Where are the heroes
When I was a child I never imagined being a fire fighter, a policeman or an astronaut. I did however imagine one day doing something great, something that made a difference, maybe even changed the world. I knew it was unlikely, I knew it I wasn't smart enough, strong enough or brave enough, but perhaps through some strange turn of events, it would happen.
It was never about fame or fortune, not even about glory, it was just to have lived a life that meant something to someone else other than myself for my own survival. As a child, my life was insignificant to all but myself, perhaps some things never change.
In my opinion, heroes aren't made by circumstances, it is by the choices made in circumstances. Most heroes in this world will live and die unknowns, never having their story told, never celebrated, remembered, revered. Does it lessen a life's meaning if the actions are unseen by others, where there is no limelight, no reward, no fame?
We like to celebrate achievements and we have created a world where we brand labels upon each other and ourselves to categorize and differentiate. We want heroes, we pay celebrities to stand in their stead.
I wonder in this world at this time, who would march beside Gandhi, who would stand their ground alongside Martin Luther King - if there were no cameras, no share button, no easy to personal brand the moment?
The protesters of today are filled with violence for the sake of violence, nothing too do with their cause. Solidarity with horror and tragedy is a profile picture update away, coloured lights on a landmark monument. Heroes.
It is interesting in a world where people stretch for meaning and purpose we do not even have the energy and drive to invest into the lowest levels of service for something outside of ourselves. We want more from their experience without the resiliency to endure even the slightest discomfort or a timeline that doesn't gratify our immediate needs.
No one cam live in the present moment while wanting but one can while working toward something more. The beauty of life is in the work is it not, just as the beauty of a sunset is in the process of the movement as the sunset itself is an end point, darkness.
Where are the heroes, those who live a life of decisions toward betterment despite the lack of accolades and attention? We have but an attention economy though, so it is no wonder we value attention seekers who grab the spotlight, we even applaud them as brave. Bravery is not what it used to be.
In a disposable world filled with disposable products and disposable people, no one need plant their feet or stand firm, face life as there is always somewhere wide to run. Avoidance, justification... cowardice? If it doesn't feel good, there is no value, if It isn't rewarded it is a waste of time, if victory isn't ours, there as no point.
Heroes die in battles, not because they are failures, but because they put themselves in positions of uncertainty, challenge, risk. And they do it for others. Everyone just wants a place to be themselves assuming that is what the world needs, as if who we are has value just for being.
Is this true? Is living in self-indulgence the answer to our ills? Is selfish the path to fulfilment?
It seems we are on the path to find out.
Taraz
[ a Steem original ]
(posted from phone)
Well said @tarazkp.
The word sacrifice and courage come to my mind, upon reading your post. How many today, if asked "for what purpose, what cause, would you be willing to lay down your life?" would have any answer beyond "nothing" ...
And the courage to sacrifice? I cannot improve on the statement made years ago by a great man I had the privilege to meet:
Thanks for another great post @tarazkp!
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Sacrifice is a lost concept in individualism perhaps. The "right thing" is only valuable when one is living with the repercussions of behaviour with others.
Who knows what we will be rembered for. I am.happy to.be remembered by my family for doing the best I could for them. I think.that is the reality hero of the modern world. Life is a battle every day.
I wonder how much of a comparative battle it is of we could live alternate times. I am unsure if I care at all about being remembered yet.
I agree we all have so.much to accomplish before that happens and nowhere near ready. I kniw every generation says it was tougher for them ,but i feel the qualuty of life has gone. Work has become survival and leaves very little time for anything else.
On the path to find out the hard way :-)
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Hard and painful. At some point the pain will be unbearable enough that we will wake up to ourselves.
You mean the point when we discover that we managed to turn this planet into a barren wasteland and, ooops, we are not able move to Mars just yet? :-)
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That'd be the one. at least with so much pollution in the air, sunsets will be pretty.
Not sure I will be able to be that positive at that point :D
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It is my opinion that apathy, poor diet and fluoride has dumbed down our culture to be able to take a stand and be a hero. Men are not true men any more. HOWEVER we have countless unsung heroes who spread the truth, educate and grown the mind and soul of others through the pen of their writings and blogs. I see it on Steemit daily. For them I am grateful. We are truth spreaders in a quiet information war to wake up the sheeple of this world. Thanks @tarazkp
I would love to get some qualified information on how much diet effects development. I tihnk it has a potentially massive influence on future experience.
Capitalism worships money, marketing, and consumption.
Consume until revolution. Rinse and repeat.
Events will dictates heroes 🦸♀️ they will be there when the time comes and who they are will surprise you because of your preconceived notion on who the hero’s are or what they look like.
I have known a few unlikely heroes in my life and yes, some surprise.
Yes and interesting to think about the future and how things and events will impact us. It will be a whole different environment and the hero’s of the future will require a different skill set.
Can you see the virtual world with hero’s
The true heroes are not the ones being demonstrated in every day life as it doesn’t sell as we have experienced the rise of the villains instead. Crazy to think that this is the trend as we as a society struggle to survive as a collective part given so much individuality in behaviors.
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The villains are celebrated for their strength to care only about themselves.
The heroes are us. All of us. Nobody else. The poor, the rich and the vagabond, the deviant and the flawed, the weak. All those are the heroes. All of them are looking for the heroes in another place that is not in themselves.
The "hero" does not do things for attention, so he does not care about our attention, he is interested in doing the right thing. And when we do things for attention, for apparent to be correct, but we are not really correct, then there is no hero.
There is no other place to look.