never]

I never had a hero as I never needed one.
To me a 'hero' is an outdated concept, it reduces them as a person and reflects a worldview that I don't feel is accurate for me.

 

[vlvtelvis]

What is a hero?

In this day and age I'd have to say someone who stands up for and acts according to their their ideals might be a hero. There are crooked cops and firemen out there. You can't define it according to an ocupation. It has more to do with how the individual lives their life as a whole, and not any single action.

A hero can't simply be a person who tries to do what is right or what is expected of them by society, as that would make all good citizens of a society heros. We could all be everyday heros, I suppose, but that's just as bit too Mr. Rogersey for me.

Perhaps a hero is a person who performs acts of virtue that are not expected and can not be required of them. We consider individuals who risk their lives for the sake of others or for the sake of their ideals to be heros, as no socitaly imposed moral code can require a person to risk their own life.

Motive is a factor. A deed done for money does not have the same moral weight as the exact same deed done for the sake of itself. (dear god, shoot me if I start waxing Kantian) The problem with this is that those of us on the outside can not know the motive and thus can not know if the individual is a hero or a profitier.

In terms of how we, as a culture, judge people, a hero can not be the same as simply being a moral person. We expect others to adhere to some kind of minimum moral requirements we are to consider them to be good/moral people. The criteria according to which the heroic individual is to be judged must be higher than the requirements for simply being a good/moral person, as the very nature of heroism implies somthing out of the ordinary.

So where did the heros go? Hard to say. Depends on the values of the individual I guess. We all have to find our own heros.

If this makes no sense, blame the booze.

 

[Comshaw]

posted by FlamingoBlue:

Where have all the heros gone???

They're all around you. All you have to do is clear your mind and understand what you are looking for.
One of my hero's: He works as a waiter at a local restaurant. He's also involved in Catholic youth group, scouts, little league, 4H and FFA. Why? Because John and his wife have 14 foster children to take care of, besides their own 3 kids. Two are disabled and wheelchair bound. He never bitches about his lot, never complains no matter how difficult it gets.
I asked him one time why he does it. His answer,"That's what I was born to do."

Another hero: September 1971. A young man walked alone the length of the Golden Gate bridge. Not so heroic? He had been fitted for prosthetic legs only the month before. He was missing both legs at mid thigh, and one arm above the elbow from combat injuries. They told him he probably would never walk again. His ward mates were waiting for him on the North end of the bridge. We all cheered him as he crossed the line chalked on the pavement.
No hero's? They're here, everywhere.
How about the young boy's uncle that bare handedly wrestled the Bull shark to shore that bit the boy while he was swimming? Macho? Nope just doing what needed to be done for his nephew.
You have to be human to be a hero?
How about the Blue Healer in Florida that fought off an Alligator to protect it's mistress who was lying helpless from a stroke next to the Alligators watery den? The dog kept that 'Gator at bay for most of a night, until someone discovered his mistress. He was hurt badly, but would not quit.

Heros. Quit looking for the larger then life, flashy, god like hero. look for the real ones. The ones that should be exalted and emulated. they're all around you.

Comshaw

 

[thumbs2_ca]

You are right Comshaw most heroes do not consider themselves heroes at all. They think they are doing what anyone should do in that situation, but how many of us would?

 

[Samuari]

I'm right here, Blue.

 

[FlamingoBlue]

Thanks for your input, Comshaw....

I wonder if a "kid" would buy into your examples as heros? I certainly do.

blue

 

[registered "^^"]

I agree with Comshaw, nice post Comshaw. Most kids and even some adults, are hung up on material things. It takes those like Comshaw has described to bring real life into perspective.

 

[Stonedagger]

HEHEHE

My personal hero was Spider man - cause he always sucked with the women even with his spidey sense!



Seriously what about all the unsung heroes - many of the people who keep the world clean and safe?


Nurses (won't say doctors cause they just give their patients over to the care of the great nurses)!!!

 

[teresafannin]

Thank you Comshaw, excellent post. My sister is one of my heros, she is a mother, wife, student, working woman & my main source of support.She was born blind in one eye & has never let it stop her from reaching her goals. I find that the people I admire the most are the ones who are talked about the least. The director of my son's school is another hero in my book. The time she takes with the students at her school is inspiring. She cares so much about the kids & most of these kids are the ones that the public schools don't want. Every kid needs a teacher like her at some point in her life.

 

[Mischka]

Most kids and even some adults, are hung up on material things.

