Use of the word hero in the mass media has become somewhat cliché. In 2010, an on-line search of three major American newspapers revealed that 5500 articles concerning the topic of heroes appeared between 2000 and 2005 (Sullivan & Venter, 2010). Although the presence of “heroes” and “heroines” in America is not surprising, it is unclear what meaning the word holds in today’s culture (Sullivan & Ventner, 2010). What meaning the word HOLDS. Think about that for a moment. The word hero, or even the idea of what constitutes heroism is different to everyone. While there are acts of heroism every day in our society, what and who the media chooses to classify or portray as heroes has very little to do with heroism. Most often in the media, the word hero is associated with athletes and celebrities. It is not uncommon to hear a performance on a football field described as heroic, when an athlete plays hurt, or in a movie when an actor or actress gives a grand performance in a dramatic film. The word hero should be HELD in high regard. It should be reserved for people who spend their lives, or perhaps lose their life, fighting for a cause, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. It should be reserved for people who put themselves in harm’s way in order to protect others from danger, like firefighters and police officers. The media does hold these type of people in high regard and does consider them heroes, but not often enough.
The idea of celebrities as heroes can be traced back to mid-70s when Farah Fawcett-Majors burst on to the scene as a pin-up model and television star. As detective Jill Monroe on the TV series Charlie’s Angels, she was described by a critic as “a powerful heroin, a representative of a decade of feminism” (Graebner, 2013). ...
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... Man in the Water”: The Politics of the American Hero, 1970-1985. the Historian. Retrieved from: http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer
PORPORA, D.V. (1996). Personal Heroes, Religion, and Transcendental Metanarratives. Sociological Forum, Vol. 11, No. 2. Retrieved from: http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer
WHITE, S.H. & O’BRIEN, J.E. (1999). What is a Hero? An exploratory study of students’ conceptions of heroes. Journal of Moral Education, Vol. 28, No. 1. Retrieved from: http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/eds/detail
SCHLENKER, B.R., WEIGOLD, M.F. and SCHLENKER, K.A. (2008) What Makes A Hero? The Impact of Integrity on Admiration and Interpersonal Judgment. Journal of Personality. Retrieved from: http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/eds/pdfviewer
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.
The word "hero" is so often used to describe people who overcome great difficulties and rise to the challenge that is set before them without even considering the overwhelming odds they are up against. In our culture, heroes are glorified in literature and in the media in various shapes and forms. However, I believe that many of the greatest heroes in our society never receive the credit that they deserve, much less fame or publicity. I believe that a hero is simply someone who stands up for what he/she believes in. A person does not have to rush into a burning building and save someone's life to be a hero. Someone who is a true friend can be a hero. A hero is someone who makes a difference in the lives of others simply by his/her presence. In Tim O'Brien's novel, The Things They Carried, the true heroes stand out in my mind as those who were true friends and fought for what they believed in. These men and women faced the atrocities of war on a daily basis, as explained by critic David R. Jarraway's essay, "'Excremental Assault' in Tim O'Brien: Trauma and Recovery in Vietnam War Literature" and by Vietnam Veteran Jim Carter. Yet these characters became heroes not by going to drastic measures to do something that would draw attention to themselves, but by being true to their own beliefs and by making a difference to the people around them.
Heroes are goals for our own aspirations. Humanity is assembled around the necessity for role models and the transference down of information, this is how we learn. A hero is defined as someone with admirable traits or people who, in the face of danger or from a position of weakness, display courage or the will for self-sacrifice, whether it be moral in a literal or figurative approach. These notions of heroism are portrayed directly through the collection of relating texts, ‘The Epic of Gilgamesh,’ and ‘The Ballad of Mulan,’ and the film ‘Saving Private Ryan.’
