Heroes in Today’s Media, Have They Changed?

A hero's place in society has remained relatively consistent since the very beginning of time. Throughout the years, people have seen many different versions of larger-than-life heroes, who have completed seemingly impossible tasks and persevered through immense adversity. The common denominator between all of these heroes has always been that each and every one of these beings has put his/her own life in danger and fought great battles in the pursuit of a better life for mankind as a whole.

Are there heroes in today’s society? No one thinks of themselves as a hero, but it does not take any special skills to be a hero because anyone can be a hero. The characteristics of a hero only show up when there is a time of need such as a major catastrophe or minor incidents that happen on a daily basis. During the twenty-first century there have been quite a few major catastrophes. The major catastrophes include the 9/11 attacks, two major hurricanes (Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy), and the Boston marathon bombing. There are also several different major and minor characteristics that a hero will show in times of need. For instance some major characteristics of a hero are perseverance/determination, bravery/courage, dedication/endurance, and selflessness/sacrifice. Some minor characteristics include humility, fearlessness, skill, strength, integrity, and intrepidity (Wanamaker, 2013). In the twenty-first century the 9/11 attacks is the first major catastrophe. During this major disaster there were quite a few individuals who helped to rescue people. There were heroes in each of the three crash sites that occurred on that very eventful day.

“It’s not true that there are no heroes anymore…” (Oliver Stone SB 63) Heroes. Today when we hear heroes we think of superheroes with powers. but have we really thought what heroes really are? Heroes are your regular everyday people that work to the best of their abilities to make a difference in the world. A hero is not someone who thinks about themselves but someone who does things that they believe are right and are admired or idealized for their courage.

In the eyes of today’s society, heroes are viewed as citizens who have accomplished what seems to be the impossible. Whether imaginary or not, heroes are looked at with awe and congratulated for what they have done for the society. However, there is a much simpler way to be a hero. A hero does not have to be able to climb walls, fly over the city, or even save someone from a burning building right before it crumbles down. A hero is simply someone who goes out of the way to give help to those around them that need it. This hero does not need recognition in what he or she does, but takes pride in what they have accomplished for others. In the novel Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis, Bardia, the King’s lead guard, acts as the hero for Orual

The term “hero” has many different interpretations for different individuals. In his speech “Heroes”, Tim O’Brien tells his audience how he views a hero and redefines the often dramatized term. He defines a hero as one who knows what a person needs and is willing to give that to them without question. O’Brien accomplishes sharing his argument of what a hero is through the use of appealing to Kairos, diction and syntax.

When one thinks of heroes, names such as Ghandi, Martin Luther King, and Mother Theresa often come to mind. These people had done a lot of favors, courage, helps, and more of things for the people who needed them. The true definition of hero is a man of distinguished valor. Bravery, courage, intrepidity, boldness, daring, and prowess in war are a hero’s characteristics. However a hero is understood to be different to everyone. Upon closer examination, many different qualities than these become apparent. The definition of heroism changes with the context and time. Heroes of the past are not necessarily heroes of present time and vise versa. A person can be a hero for saving the life of one or of millions.

“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

“So there you go-heroes are everyday, common people. Most of what they do goes unheralded, unappreciated. And that ironically is heroism: not to be recognized” (Stone 1) is a quote from Oliver Stone’s article, titled, “Where I Find my Heroes.” In this article, Stone is pointing to the fact that most heroes appear around us everyday. Although heroes are in every book, movie, or other media, those fictional heroes show the same overall traits as everyday people that make them a hero.

Heroes are those who have gone above what the average person would do to ensure the welfare of others. Natural disasters, terrorism, poverty, and war are some of the many things that destroy and end people’s lives. Throughout history, many people have made a difference. However, as history progresses, what we consider to be socially normal changes along with our definition of a hero. In Ancient Greece, Theseus, Hercules, and Perseus were considered heroes, but today only Theseus and Perseus would be considered heroes because Hercules would be shunned by society.

Although, the media can be a reliable resource that can be utilized to recognize public heroes many individuals would reconsider, since, in many occasions the media should be focusing on the good and the positive impact that heroes have made, and because they do not, it has become more of ear tickling gossip that gives society a negative and a biased view of individuals and in many leadership roles.

America has lost its heroes. In the last fifty years america has gone from a country that looked up to its presidents, athletes, and religious leaders, to a more cynical country that now knows that notes that even heroes have a bad side. But heroes are human and everyone makes mistakes so why have we become so distrusting of our leaders? In Peter Gibbon’s “The End of Admiration: The Media and the Loss of Heroes”. He discusses how americans have lost their beliefs in heroes thru the way the media has discredited them and America . Although americans have lost trust in heroes we should overlook their mistakes and remember their achievements.

The writer of the issue claims that societies should understand having living heroes is not feasible anymore in contemporary world. The writer further reasons that media tarnish their reputation, and they fall from the eyes. In what follows I will first discuss my response to the claim and then explain what I think of the reason on which the claim is based.

The author in the claim believe that since the media nowadays will eventually diminish one’s reputation, it is no longer possible for the community to consider any living man or woman as a hero. In most circumstance, I don't agree with this claim and the logic behinds it. Although there are several cases that celebrities are attacked by media, and become decreasingly notable, I believe that the true hero will never be knock down by anything. Further more, the such well-developed media can help the public to find more heroes that easily fall into neglect.

In today’s society, it seems that people worship celebrities more than they worship a true hero. A celebrity is a person who is either famous or celebrated for something they have done. In addition, a hero is a person who is also celebrated. However, the difference between the two is that a hero is celebrated or idealized for having outstanding achievements, noble qualities, or a substantial amount of courage; while a celebrity is celebrated for their role in an award-winning movie or a song that made it on Billboard top 100.

A select amount of people are able to complete heroic deeds that stand above the common person without possessing fictional powers. These heroes deserved recognition as heroes because they complete tasks that most other people do not. As noted by Twain, heroes