"Heroism"
Every hero's tale involves some kind of trip. Christopher Vogler states in The Writer's Journey that a hero must leave behind the familiar and mundane in order to face the unknown and difficult. Heroes play an important role in every culture. Heroes sacrifice their life for others, are extremely compassionate, and do not seek any sort of reward for their deeds.
Here, we honor the great men and women who have helped us along the way by elevating them to the status of cultural icons. We memorialize them by building statues, showcasing their photographs in museums, penning songs and producing biopic movies and bios.
One can be a caregiver, seeker, lover, destroyer, creator, ruler, magician, sage, fool, orphan, and martyr, as stated by Carol S. Pearson in her book "Awakening the Heroes."
Author and poet Maya Angelou once stated, "I think a hero is a person sincerely set on making this a better place for all people."
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In Greek mythology, the first heroes appeared. The ancient Greek term for "hero" (Heros) refers to a person who acts as a protector, defender, and fighter. Of these, Achilles stands out as one of the war's most formidable and consequential heroes. The arrow's poison hit his Achilles' heel, and he tragically passed away. Hercules, a legendary hero and fierce fighter, is another example. To further cement his heroic status, Jason is remembered as the leader of the Argonauts, a band of fifty brave men and women who set out in pursuit of the Golden Fleece, a prized possession of the king. The legendary king of Athens, Theseus, was another who ruled with a combination of sagacity, bravery, and authority.
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Joseph Campbell elaborates on the hero's journey in his best-selling book, Hero with a Thousand Faces. The hero goes through a progression of stages. The hero's journey begins with a call to adventure, continues through various trials and tribulations, culminates in a showdown with the villain or evil force, and finally concludes with the hero's possession of the reward and his or her return to the mundane world changed forever. Fortunately, there are heroes who are willing to help. Some people are skeptical, uncertain, or hesitant and need to be persuaded. There must be a showdown with death for there to be a hero. The hero will confront the possibility of death if not actual death.
The hero's journey is a universal theme that can be seen played out in countless stories, from epic novels to Hollywood blockbusters, as well as in the lives of everyday people and historical icons alike. Oskar Schindler, for example, saved the lives of over a thousand Jews during World War II by arranging for their safe passage out of Nazi Germany. Stephen Spielberg filmed the true story of Oskar Schindler's bravery in the early 1990s with the film Schindler's List. In 1991, the picture was shown in theaters. When the Oscars were handed out the following year, both Spielberg and the film took home top honors.
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The hero archetype is a major part of Carl Jung's theory of personality. According to Jung, each of us consists of an ego, or conscious self—the part of us that is capable of rational thought, emotion, perception, and intuition—as well as a personal unconscious, comprised of things like our own past experiences and dreams, and a collective unconscious, where archetypes can be found. All humans have a common unconscious landscape that is home to these archetypes—stories, characters, and patterns of behavior that are passed down through generations. They make up a person's very chromosomes. The self (one's true identity), the persona (the many public masks we don), and the shadow (one's hidden or negative side) are three of the most common archetypes. While we all have the potential to become heroes, not everyone feels the call to do so. These archetypes, Jung argues, are not accessible in the first person. Instead, we find them represented in the forms of symbols, pictures, themes, patterns, and ideas across religious texts, philosophical texts, artistic works, literary works, folktales, films, and other forms of popular culture.
Fear of death, often known as death anxiety, is a universal human emotion, as described by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ernest Becker in his book The Denial of Death. We distract ourselves or push these morbid ideas deep down inside us to alleviate the discomfort and worry they cause. In his writing, Becker states, "To live completely is to live with a knowledge of the rumbling of horror that underlies everything."
For Becker, Western culture is a codified hero system as well. According to Becker's writings, "the fact is that this is what society is and has always been: a symbolic action system, a structure of statuses and responsibilities, conventions and rules for behavior, intended to serve as a vehicle for earthly heroism." In addition, man tries to find meaning in life and boost his sense of self-worth by modeling his life after that of a hero, such as a scientist, an artist, a writer, a religious leader, a professional athlete, the head of a successful business, or the person who realizes his or her own personal goals and aspirations.
Many different kinds of hero projects exist. The goal of the athlete's training is to win the Olympic gold medal. Graduates of MBA programs typically aspire to executive positions such as chief executive officer. The artist's ultimate goal is to be permanently associated with their groundbreaking body of work. Many of the greats, including Monet, Picasso, and Warhol, exhibit this quality. In the same way that Hemingway was moved to write The Sun Also Rises, our author feels compelled to create a work of literary genius. In his next project, the director hopes to create a classic in the vein of Casablanca, Citizen Kane, and Psycho. The thrill of a mountain climb, especially one as daunting as Mount Everest, appeals to the daredevil's sense of adventure. The common man comes into contact with religion and accepts the teachings of a religious hero. According to Becker, the goal of life is to achieve hero status and have our heroic deeds remembered long after we are gone.