Being a hero means to be willing to risk your life for others. Such as, Pat Tillman. Pat Tillman was a fantastic football player and he loved playing it too. Despite that, Pat Tillman turned down a 3.6million dollar contract to the Arizona Cardinals to go fight the war against terrorism. He ended up dieing from friendly fire. All this goes to show how brave Pat Tillman was to risk his life and give up his football career to go fight in Afghanistan to help protect the American people. Likewise, the people that helped evacuate New York City after the
What does it mean to be a hero? Heroism can’t be confined to one set defined definition. Instead is a forever evolving term that change as society changes. Since it seems it isn’t the actual individuals that are labeled as the hero that are setting the standards to what it means to be a hero. Instead, society deems itself
Every day, society misconceives identities. Through the eyes of Christopher Reeve, '' a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles''. Society tends to connect heroes with stereotypical words such as adventurous, daring, courageous and show upmost bravery to the ones they care and show love for.
Over the course of time, there have been many distinct heroes with significant characteristics. A hero can be viewed and described many different ways depending on the person. They may be courageous, intelligent, kind, tough, or even troublesome. However, the more common ‘hero’ is revered to be physically brave and intellectually smart. Although one may be intellectually smart, that is not truthfully what makes them a hero. A hero is someone who sacrifices themselves for the benefit of others and is courageous and brave.
Generally when you think of a hero, who do you envision? Most likely, you picture a strong and imposeing figure, someone capable of performing in high pressure situations, demonstrating bravery and passion to help his/her fellow man. Those who typically fit that role in society are firefighters, policemen, and soldiers. Those people deserve all the credit and recognition they receive for their courageous acts. However, what about individuals or groups who aren’t necessarily on the “frontlines” physically protecting others and saving lives, but who work extremely hard to improve the lives of others in some way? These everyday people deserve credit as well. After all, to the people they help, these volunteers or activists are heroes. An example of such a group is the Greensboro Four, a few African American college students in the early 1960s who helped change the landscape of segregation in the Jim Crow South.
Although not every hero shouts “Avengers Assemble” before a worthy deed, heroism is shown in all aspects of the everyday world. Webster Dictionary has exactly 5 definitions under the word hero and still no two people explain heroism the same. Superman and Captain America are a glimpse of the fictional characters society titles a hero. Firefighters and Military portray heroism each day in the lives of every civilian. As Sullivan and Venter stated “individuals are referred to as ‘heroes’ for seemingly different reasons” and even through endless studies the adjectives referring heroes is ever changing. Among the various ideas of what it means to be a hero, boldness and valiance capture the essence of heroism.
Over the course of history the definition of what makes a hero has made many changes. Beowulf, Superman, and firefighters are all examples of heroes, but they are very different when broken down. Today’s society defines a hero by his values, his strength, and his journey.
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.
Graebner, William. “The Man in the Water”: The Politics of the American Hero, 1970–1985. The Historian, 75 no.4 (2013): 517–543. Accessed April 10, 2014. doi: 10.1111/hisn.12015
A person can be a hero for saving the life of one or of millions. Heroes are not only real people, but they are also fantasy figures. Children are extremely interested with legendary and fantasy figures because they take on such tasks as: difficult journeys, challenges with dragons, discovering lost treasure, and changing the nature of the world through their singular acts of courage and selflessness. They also endure much resistance, hardship, and danger. Often the hero learns valuable lessons about survival and self-reliance. Not only do heroes teach valuable lessons they give a child a sense of belonging. To a child, a hero is an invincible person who will change the world.
A strong male with every characteristic of a traditional hero has been for years pushed by all types of media. The laundry list of what it takes to be a hero includes high expectancies common people find unattainable. Not everyone is a White male with a great physique and Christian morals. Due to the high standard, over the years there has been a shift in what the media depicts as a hero and what common people choose to look up to. The problem not only lies in film and television but also comes from local news outlets. Today every act, small or big is looked as heroic making it possible for any average Joe to be a candidate. Right or wrong, acts that unfortunately claim someone’s life are plastered in every news story with a catchy headline
Heroism is defined as an act of courage and an act of selflessness. They reflect the highest levels of morality in society. Heroes have embodied the morality codes of civilizations throughout the ages. When heroes display courage, observers often identify with that courage. The refusal to take the easy way out and the ability to act in spite of fear, is what makes a person a hero. This is the way everyone wishes to react in the midst of a crisis. As witnessed in literature and real life, mankind needs heroes to provide an inspirational role model, an escape from the mundane, and a guide for morality.