Hero Shmero

Society overuses the word “hero”. Often times it is used to describe an average person in the right place at the right time. Being a hero shouldn’t be like playing a slot machine, it’s about character. I think our society likes to have heroes so they take the liberty to institute them at will. A person who sees a young girl fall into water and rescues the child from drowning is NOT a hero in my opinion. It is expected for any person in that situation who was competent to go after the child, to do it!

It bothers me when people tell a story that involves a person that did what any other decent human being would have done in that situation, and calls them a hero. Who wouldn’t go after the girl? There’s nothing heroic about doing something that you are expected to do. There is nothing heroic about being in the right place at the right time. It just happened that this person was standing in a place that allowed for a girl to fall in the water while they were present. Webster’s definition for a “hero” is “a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities”. This says to me a hero must have achievements as well as noble qualities; both must be included to be a hero. The definition given by Webster for “noble” is “possessing outstanding qualities”.

If anyone would have done their best to save the girl in that situation than that is NOT an outstanding quality and would disqualify the person from being titled “hero”. The only way you are a hero in my opinion is if you do something that you are NOT expected to do. If every person who saves a life while doing what is “expected” is considered a hero, than why is it fair to the people who go above and beyond the call of duty to be labeled with the same honor?

I’m sure by now people are thinking “Ok then, if saving a little girl’s life isn’t heroic, what IS a hero?” If a firefighter is in a burning house, knowing that a person is trapped inside and the chief radios the danger of the house and gives permission for the firefighter to leave the house for his own safety, but decides to check one more room before leaving, to save the trapped person, THAT is a heroic deed. That firefighter was not expected to continue searching for the trapped person, but went above and beyond his call of duty giving himself “outstanding qualities” thus giving him a heroic title. I would say that even a parent who goes above and beyond what is expected of them to be as a parent, with distinguished morals, and works exceptionally hard to raise a great child, than THAT is a hero.

Next time you use the word hero, use it right. I’m sick and tired of hearing about “heroes” that didn’t do anything special. A hero is an honor; it’s not about odds. Let’s keep it that way.