Ah, heroes.

I've been a hero, by most criteria. I'm not a demigod (as far as I know!), but I've saved people's lives. Maybe. I've pulled people from rivers who were in danger of drowning. I've been in the military, so those who say "Vets are heroes" would be satisfied on that score. I've done a few things in the military that most wouldn't or couldn't do, though I was never in combat. But I can tell you that I don't agree that everyone who served in the military is a hero. Some of us were downright bastages. But we all agreed to put our lives on the line, if it came to it. Most never do.

Do I have a point? If I do, it's that, in my experience, heroes are mostly made by circumstance. When a situation requires that something be done, there are those who step up. What kind of person they might have been before or after, is immaterial. It seems to me that it was always thus.

Isaac

Ancient World: Originally Heros was the female protector/defender to the goddess, Aphrodite (and morphing to only the actions of males, probably when they destroyed the statues/temples of the former female goddesses).

Today’s World: Hero refers to a male, human person who does a “selfless act” to help or save others without concern for their own safety. Both words have lost their true meanings and applications. 

Examples: the blanket appellation applied to those who occupy or perform duties considered dangerous to their lives, i.e., Firefighters, soldiers, sailors, police, lifeguards, etc.

Those who have done so-called Heroic Deeds/Actions will tell you: they cringe at being called heroes. They were, “only doing my job, or what is humanly natural to save/help others, (that being whatever animals they happen to be). 

Note: Nowadays, we can all be considered heroes through our actions of just living and protecting a “worthwhile life.” Ours and the lives of our “brothers and sisters” striving to do the same: heroic living advancing and protecting life! There is nothing special about that: it is just living life as it should be!

Peter

Anya

Qualifications to be honored a hero require an individual to take great personal risk outside their normal call of duty. The risk can be life, wealth or denigration by a disingenuous crowd of people. At times a hero can be criticized for the act as it may be unpopular for some but a significant contribution for many. The act of heroism must be one of goodness and sacrifice.

The term is often overused today. Heroic events are exceptional acts by individual people at great personal risk. They should never be trivialized by those who present trophies for mediocre accomplishments.

Roger

Dear Anya, 

Being an idealist, I would say that anyone who stood for ethical behavior and practices in the face of oppression or opposition, is a hero. 

In today’s world, some examples would include “Whistleblowers,” people that make public the actions of institutions that cause harm; those who challenge institutionalized policies that harm others; those who report, or those who support those who report, sexual harassment or assault; those who risk their lives to save another, or those whose actions challenge hatred, inequality, or injustice.

In support,

Jim B.

Ήρως and Hero when pronounced are very similar to the ear.

Since mythological times a hero is a man or woman with special abilities, physical, mental, spiritual or other, that uses them for the good of the community. Usually in battle or achieving kleos in some endeavor.

Achilles is considered the greatest hero, yet he turned his back to his community in Troy, withdrawing from the fight.

In the absence of Achilles, King Diomedes holds the stage as Mr. Nice guy. He is a successful fighter, has victories and his own aristeia in the Iliad. He is respectful of the gods and acknowledges that matters are in their hands, and humans must proceed the best they can. He is brave, gives good counsel, knows tactics and strategy, is a hell of a fighter, humble to the gods and because of this, he has divine protection.

He returned safely to Greece or Italy, depending on the version. And even his army comrades were favored by the gods and turned into birds. All this led to the hero cult of Diomedes.

Today there exist true heroes and heroines, we see them in everyday little things they do. They have a smaller impact and usually go unnoticed. All the others' intentions and interests must be examined.

Σπύρος Δ.

I am uniquely qualified to answer this question, as the name appears on my birth certificate.

Hero; n. 1. A fool, properly motivated.

a. Said fool, fortunate.

b. Said fool, deceased.

c. Said fool, both fortunate and deceased.

2. A thin layer, once scratched, revealing a villain.

3. A villain, properly backlit.

4. A broad category covering villains past, revised and updated.

5. A broad category covering noble ancestors, ignored and minimized.

6. A convenient category one places those that do what one cannot or will not.

7. A citizen, rightly informed.

Hero's Dictionary

Daniel Hero

Expert Generalist/Aristotelian man of leisure

Medea v. Jason

Medea=Whore=Woman

Jason=Courageous=Man. 

Medea is vilified as is the practice in all Western Culture. 

Magdalene fills the same role in Christianity. 

Nothing new to see here. 

Terry K.

A hero is defined as someone who understands that their life may be lost but chooses to act anyway. Many acts of heroism don’t fit this definition. Personally, I have experienced moments where I acted to help another but did not have time to think about the consequences the action might have on me personally. I believe most everyone has had similar moments in life. These are heroic efforts, but they are not heroism. Regardless of time or culture, this principal difference is immutable. Heroism is plentiful but heroes are much more rare.

An act of heroism requires conscious evaluation of the danger the act provides for you and the choice to act regardless. Soldiers entering combat face such moments. Overcoming fear of self then becomes an incredible rush in these life and death actions. Vets returning to civilian life may often become despondent because normal life has no such moments. I suspect this phenomenon is buried in the psychobabble called PTSD. Military heroism may be seen in this light.

Joe Kennedy finished his 25 air combat missions in WW2 then volunteered for a very difficult mission. He chose to go and had plenty of opportunities to measure his mortality. He succeeded but did not survive. That is heroism, the fully evaluated acts and thoughts of a hero.

The premature deployment of B29 s made them a death box on takeoff for the flight crew when loaded with gasoline and napalm. They did not always manage to reach take off speed and crashed on take off. Seabees were stationed at the end of the runway to deal with the resultant inferno. Each flight crew knew the store but climbed aboard anyway. Heroes committing an act of heroism. True American Samurai.

When Vietnam was raging, and the draft lottery was in place, every eligible male had to choose to resist or go if the lottery date was called up. I made the choice that if my number came up I would serve rather than live with the thought that my avoidance or evasion would cause another to go. I understood all too well the potential consequences of that. Three elected presidents evaded and dodged their commitment forcing two others to go instead. Cowardice? You discern.

Charles F.