Being perceived as a hero is commonly associated with the action of defeating a common enemy. Although this is true for most heroic stories, some heroes attempt to pacify the world through the education of others to prevent further harm. In certain instances, pacification or education is best suited to be achieved by heroes that are patient, understanding and giving. Countless stories of heroes also involve a strong upbringing that give qualities to determine the type of person and future actions that will personify their lifestyle. Most Greek heroes do not have the patience and understanding that allows Theseus to transform himself and the people around him. Similarly, Neil deGrasse Tyson, coming out of a tumultuous background, educates the populous to understand the world around them. Neil deGrasse Tyson and Theseus …show more content…
There are quite a few examples of how Theseus elevates the people around him intellectually. The obvious example would be when Theseus became king; he made Athens a democracy. When describing Athens after Theseus makes it a democracy, Plutarch states “…happiest and most prosperous, the only true home of liberty, the one place in the world that the people govern themselves” (215). Theseus integrates a democratic government for the greater good of the people, educating that prosperity can be reached through a government that offers a greater sense of egalitarianism. Similarly, Neil deGrasse Tyson’s unilateral goal is to educate the populous into understanding the world around them. Tyson accomplishes this by using different forms of media to inform the public. Star Talk Radio, a podcast run by Neil deGrasse Tyson, uses popular culture to educate the public on interesting scientific topics from geology to physics. The commonality between Theseus and Neil deGrasse Tyson is their desire to better the world around them through the education of
Who is a hero? In contemporary times, usage of the term has become somewhat of a cliché. Over the years, the term “hero” has become representative of a wide variety of individuals, each possessing differing traits. Some of the answers put forth by my colleagues (during our in-class discussion on heroism) as to whom they consider heroes pointed to celebrities, athletes, teachers and family members. Although the occupations differed, each of their heroes bore qualities that my classmates perceived as extraordinary, whether morally or physically. Nonetheless, Webster’s defines “hero” as “a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities.” Thus, it is worth considering that individuals become heroes relative to the situation with which they’re faced.
“I wish I could be a hero!” Many adults in today’s society hear small children wishing they could become heroes. Children wish to be more like heroes for the reason that heroes are the type of people who risk their lives to help others. Throughout history, children have had a positive connotation with the word “hero.” The heroes many small children talk about are the fictional ones who protect cities from villains: Superman, Batman, Spiderman, and others. However, these are not the only types of heroes in today’s world. Firefighters and policemen are also considered heroes because they save the lives of those in danger. Many adults consider their inspirations to be heroes, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Michelle Obama. Heroes do not always have to be real; for instance, they can also be literary characters such as Atticus Finch, Jonas, and Odysseus. Heroes, fictional or not, only have one purpose, to help people in need. These motivating people are in the rare category of people who willingly spend their whole lives helping people achieve their dreams. Heroes are the people who unselfishly help people live their lives in a peaceful manner. Many children wish they could become heroes, such as Bilbo Baggins. In The Hobbit, J.R.R Tolkien explores how Bilbo Baggins matures and ultimately becomes a hero.
According to “The Hero’s Journey”, societies throughout history have lifted up exemplary individuals. There is almost always one individual who is a perfect example. He is the guy that leads others and is looked up to. The greeks valued a character that they could aspire to be. Also from “The Hero’s Journey”, the hero seems to be invincible and incorruptible. The hero is tested, but he always seems to prevail. In real life, this can be seen as a world leader or a famous warrior. As quoted from The Odyssey, “ He fought only to save his life and to bring his shipmates home.”(561). The hero always fights for good causes and for others. You never hear about a hero being selfish or foolish. They are always pure and just, so they are often well known and popular among the
The bulk of the praise a hero receives tends to be in response to his or her actions. People look up to the heroes who can perform the most miraculous feats. However, there is an element of heroism beyond the superficial element of a hero’s actions: the hero’s character. Both heroes and antiheroes might do great things; however, the similarities end where motivations are considered, and these differences in motivations are rooted in the differences in the character of heroes and the antiheroes. An antihero’s character is flawed, leading to actions based on selfish and impure motivations. In contrast, a hero is characterized by his or her selflessness; this can be defined as putting the interests of others above the interests of oneself, and
In this video, Neil Degrasse Tyson, reveals that he has been black his whole life. He discusses how challenging it was to become successful in a white dominated society. He discusses visiting the planetarium at a young age. That visit sparked his interest. He expressed his interests in becoming an astrophysicist to others in the community they frowned up his aspirations. When he shared his interests with his teachers, they recommended that he become an athlete instead. His teachers believed blacks were only good enough to succeed in sports, that becoming a scientist was for white males. He then discusses the stereotypes he has faced throughout his life, despite becoming successful. He has experienced normal discriminatory practices the average
When people think of a hero, they picture someone flawless, someone who does no wrong. A hero is humble and is recognized for constantly saving people in dangerous situations. But that is not realistic. Heroes have flaws, and they do not always make the right choices, but they are still heroes because their courageous actions outweigh their rather dishonorable ones. This topic is discussed in the epic poem, The Odyssey by Homer. Odysseus does not always fit his image as god-like, but he is still very much a hero because he has respectable morals and he protects those in need of protection.