The annals of history are littered with stalwart individuals who rose to the occasion. Every culture honors and celebrates their heroes. The Hero project defines heroic actions as those taken voluntarily for the benefit of others despite the risk to oneself and with no hope of being repaid. The hero is admired for his or her noble characteristics, brave actions, and willingness to give his or her life for the sake of others. Heroes, in general, are kinder and more selfless than the average person. Heroes also have a high moral standard, acting morally when they know they should not. No of the stakes, heroes always confront their anxieties. Buddha, Jesus Christ, Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Nelson Mandela are all modern historical figures regarded with great respect.
Many common folks have also shown extraordinary bravery. News reports tell us of their bravery. We often hear stories about heroic bystanders who do things like pull an unconscious victim from a burning car or swim out into a lake to save a person who is drowning.
Terry Fox is my hero because he was just a regular Canadian who lost his leg to cancer and then ran the Marathon of Hope to raise money and awareness for cancer research. In 1980, Terry Fox set out from St. John's, Newfoundland, to run across Canada on one leg and a prosthetic. Daily, he ran a marathon despite being exhausted, unmotivated, and in pain from shin splints and tendinitis. He ran in all kinds of weather, including rain, snow, wind, cold, and heat. After 143 days and 3339 miles on foot, he had to halt since the cancer had spread to his lungs.
Sadly, Terry Fox passed away in a hospital on June 19th, 1981. An everyman who took on the hero's quest and emerged as one of Canada's best, he exemplifies the hero's journey. Streets, parks, and structures all throughout the world bear Terry Fox's name in recognition of his heroic efforts. The Canadian government also recognized his efforts by bestowing upon him the prestigious Order of Canada. In recognition of his excellent athletic achievement, a panel of journalists awarded him the Lou Marsh Trophy. In order to honor Terry Fox and to constantly be reminded of his bravery, a memorial has been built in Ottawa bearing his name. I will always have great respect for Terry Fox.
In today's culture, saviors come in various forms. As the mythological Gods of ancient Greece served as role models for the people of their day, so too have the fictional heroes of Western popular culture. Western heroes like Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry and John Wayne's Ethan in "The Searchers" aren't the only ones who have tended to go it alone. Other examples would be the likes of Superman, Harry Potter, Luke Skywalker from Star Wars, Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird, Captain James T. Kirk from Star Trek, Spider-Man, Robin Hood, Indiana Jones, and James Bond.
True heroes are few and far between, but the world is full of imposters who pose as the true deities of the masses. The devotees of celebrity worship hold the actors, musicians, and athletes up as heroes. Celebrities such as the affluent and famous, rock stars, pop idols, and sports personalities are rare, but when they do exist, they are rarely heroes. Artist and songwriter Paul Simon claims, "Every age launches a hero up the pop charts." In contrast, famous people do not make good role models. They may be well-known and wealthy, but they are not heroes despite popular belief. Being a hero doesn't require fame, riches, or recognition. They haven't done anything heroic out of the goodness of their hearts. Nobody's life or health is in danger right now. They are not driven by any sense of decency. I don't think of Steve Jobs, Bob Dylan, or Justin Bieber as heroes. Some brave individuals may not rise to the level of heroes, but it does not mean they are not courageous. Humans have the capacity to be moral, but they are not capable of being heroes. It's possible to have a lack of heroism but still showing remarkable resilience in the face of hardship. Some so-called heroes, like cyclist Lance Armstrong and professional golfer Tiger Woods, eventually fall from favor.
Famous people sometimes take on heroic roles. Superman film actor Christopher Reeve is one of them. Tragically, he was rendered a quadriplegic after being thrown from a horse, therefore ending his acting career and his life. For the rest of his life, he would have to rely on a ventilator to help him breathe. Reeves, despite his severe disability, worked tirelessly to improve his quality of life by advocating for spinal cord research. For everything he went through, he has my respect as a hero. According to Christopher Reeves, "a hero is an average individual who finds the ability to persevere and endure against insurmountable circumstances."
Heroic acts can be performed by anyone, not just historical figures or well-known personalities. The regular guy who rushes into a burning building to pull a kid out is hailed as a hero. When a mother sees a child drowning and swims out to save her, she becomes a hero. A man is heroic if he happens to witness a young woman being sexually attacked in a dark alley, and he immediately rushes to her aid, fighting off her attacker.
For what purpose do we have a need for heroes? "Heroes stand for the finest in us because they recognize our humanity. Anyone who displays bravery in the face of adversity can be considered a hero, from Gandhi to your teacher. An individual who is willing to help others to the best of his or her ability is a hero. (Musician Ricky Martin) Heroes represent the best qualities of humanity. They take on the villains and societal problems that plague humanity. Slavery, genocide, and the Holocaust are some of the evils they fight. Heroes are examples of good and bad behavior and show us how to react in difficult situations. We look up to heroes, share their moral convictions, and try to model our own actions after theirs. In a world soaked in human pain and overwhelmed with the banality of evil, the hero gives us reason to have faith.
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