What Makes a Hero?

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Being a Hero is just being the right person at the wrong time.

 

[Jolly Madness]

The guy who knows that if nothing is done they die, and if he does something, only he has the probability of dying.

 

[Dalisclock]

In popular culture, heros are people who are either really good at maiming people and breaking things for the right reasons, or who lead a gang of people who are good at maiming people and breaking things for the right reasons. Actually, this applies to the real world too(War Heros).

Video games and movies tend to expand on this by having the heros stealing and breaking the law as well. As long as it's for a good cause.

Secret of Monkey Island 2 is a favorite of mine and I loved the wanted poster on Phatt Island which listed every crime guybrush commits during the game, which gets updated instantly and is quite long.

 

[Easykill]

No heroes, only fools.

That said, I would probably jump on top of a grenade to save my friends... Or anyone I know for that matter.

 

[stompy]

A hero is a person who's braver than everybody else, if only for 5 seconds longer... Yeh, I'm pretty sure I stole this from someone else.

 

[Cynopt]

Always doing the right thing, even when doing wrong would be safer, easier, or more profitable.

 

[Anarchemitis]

A hero is someone that makes the world a better place by being nice. That doesn't sound too hard but there's very few that can verify to be a hero according to my statement.

But can you define "better"? What is good? What is evil?

Oh, did you really have to get all cliched about it? If you piss about with questions of morality all damn day, you'd never get anything done. The chances are, he was talking about fighting crime, feeding the hungry, spreading democracy, and all that jazz. Heroes are obviously acclaimed as such based on the moral code of their culture. Like I said, terrorists and freedom fighters. Dude, this is really basic stuff.

Christian. There is no cliche in living and breathing God. And if anyone calls me out on that, they're probably going to look rediculous against the Christian Church. And if this thread begins a Holy Crusade and gets locked, it'll be your fault for quoting this, so don't.

 

[cataract_orange]

Waking up late on a particular day.......

 

[Break]

A hero is someone that makes the world a better place by being nice. That doesn't sound too hard but there's very few that can verify to be a hero according to my statement.

But can you define "better"? What is good? What is evil?

Oh, did you really have to get all cliched about it? If you piss about with questions of morality all damn day, you'd never get anything done. The chances are, he was talking about fighting crime, feeding the hungry, spreading democracy, and all that jazz. Heroes are obviously acclaimed as such based on the moral code of their culture. Like I said, terrorists and freedom fighters. Dude, this is really basic stuff.

Christian. There is no cliche in living and breathing God. And if anyone calls me out on that, they're probably going to look rediculous against the Christian Church. And if this thread begins a Holy Crusade and gets locked, it'll be your fault for quoting this, so don't.

The hell has that got to do with anything? If you already have a set concept of good and evil, why'd you question Solid on the definition of "better"?

 

[sammyfreak]

For me a Hero is a person who sacrifices alot for the good of others. Especially someone he doesn't know. Any parent would die for their child, but a stranger? That is the true measurement of a Hero in my eyes.

See, this is where our society gets hypocritical. Yeah, thats all well and good, until you think about the other sort of people who willingly give/gave their lives for the good of total strangers - Kamikazes and Suicide Bombers. If we are to label one side as heroes and another as wicked murderers based on arbitrary principles we really just limit the term hero to "Someone who is on our side".

Is it hypocracy to hate our enemies and praise our heroes? Isn't that just human nature, if someone killed me I doubt my parents would care why.

 

[Xaositect]

What makes a hero? Popularity (people) of course! It can be manipulated (like history, to favour the victors) or forced upon the individual, but it?s the people who create them.

The people who come out on top in the hairy situations, they might have what people consider the "makings of a hero" skills/fearlessness/power etc. But without the people thinking of said person as a hero, they arent one.

People make heroes. And people are fickle, forgetful, stupid and undeserving.

 

[tiredinnuendo]

Hrm, a hero? He'd have to be strong, fast is a perk, maybe fresh from the fight. You know the type. Sure, soon, larger than life.

- J

 

[Parallel Streaks]

I also am going to go for the Terry Pratchett view on what makes a hero by quoting Lord Vetinari: "When a tyrant is defeated or a monster killed, who is the person defining the monstrousness of the monster, or the tyranny of the tyrant? The hero. In fact, when a hero kills someone, he is in fact saying that, if you have been killed by a hero, then you are a person who is suitable to be killed by a hero.". Viz-a-viz, Heores are nowhere in the world seeing as what may seem like a Heroic act to some may just seem like a crime to others, someone who helps cure a Disease or does something as simple as giving to a Charity, most people think Heroes are burly men with swords or guns; but real Heroes are those who don't always claim to be Heroes, those who make the world better, be it the slightest bit.

 

[sammyfreak]

For me a Hero is a person who sacrifices alot for the good of others. Especially someone he doesn't know. Any parent would die for their child, but a stranger? That is the true measurement of a Hero in my eyes.

See, this is where our society gets hypocritical. Yeah, thats all well and good, until you think about the other sort of people who willingly give/gave their lives for the good of total strangers - Kamikazes and Suicide Bombers. If we are to label one side as heroes and another as wicked murderers based on arbitrary principles we really just limit the term hero to "Someone who is on our side".

Is it hypocracy to hate our enemies and praise our heroes? Isn't that just human nature, if someone killed me I doubt my parents would care why.

Thus, the term hero is pretty much just an "Us and them" thing, and hence loses all meaning.

I personaly would never aply the word Hero to anyone that kill's another person in the process. I merely was playing devils advocate for society in general and if you only are gonna aply it to somebody who kills your enemies then it loses it value yes.

I guess everytime somebody posts the word hypocracy I want to punch them.

 

[LackingSaint]

Someone who changes in the course of their journey. It's very annoying when you read a book about a hero who's a hero at the start and a hero at the end.

 

[Darkshade505]

in my eyes a hero is a guy who when pressured does his best abilty to do the right thing, even if he fails

 

[Ruffythepirate]

A hero isn't braver than everyone else. A hero is just brave for 5 minutes longer.