The disappearance of heroes -- perception or reality?

Renew America ^ | 11-10-13 | Luke Hamilton

[ReformationFan]

Our stories are changing. Wonder and Beauty slowly eke from our world, unnoticed and unmourned. I used to think it was a natural cessation from the Neverland of youth; a necessary immigration from the immature trappings of youthful imagination to the logical constraints of a moribund maturity. However I've found that this is not just my perspective, draining of imagination and wonder as I age. Our stories, our heroes are changing. Our children seem less prone to idealism, more immune to wonder; and this points to a tidal shift in the culture itself.

If you watch or read any contemporary fiction, often the hero of the story isn't very heroic and the villain isn't all that villainous. The hero might still be likeable and usually emerges victorious, but he's a flawed and fallible creation, spawned by a culture growing terrified of morality. Instead of iron will and indomitable moral strength, our heroes are "complicated." They dabble in addiction or are lovably lecherous. They have perverse sexual appetites or find themselves drawn to the "dark side" of humanity. Most often, they are weak and conflicted instead of strong and steadfast, as in times past.

Conversely, most villains are no longer depictions of the evil which exists in the dark recesses of our human capacity. They are usually more likeable than their whiny counterparts. Their immorality is mitigated by their snappy dialogue or the glimmers of morality we glimpse behind the unscrupulous behavior. Take Stannis Baratheon vs. Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones. Stannis's draconian morality is upstaged by Tyrion's charming debauchery. The author shows us that Stannis's moral certitude was just a mask covering his unabashed lust. We find ourselves rooting for the immoral character because the author puts him in better packaging, causing us to question our own moral foundation.

[sten]

I have noticed this for quite some time

proper heroes encourage children to strive to be better ... pushing to achieve a dream, giving them purpose and hope

in the commie world of today, success and achievement are frowned upon. moral behavior is considered abnormal and discouraged

it doesn’t take an expert in chaos theory to see how this pattern will evolve and change our society

[what's up]

It became fashionable some time ago to examine our traditional heroes and find them wanting.

The Founding Fathers, Richard the Lionheart, Alexander the Great, etc....all are now considered suspect because they weren't perfect.

However, in the situations in which they overcame they were so superior to other men that they can justifiably be put on a pedestal. If our kids study them in the context of their historical situation they will get inspired. The liberals don't want that to happen because multiculturalism would be no more.

[alexander_busek]

Our stories are changing. Wonder and Beauty slowly eke from our world, unnoticed and unmourned.

eke

verb

1. make an amount or supply of something last longer by using or consuming it frugally. "the remains of yesterday's stew could be eked out to make another meal"

synonyms: economize on, skimp on, be (more) economical with, make economies with, scrimp and scrape, save;

Regards,

[CyberAnt]

Well, the President said he wanted to “totally transform America” .. and so far, the dems appear to have done a great job.

[Dr. Pritchett]

Been changing for a while...

“Knowledge will degenerate into a riot of subjective visions and Justice will be replaced by Pity as the cardinal human virtue, and all fear of retribution will vanish and The New Aristocracy will consist exclusively of hermits, bums and permanent invalids. The Rough Diamond, the Consumptive Whore, the bandit who is good to his mother, the epileptic girl who has a way with animals will be the heroes and heroines of the New Age, when the general, the statesman, and the philosopher have become the butt of every farce and satire.” From W. H. Auden’s “For the Time Being,” a prophetic poem from a half century-ago (1944).

[HiTech RedNeck]

There is a perfect hero. Jesus, the Christ.

Talk about death defying acts. Our imperfect heros are all images in various qualities of Him.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Well I think the skimping sense is what is being intended here. Maybe “fade” would be more accurate.

[Kip Russell]

The article is spot on. A minor example: I was re-reading the Robert Heinlein novel, "Time for the Stars" recently. Written in 1956, this one one of Heinlein "juveniles", novels written for teens but still enjoyed by adults to this day. In the book, the main character (a young man) is a member of the crew of one of the first sub-light starships to explore nearby solar systems. From the book:

I don't mean to say that the planet was just like a city park-you can get killed, even in Kansas. There was a big, lizardlike carnivore who was no bargain. One of those got Lefty Gomez the first time our people ran into one and the beast would have killed at least two more if Lefty had been the kind of man who insists on living forever. I would never have figured Lefty as a hero-he was assistant pastry cook and dry-stores keeper back in the ship-but Uncle Steve says that ultimate courage is the commonest human virtue and that seven out of ten are Medal of Honor men, given the circumstances.

Maybe so. I must be one of the other three. I don't think I would have stood my ground and kept poking away at the thing's eyes, armed only with a campfire spit.

But tyrannosaurus ceti was not dangerous enough to give the planet a down check, once we knew he was there and what he was. Any big cat would have been much more dangerous, because cats are smart and he was stupid. You had to shoot first, but an explosive bullet made him lie down and be a rug. He had no real defense against men and someday men would exterminate him.

Heinlein's works instilled values that remain with me to this day. Needless to say, such a passage would never be written in a contemporary novel.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

I’ve seen and known over the years using a word to long out of context ruins it’s meaning the word hero has taken on a mossy finish taken out of context in so many news and media programs
that the man who rescues a mouse from a certain death as the cat nears is the hero of the day bravery has been confused with heroism to many times over the last few years that the line to heroism is brushed with a wide swath while bravery is seldom used to describe the every day happenings that surround us !

[TexasRepublic]

I know it is a hackneyed phrase, but I truly believe there is a communist conspiracy to destroy every positive aspect of our culture, such as national heroism and religion. Once our country is spiritual, cultural and economic rubble, they intend to build a hopeless communist utopia upon the remains.