I’ll never forget the first time I saw the original “Rocky.” This movie where a nobody from the streets of Philadelphia refused to allow the heavyweight boxing champion of the world to use him as an exhibit set the tone for my life. The notion that winning was self determined. What a hero was Rocky Balboa.
Rocky was the first movie that came into my mind as I read this. He was a hero. And watching him and other hero movies always filled ME with a sense of victory at the end.
There are definitely SOME counter-point movies. The Rocky and Harry Potter series are good examples of that. They've just gone from the rule to the exception.
We used to put up statues & memorials recognizing heroes. For about 20 years (or more?) we've reserved the honor for victims (even when they're really not). :-(
Did you not get the memo? We're ALL heroes now. Firefighter saves cat in tree? Hero! Mom pulls child from pool? Hero! Kids sell lemonade to raise $$ for homeless puppies? Heroes!
This started at least a decade ago. We are all heroes for converting oxygen to carbon dioxide! Yay us!! The word has been so overused its significance has vanished.
And the relegating of the word to meaninglessness was a tiny goal of Marxists running the education system and media.
As a critical non-drinker I nonetheless really like this essay. John you’ve nailed a simple and obvious and oft-analyzed aspect of our culture. When our heroes are rich and famous and vapid and self-serving, who are we?
I’ll never forget the first time I saw the original “Rocky.” This movie where a nobody from the streets of Philadelphia refused to allow the heavyweight boxing champion of the world to use him as an exhibit set the tone for my life. The notion that winning was self determined. What a hero was Rocky Balboa.
Rocky was inspirational for me as well.
Rocky was the first movie that came into my mind as I read this. He was a hero. And watching him and other hero movies always filled ME with a sense of victory at the end.
There are definitely SOME counter-point movies. The Rocky and Harry Potter series are good examples of that. They've just gone from the rule to the exception.
We used to put up statues & memorials recognizing heroes. For about 20 years (or more?) we've reserved the honor for victims (even when they're really not). :-(
And now the statues and memorials to heroes are being defaced or torn down or hidden.
Excellent point. The victim mentality is what's now being revered. That is sad.
Did you not get the memo? We're ALL heroes now. Firefighter saves cat in tree? Hero! Mom pulls child from pool? Hero! Kids sell lemonade to raise $$ for homeless puppies? Heroes!
This started at least a decade ago. We are all heroes for converting oxygen to carbon dioxide! Yay us!! The word has been so overused its significance has vanished.
And the relegating of the word to meaninglessness was a tiny goal of Marxists running the education system and media.
Because if everyone is a hero, no one is a HERO.
Perfectly stated!
As a critical non-drinker I nonetheless really like this essay. John you’ve nailed a simple and obvious and oft-analyzed aspect of our culture. When our heroes are rich and famous and vapid and self-serving, who are we?
This is all so true, John. So sad but so true. At least WE still have our heroes. On a personal level, the biggest hero for me was my dad. 🙏
Haven't you noticed that heroes are passe? One-dimmensional.
I do like stories about the bad guy who turns into the hero, but at least there's a redeeming quality to that story-line.