A hero is someone who faces an extraordinary situation and is able to overcome it. They would also be humble about it afterwards feeling that anyone else would've done the same.
What Makes a Hero?
- Thread starter Shock and Awe
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I was thinking about this a lot a while back, and I also settled somewhat on sacrifice being a major component.
I'm focusing mostly on heros of fantasy, but with a nod to those in the real world, and it seems to me one of the most important, central themes in the best of heroic tales are sacrificing something about yourself to do what must be done. Maybe you sacrifice your life, maybe your sanity, maybe your chance at a life with loved ones and family, but a hero always seems to discard something in order to do what nobody else will. (The "nobody else will" thing is pretty major too, I think, and ties into the sacrifice idea. No one else wants to face the big bad because they kind of want to live or be sane or whatever. Also, the sacrifice ensures that the hero isn't just some mercenary, that he is giving, not earning.)
I think there is a theme of transcendence in it, too: the sacrifice isn't just because, it is shedding something mortal so you may wield essentially divine power.
I'm focusing mostly on heros of fantasy, but with a nod to those in the real world, and it seems to me one of the most important, central themes in the best of heroic tales are sacrificing something about yourself to do what must be done. Maybe you sacrifice your life, maybe your sanity, maybe your chance at a life with loved ones and family, but a hero always seems to discard something in order to do what nobody else will. (The "nobody else will" thing is pretty major too, I think, and ties into the sacrifice idea. No one else wants to face the big bad because they kind of want to live or be sane or whatever. Also, the sacrifice ensures that the hero isn't just some mercenary, that he is giving, not earning.)
I think there is a theme of transcendence in it, too: the sacrifice isn't just because, it is shedding something mortal so you may wield essentially divine power.
Pretty much being able to rise above other when it come to face such dangers that it terrify the heart of men (bravery). The hero is a selfless one who genuie perform many deeds and not for personal gain (not intentionally). Lastly a hero would never view him or her self as a hero in the first place.
I don't believe that there really are such a thing as real life Heroes, nobody is truly selfless. I guess that answers the question, to me a Hero is someone who is selfless. Truly out for no gain whatsoever, from material gain to other types of gain (status, love, satisfaction etc.). Nobody like that truly exists in reality. We all want something.
Feel free to call me pessimistic but that's how I think.
Feel free to call me pessimistic but that's how I think.
The primary trait of a hero, in my mind, is that they don't exist. People are people, and they can still do heroic things, but they'll always do them for human reasons, and they'll always have human flaws. This is why heros will only ever exist as an other, humans can't help but be humans, and the heros we create are meant as beings to aspire to.
The idea of someone who is genuinely self-sacrificing just doesn't really happen. Oh sure, people can be self-sacrificing here or there, but people aren't self-sacrificing on the whole. The fireman who saves a child... that's his job. He gets paid to do that, and even though it's not much he get some social benefits as well. The man who dives onto the tracks to help a man who fell in front of a train didn't at some point stop to weigh out the potential risks and rewards of what he was doing or the moral issues regarding another man's life. That ancient part of our brains which evolved to make us work together for mutual benefit just kicked in and made the snap decision for him.
The idea we're referring to when we say "hero" I feel has to transcend the deterministic nature of humanity or else it doesn't make for a lofty enough aspiration, and honestly I just don't think that happens.
The idea of someone who is genuinely self-sacrificing just doesn't really happen. Oh sure, people can be self-sacrificing here or there, but people aren't self-sacrificing on the whole. The fireman who saves a child... that's his job. He gets paid to do that, and even though it's not much he get some social benefits as well. The man who dives onto the tracks to help a man who fell in front of a train didn't at some point stop to weigh out the potential risks and rewards of what he was doing or the moral issues regarding another man's life. That ancient part of our brains which evolved to make us work together for mutual benefit just kicked in and made the snap decision for him.
The idea we're referring to when we say "hero" I feel has to transcend the deterministic nature of humanity or else it doesn't make for a lofty enough aspiration, and honestly I just don't think that happens.
Not quite. The joining is not heroic in any sense(it rarely is, but I digress) but actions taken under fire can be. If the man did everything he could to stay away from danger and didn't risk himself for comrades then he is not heroic at all. If he risked himself for his comrades and made sacrifices for them then those are heroic. Though keep in mind by military standards thats to be expected.Kragg said:
I think the word you're looking for is 'selflessness': acting in such a way as to profit (or diminish loss to) those around him/her but not necessarily him/herself.Shock and Awe said:
*shrug*
Edna Mode would like a couple words with you...(!) XDNantucket said:
I would say someone who has heroic qualities, someone who does what is morally right, someone who is selfless and willing to sacrifice themselves for good.
I don't really think there are heroic people, only herioc actions. Sometimes we perform them and sometimes we don't.
Can you show me anyone who's heroic 24/7?
Can you show me anyone who's heroic 24/7?
What bugs me is when you see how cancer survivors are 'heroes' in the newspapers.
I'm not knocking anyone who's gone thru that, but damn, they got horribly sick from a terrible disease, being unlucky, then got a bit of luck back by not dying.
I see the tragedy and hope in it, but I don't see the heroism.
It's particularly evident with children who like were meant to die before they reached a year old and are still around at 12. It's a great thing, and I'm happy for them, but it's not heroism.
Same goes for the military, while I'm against many wars, I'm for the guys who go into it for the right reasons. It doesn't however instantly make you a hero to be in the military, as much as the Sun newspaper would like us all to believe it.
I think it's all down to taking a big risk of losing something important, to help someone or something other than yourself.
It's like we seem to label all cancer survivors 'brave', and I understand they go thru a lot of pain, but I'm not sure how much bravery is involved, as we're not organising protests outside graveyards with 'coward' signs.
Tho of course I'm in favour of euthanasia, and if I got terminally ill and was in pain, I'd be slapping that off button so fast, I'd be in line for world records at 'Konami Track n Field'. Anyone into the sanctity of life, I'd tie up and kick them in the balls for a week straight and ask em how attached to their morality they still were, but I feel I've slipped slightly off subject.
I'm not knocking anyone who's gone thru that, but damn, they got horribly sick from a terrible disease, being unlucky, then got a bit of luck back by not dying.
I see the tragedy and hope in it, but I don't see the heroism.
It's particularly evident with children who like were meant to die before they reached a year old and are still around at 12. It's a great thing, and I'm happy for them, but it's not heroism.
Same goes for the military, while I'm against many wars, I'm for the guys who go into it for the right reasons. It doesn't however instantly make you a hero to be in the military, as much as the Sun newspaper would like us all to believe it.
I think it's all down to taking a big risk of losing something important, to help someone or something other than yourself.
It's like we seem to label all cancer survivors 'brave', and I understand they go thru a lot of pain, but I'm not sure how much bravery is involved, as we're not organising protests outside graveyards with 'coward' signs.
Tho of course I'm in favour of euthanasia, and if I got terminally ill and was in pain, I'd be slapping that off button so fast, I'd be in line for world records at 'Konami Track n Field'. Anyone into the sanctity of life, I'd tie up and kick them in the balls for a week straight and ask em how attached to their morality they still were, but I feel I've slipped slightly off subject.