I can't find the article, but I remember recently reading a survey on kid's heros. The overwhelming majority of children listed their parents and teachers as their heros, citing their strength, caring, compassion, and love as the reasons they chose them. Children are a lot more perceptive than we give them credit for.

 

[Never]

No, children are materialistic idjiots and Gen X is a bunch of uninvolved slackers.

Oh, Stonedagger, Spiderman always had women, Black Cat, Mary Jane, Gwen Stacy, Diamondback.. He was just such a whinner that whenever they said they were tired of him disappearing he'd get pissy and start another tedious monologue about how having super powers ruined his life.

 

[BlondGirl]

Children are a lot more perceptive than we give them credit for.

Im ny son's assignment, he listed his dad (the cardiology nurse) first.
2nd was a friend in the Coast Guard who is involved in drug inspections and a volunteer in our church.
3rd was #2's wife--reason? She is a homeschooling mom and her commitment to her family comes before everything else in her life.
4th was our pastor.
I came in at number 5--"because you work really hard and you homeschool me."

I think this assignment has taught me more than him in that it shows me that i have managed to provide for my son the best role models available.

 

[Stonedagger]

BlondGirl

Seriously I would have to agree with you also it has to be a very warm and fuzzy feeling to even be on the list of your children's hero list rewarding and magnificent!!

Congrats!!



Never- NOw on the flipside - SPidey had women ALMOST - they always went out for the jock guys instead of him the nervous nerd! Besides the monolgues always bothered me too!!!
Hae you ever seen the show
THe greastest american hero?

VEry low budget movie!

 

[FlamingoBlue]

I forgot to mention the "disabled"....

as heros. There is perhaps no braver person than a phsically or mentally challenged person striving to get through a day, dispite their disability. And then there are their caregivers; the folks that dedicate their lives to the disabled. They are heros, too

When I started this thread, I looked at teachers, policmen and firemen as a group of people who consistently face adversity
and return, day after day, to begin anew. That, to me, is real heroism.

And then there are dedicated parents. They too are true heros who dedicate their lives to growing their children into responsible, functional and loving adults.

Of course, there are "one shot" heros whose actions, in the face of danger or crisis, are noteworthy. But, I would be willing to hazard the opinion that their actions would not likely be repeated on a consistent basis. That's not to say that their actions weren't heroic. I just believe that the unsung heros are rarely recognized. In fact, the real heros are usually very humble and they generally shun recognition.

Thanks for your replies.

blue

 

[FlamingoBlue]

9-11-01 proves the point about....

policemen/women and firemen/women. They are many of the true heros of this catastrophe. And there were others. Ordinary people who, when faced with death, offered their lives to save others. I am truly humbled!

blue

 

[morninggirl5]

There were heroes on Flight 93 last Tuesday.

There are a great many heroes on alert, ready to defend our country every day.


Heroes are those men and women who do the right thing simply because it's right. They put the welfare of others, their family, friends and countrymen above themselves. If it's easy to do, then it doesn't make you a hero.

I'm a teacher, but I'm not a hero. The people who put their lives on the line, gave up a part of themselves - their soul or their life, to protect us - so that we could be free, they are the heroes.


All gave some, Some gave all.

 

[freakygirl]

I think "my hero" would have to be.. my ex husband.. he is a WONDERFUL man.. ok, i see it coming now.. if he is so wonderful.. why is he my ex? well.. i'll tell ya.. we are better friends then husband and wife. We dated all thru school.. i got pregnant in August after graduating, and we were married the following October, had two more kids in 3 years. We looked at each other one day and didn't know each other. I didn't know what he did at work, he didn't know what i did at home. It was all a "game" by our 7th anniversary. We divorced (on really good terms). because i didn't have any kind of education, we decided he should keep the kids until i got on my feet.. well that was 8 years ago. I've been on my feet for a little over 5 years, but i decided since he was such a great father. I'd leave the kids to live with him. He is only a few miles away, i see the kids when ever i want. Him and his wife are my best friends. I can turn to them when i have a bad day. He has made a life for my kids. He travels the world with them. Him and his wife work, but they are involved. they go to every school function, know where the kids are at all times, serve on the city council, school board, PTA. they coach softball and baseball.. WE have a 14 year old, 12 year old and 11 year old.. THEY have a 9 year old (hers from former marriage) and a 7 year old (theirs). All the kids are great in school.. my oldest son is employed at the same company that employs his father.. he has taught them to love life, the people in it, and to never have a bad thing to say..

Their father gives them everything they need.. but not everything they want..

To me.. this is a hero...