"Media definition of hero ..." Topic

It's a media thing. They have to get the viewers, the readership with big headlines and promises of lurid deeds uncovered.

What bothers me is the media branding even inactive bystanders involved in ordeals as "Heroes". This is not to say that people didn't go through somebody bad and didn't suffer, but these people are survivors, not heroic survivors.

Heroism involves a degree of personal risk above that in the present situation. If there is a fire, everybody can get injured and tries to get out as fast as possible. Not only is it the most sensible thing to do, it's a natural reflex. The person that goes back in to look for missing people or stays to help others get out has performed a heroic action. Getting shot in the leg by somebody gone crazy is not in itself a heroic action, unless it resulted from throwing yourself at the gunman.

Media, please take note. Stop calling anyone who was merely present at an ordeal a hero. It is asinine and it devalues the actions of those people actually brave (or foolhardy) enough to actively put their personal safety before that of others.

Too true.

Hear, hear.

That's telling them!
You're my hero.

In today's society, anyone who has ever been called a name, discriminated against, refused a toy at Walmart by their parents, when they were young, and SURVIVED, all these horrible events are heroes.

Don't you realize this?

Now get in line to get your trophy for actually surviving getting upset by this story.

Sarcasm mode off….

You didn't earn that.

'The last guy on this side of the statue is Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian from Arizona . Ira Hayes was one of them who lived to walk off Iwo Jima . He went into the White House with my dad. President Truman told him, 'You're a hero' He told reporters, 'How can I feel like a hero when 250 of my buddies hit the island with me and only 27 of us walked off alive?'

link

A hero is someone who runs towards the danger to see if they can save those who just stand there.

A hero is someone who runs towards the danger to see if they can save those who just stand there.

Absolutely.

Everybody is a hero. Especially the guy who receives a big, shiny trophy for coming in 47th place in the 50 people foot race.

Same thing with some folks calling anyone who has served in the military a 'hero'. Most of the guys I know went in for very prosaic reasons and hoped to get out before any opportunity for real heroics presented itself. Doesn't mean they weren't good public servants while they were in there though… so just call them 'good public servants'.
There's also a local news show that has a 'hero' each week and it's usually someone who has done a good deed of somesort… so… call them a 'good deed doer' or something… leave 'hero' for guys like Sgt. York.

Yep it all started with the whole idea that everyone should get a trophy just for being there……..