I may be mistaken, but last time I looked a hero (or heroine) was the type person who ran into a burning building to rescue a small child. Not, however, a person that can run, jump, swim etc. better than the next person. This is not meant to disrespect the athletes, whom I’ll admit are very talented, but are they truly heroes & heroines?
What do you think?
Regards
Patrick
The dumbest question is the one you don’t ask.
Dunno Barnesey, but perhaps a hero or heroine is someone other people look up to. Perhaps many people see running and jumping to be as much of a skill as bravery is.
Probably in the days when there were no drugs in sport (or no testing of them), then people’s skills of strength showed they had some “character” or something (I am thinking in the days of hte old grecian olympics). Bull fighters become heroes too, although to me, it seems like the matador has coniderable advantage with those swords they stab the bull with.
It depends on what society values.
kay henry
Some people’s hero is their father or mother, brother or sister – not necessarily someone jumping into a burning building or Michael Jordan although I do look upto these stars such as Jordon and Thorpe and say WOW…
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To me a hero who is someone who has overcome an obstacle or obstacles to be at the top of their game, whatever it is ( business, sport, life etc ).
I for one do not place much stead in Autographs. If I don’t know the person personally, why would they impress me?
“Looking forward to the day when I can tell the boss where to go”
I think a hero can be someone who achieved something special, something worthwhile.
I’d like to call the athletes heroes/heroines because they have achieved so much through extreme hard training and I admire their strength of mind and body.Athletes can be regarded as role models for our children as well.
And hehe, if the main character in a novel can be called a hero, an Olympic athlete should surely be worthy of being called a hero/heroine. [biggrin]
Celivia
Originally posted by Myydral:If I don’t know the person personally, why would they impress me?
This is the sort of thing I mean. And yes I think geo is also correct in that a family member could be considered as a hero(ine). I just wondered if all athletes in Athens are heroic because they are there.
Kay,
I don’t always agree with all your comments, but I think you have hit the nail on the head (maybe its because our views seem to coincide this time?)Regards
Patrick
The dumbest question is the one you don’t ask.
Kay,
Sorry, just another thought, you come across as an upstanding community pillar type (terribly proper – without being rude), why don’t you have a capital K & H?Regards
Patrick
The dumbest question is the one you don’t ask.
Actually, Patrick, I am extremely improper
The lack of capitals… well, sometimes I do that, although I am a grammar nut at other times. Not using capitals on pronouns is something that became a bit of a radical “movement” at one time, a kind of anarchist statement, and backlash against formality, I guess. I’m pretty conscious about words- they’re my tool of trade, so I play with them
)kay henry
Hey Patrick,
Maybe it’s because Kay is not a CAPITALIST!!! [lmao]
I’ve never considered athletes or indeed any sports people in general to be heroes. However I do consider them role models (in some cases poor ones).
IMHO Heroes provide some great and lasting positive contribution to their circle, to other people or to society.
I see this including ‘names’ like Mother Theresa, Gandhi, Martin Luthor King, Maynard Keynes and Henry Parkes as well as many ‘ordinary’ people – parents, teachers, firefighters, police & medical workers, soldiers, even strangers that make lasting changes in the lives of other people, possibly without realising the effects of their actions on others at the time. People don’t necessarily want to emulate them however!
Role models provide some form of example for others to emulate, but do not necessarily change the world or peoples’ lives (but can be a formative influece). Sometimes the example set by a role model can be negative….
IMHO it is possible for someone to be both role model & hero, and for sportspeople to be heroes as well – provided they make a lasting contribution to society, ie Don Bradman.
Cheers,
Aceyducey
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is.– Jan L.A. van de Snepscheut
Barnsey,
If we use a word often enough in the wrong context it can, over time, change it’s meaning.
I think HERO is one of those words. The marketers have cleverly changed the Sports Star into a Hero.
Here’s a really simple test…
Firstly, let me tell you about Quang…
He is well educated but lived in Cambodia at the wrong time. He knew Pol Pot’s soldiers were coming for him, so he rode his bike to the border. His only options were to either stay in a camp where eventually he would be found and executed or to cross the border to “freedom”.
Only problem was to cross the border, he had to walk through a mine field.
Each night others would attempt this and each night he would hear the explosions and cries for help… in the morning the cries would be silenced by the guards.