Neil deGrasse Tyson’s interest in stargazing began at an early age, when as a nine year old, he stepped into the Hayden Planetarium Sky Theatre. As a result, Dr. deGrasse Tyson embarked on a lifelong fascination with the stars, enrolling in classes at the Hayden Planetarium, acquiring a telescope and spending long nights on the rooftop of an apartment in the Bronx studying the night sky (Biography.com). At the age of fifteen, he began offering lectures on Astronomy, which caused Dr. Carl Sagan, a famous astronomer to invite him to attend Cornell University, which he declined (Famous Scientists). He holds one Bachelor of Arts, Two Master Degrees, and a Doctorate in Astrophysics (Famous Scientists). He became the director of the Hayden Planetarium twenty-five years after the first time he walked into that institution as an eager child, where he
Who is your hero? Many of us can clearly picture our idea of our personal hero in our head, but is the person you consider to be a hero really a hero by definition? In Heroism: Why Heroes are Important, Scott LaBarge, a Classics and Philosophy Professor at Santa Clara University, awakens your thoughts on the word heroism and how it has changed since its origins in ancient Greece. Throughout his essay, he goes in depth into the term ‘hero’ and compares it to society’s take on heroes today. Although LaBarge uses examples to back up his stance that “Today, it is much harder to detach the concept of heroism from morality (LaBarge. 1),” his essay contains flaws and he contradicts his own words.
Joseph Campbell defines a hero as “someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself ” (Moyers 1). The Hero’s Journey consists of three major parts: the separation, the initiation and the return. Throughout a character’s journey, they must complete a physical or spiritual deed. A physical deed involves performing a daunting and courageous act that preserves the well-being of another person. A spiritual deed calls for action that improves another individual’s state of mind. While fulfilling their journey, a hero must undergo a psychological change that involves experiencing a transformation from immaturity into independence and sophistication.Campbell states that these events are what ultimately guides a hero into completing
Are heroes important? This is the question that Scott LaBarge, a philosophy professor at Santa Clara University, tackles in his article “Heroism: Why Heroes are Important.” He encourages teachers, parents, and students to realize that heroes are tremendously significant in society by using references to factual and historical details, personal association, and various examples of different types of heroes. LaBarge effectively uses the rhetorical appeals of ethos, logos, and kairos to convince his audience that heroes are important.
Maya Angelou once remarked, “I think that a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people.” Depending on who the inquiry is posed to though, diverse answers may result from the question of, “what is a hero?” I believe that a hero is someone who inspires through their phenomenal precedents, benevolent behaviors, and possesses qualities not ordinarily seen in our culture. Angelou aspired to convey the idea that kindness and heroism are not mutually exclusive, but instead fit together effectively to produce the heroes held in high regard in our society. No matter what one might admire about a certain hero-- bravery, patience, or strength-- kindness lacks not in these traits, but rather encompasses them. For why
From the beginning of time, mythology has appeared to be one key method of understanding life’s confusions and battles. Within these myths lies a hero. From myth to myth and story to story, heroes experience what may be called a struggle or a journey, which lays down their plot line. Bearing tremendous strength, talent, and significant admiration, a hero holds what is precious to their audience, heroism. Over time however, no matter the hero, the hero’s role remains indistinguishable and identical to the position of every other hero.
Heroism can show itself in many shapes and forms from ordinary people to heroic and courageous people something to think about is that anyone can show heroism. A lot of people have shown heroism just by doing the right thing such as just helping someone or not acting mean towards others. heroism can show itself in many different forms but sadly some ordinary people don’t get recognized for the heroic acts that they do. Many different people just don’t recognize heroism from ordinary people as they just think of superheroes and supervillains. In reality anyone can achieve heroism as long as they strive for it. While ordinary people can sometimes not be recognized for acts of heroism, these heroes are courageous and can defeat all of the challenges
There is another type of hero that almost no one is aware of. In the poorest areas of the country, live mostly minorities and other ethic background. All their lives they’ve been expected to work harder and expected not succeed in life. Some individuals living in poverty with a determination to succeed work hard all of their lives to become what everybody doubted they could. Escaping the crime, drugs, and prostitution is enough to escape hell, even if they don’t go to college. Despite of their financial problems, drug and crime surroundings, or difficulties in the language skills, their desire to triumph fuels their persistence. Those who make it to success are the few living examples of the purest form of hero anyone can be. They are not only their own heroes but also the heroes of the poor children who dream of becoming like them someday.
The word hero is a familiar word to most, and many people believe they fully understand that meaning. Quite often, they really do not. Expressing kindness is not a difficult task all it takes is a bit of caring and consideration to do something for the benefit of someone else. As Barron (2002) states, “here’s another way to think about it: A hero does something truly important, regardless of whether anyone ever notices. Heroism, then, is about character. The qualities a person carries down inside” (p. 12).