A Society Full of Heroes - Essay Example

Section/# A Society Full of Heroes It has become fairly obvious that within the past decade or so the United sspecifically, and the Western world in general, has become absolutely fascinated by the idea of heroism and the process of hero creation. Although there are many reasons why this could be the case, the most obvious reason for the gratuitous creation of heroes where none would otherwise exist has a host of politically expedient, as well reasons directly related to social cohesion and role model creation. As such, this brief essay will seek to analyze this unique trend within the scope of how society and media seek to create heroes for the average citizen where none would otherwise exist. Moreover, a level of discussion will also be appropriated with regards to what typically defines a hero and what does not. Finally, a discussion of the motives for this level of hero creation and the ultimate societal effects that this has on different groups will also be discussed. Firstly, with regards to the idolization and near canonization that many individuals within our society seem to be labeled with on a more and more frequent basis, one must categorize this into the ultimate need that key shareholders within the process view to exist. For instance, as was the given case with the firefighters of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the nation, the media, and the government were eager to find anyone or anything to idealize as a means of restoring a fundamental faith in the foundations of the nation; so thoroughly shaken by such a hideous act. This type of societal, governmental, and media response to a crisis and the need to quickly find heroes is not a new concept. Although many of the readings that have informed this essay helped to paint the picture for how civil servants and other non-heroes are regularly cited as heroes by the media, the fact of the matter is such a practice of placing titles on individuals merely performing their jobs has existed for much longer than just the few brief years since 9/11 (Welch 42). One need look no further than the Doolittle Raiders to see the primal importance that a small band of men sworn to fulfill their duty and perform missions at the behest of commanding officers in a time of war were quickly labeled as heroes in a country that desperately craved such examples at such an abysmally dark period of the United State’s engagement in World War II. What should be realized first and foremost is the fact that our society’s current definition of hero and heroism has substantially and fundamentally morphed from that which has traditionally existed. Although one can and should only speculate on the true reasons behind such a shift, it is the belief of this author that one of the main reasons for this is the fact that key needs are being fulfilled by the warped interpretations that currently exist. Many individuals, this author included, believe that the jobs of firefighters and police officers fundamentally necessitate by their very description the need to put one’s own health and safety secondary to the tasks that present themselves on a daily basis. As such, it is not a fair characterization to label police officers and firefighters as heroes merely because of the fact that they are performing their jobs according to the standards that are required of them. Instead, this “heroification” that takes place usually serves to fit a given need that the government, news media, or society as a whole seeks to fill. Rather than accepting the fact that individuals have performed their job functions in a satisfactory manner, sometimes even providing the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty – one’s own life, our society would much prefer to beatify these people and create larger-than life heroes so that their sacrifice will mean even more than it originally did. The fact of the matter is that although the actions that these individuals perform are no doubt brave and require a special individual with a high level of dedication and courage to perform, there is nothing heroic about performing one’s duties as prescribed within one’s employment contract. Indeed, one of the authors which was read to inform this piece noted that there is not such thing as a heroic trash man, or a heroic sandwich maker, a heroic sewer worker, or a heroic electric provider. This is due to the fact that merely performing one’s job is not a guarantee of heroism; as such, the same level of understanding can and should be placed upon society’s collective understanding of what defines a hero and what does not (Hooper 299). However, more importantly than sheer need, the creation of heroes within modern America in the form of policemen is something of an odd construct. Although it is clear that this denotation and definition of police officers as brave, self-sacrificing individuals whose performance of their job requirement is somehow in and of itself noteworthy, the most important factor with regards to this recent trend is the question of who ultimately benefits from such a portrayal. Naturally, when one considers the fact that the police officer is merely another civil servant paid to perform a job, he/she becomes no different than a Department of Transportation employee, road worker, meter maid, or sewer worker. However, these other civil servants are not called heroes. This leads the reader to seek out the answer as to why this might be the case. The answer is much simpler than one would imagine. The fact of the matter is that sewer workers, department of transportation employees, road workers, and/or meter maids do not perform job functions that are highly controversial and might otherwise engage a sense of outrage and disgust within the average citizen (March 94). However, due to the fact that America’s civil rights have been ebbing since the terrorist attacks of September 11th, and perhaps far prior to this, a perfect way to quickly quiet any complaints with regards to the means by which the basic rights of the citizen is being infringed in the form of warrantless searches, suspension of habeas corpus, and a litany of other ways in which the government and other entities are slowly but surely eroding the rights of the citizens. In effect, this exponential broadening of heroism and what defines it has served to weaken our collective understanding of what a hero in fact is. Rather than finding the few individuals within our society that fit this definition, the term itself has been cheapened as nearly everyone who wears a uniform is deemed worthy of a high level of honor and respect. No doubt there is nothing wrong with having a healthy respect for those individuals that choose to sacrifice themselves in order to perform for the great public good. However, the greater threat that is being faced is the birth and growth of a society that places such a supreme regard for these civil servants that question the actions of the police or military with regards to seeking to find whether they have performed the right choice in the right situation, which is tantamount to treason. Such a situation is highly dangerous for the prospect of freedom and democracy due to the fact that it has taken the enforcers of federal and state laws and labeled them as invincible and perfect representations of the best that our society and government has to offer us. Works Cited Hooper, Keith, and Kate Kearins. "Looking For Joan Of Arc: Collaboration In The Rise And Fall Of Heroes." Culture & Organization 13.4 (2007): 297-312. Academic Search Complete. 2007. Web. 5 Feb. 2013. MARCHE, STEPHEN. "We Are All Heroes." Esquire 157.3 (2012): 94-95. Academic Search Complete. 2012. Web. 5 Feb. 2013. Welch, Lynne. "Everyone Loves A Hero . . .And Thats The Problem." Booklist 107.11 (2011): 42. Academic Search Complete. 2011. Web. 5 Feb. 2013. Read More