Would you walk the mine field? This guy did!
Second
Ross is imprisoned in a POW camp and forced to build a railway under oppressive conditions by a brutal captor.Once a week, under the cover of darkeness, he sneaks into his captor’s store room and steals food and medical supplies for his fellow P.O.W.s who are denied even the most basic supplies.
He knows if he is caught ( or even suspected of )doing this, he faces a protracted and sadistic punishment where one can only hope death comes quickly.
Is it worth the risk for two eggs, an ounce of sugar and half a bottle of disinfectant?
Third
A guy kicks 10 goals and helps his team fight back to win the match by 7 points.He is injured but gets the best medical treatment available, plus he is on $350k p.a. and some lucrative sponsorship deals.
O.K. guys, now you decide which is the Sports Star, which is the Hero and which is the Couragious person.
It’s simply a matter of perspective I guess. [biggrin]
Originally posted by manofaction:Barnsey,
If we use a word often enough in the wrong context it can, over time, change it’s meaning.
I think HERO is one of those words. The marketers have cleverly changed the Sports Star into a Hero.
Here’s a really simple test…
Firstly, let me tell you about Quang…
He is well educated but lived in Cambodia at the wrong time. He knew Pol Pot’s soldiers were coming for him, so he rode his bike to the border. His only options were to either stay in a camp where eventually he would be found and executed or to cross the border to “freedom”.
Only problem was to cross the border, he had to walk through a mine field.
Each night others would attempt this and each night he would hear the explosions and cries for help… in the morning the cries would be silenced by the guards.
Would you walk the mine field? This guy did!
Second
Ross is imprisoned in a POW camp and forced to build a railway under oppressive conditions by a brutal captor.Once a week, under the cover of darkeness, he sneaks into his captor’s store room and steals food and medical supplies for his fellow P.O.W.s who are denied even the most basic supplies.
He knows if he is caught ( or even suspected of )doing this, he faces a protracted and sadistic punishment where one can only hope death comes quickly.
Is it worth the risk for two eggs, an ounce of sugar and half a bottle of disinfectant?
Third
A guy kicks 10 goals and helps his team fight back to win the match by 7 points.He is injured but gets the best medical treatment available, plus he is on $350k p.a. and some lucrative sponsorship deals.
O.K. guys, now you decide which is the Sports Star, which is the Hero and which is the Couragious person.
It’s simply a matter of perspective I guess. [biggrin]
Spot on![thumbsup2] I also wonder how many of these so called “sports hero creators” know the name of the person who invented penicillin and saved millions upon millions of lives?
So what, you can swim 200m 100th of a second quicker than the next guy? Mankinds priorities are all mixed up if you ask me. Why dont they swim off to some 3rd world nation and burn up some calories by ploughing some feilds to grow ric, at least contribute in some way for humanity.
Sports stars= dull[tired]
We are all made from Stars
But can’t there be different kinds of heroes?
There can be sports heroes, medical heroes, political heroes, etc.
If there are different ‘categories’ of heroes, then there is no need to judge and compare.We can have as many heroes as we like, just in different categories. And all can have a special place in our society.
Celivia
I have no heroes. Some people i like, some people I respect, but noone is a hero to me. A hero is like a guru- someone to look up to. I look up to noone.
kay henry
I think Thorpie is a Hero – he’s the man[biggrin]
I’ve found a way to help you save and earn whilst not selling or delivering any product. If interested, drop me an email or PM me to find out how
You may be right, geo :o) I love the way he dresses, actually. An armani metrosexual, and who can argue with that? :o)
kay henry
Originally posted by kay henry:
I look up to noone.You must be very tall kay.
Cheers,
Aceyducey
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is.– Jan L.A. van de Snepscheut
Originally posted by kay henry:You may be right, geo :o) I love the way he dresses, actually. An armani metrosexual, and who can argue with that? :o)
actually, i prefer the way he swims…hehe
I’ve found a way to help you save and earn whilst not selling or delivering any product. If interested, drop me an email or PM me to find out how
[cap]
To me your heros/heroines can be be anyone you see as heroic. Life savers and athletes can both be on the list. Doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive.
cheers Deano
Can one be ones own hero ???
Whats this, Thorpie doing ‘it’ with cars…metrosexual…really young people these days ??!!
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