Who are the true heroes in the world?

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Hereandnow
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Favorite Philosopher: the moon and the stars

Who are the true heroes in the world?

Post by Hereandnow »

I have never understood this celebration of people who do great things. Celebration of the thing they do, yes. But the individual, no. Of course, we must not draw such a distinction to clearly for public discourse, for this kind of thing tampers with some very important assumptions about human behavior, assumptions that keep in place motivations for keeping society moving along. But philsopher cares little for this. In truth, who should we celebrate and why.

The argument is really straight forward: Take Einstein--we all love him, he did extraordinary things and he is certainly among the greats. But we have to admit it: He would have gotten no where without being *gifted* and he did nothing to receive this gift of genius. So, celebrating Einstein,the person, hardly makes any sense. I would have done the same had I been there, with his gifts, at that time, and so forth (in fact, had I been him, I would have done exactly as he did; it's analytically so, I could argue) . This line of reasoning has strange consequences that I don't see going away. People do as they are able: they win, make money, contribute the amelioration of the human condition, write great works,compose great works, and on and on; and the are able according to what is "give" to them. You may want to say the will to achieve, the striving, the hard work belongs to them not their achievements, how is such a thing loosened from one's gifts? My "drive" to succeed, from where did that come? These motivational parts of my will: how can will be separated from motivation, and how can motivation be construed independently the resources one is "given"?

What follows is that desert, guilt, accountability, responsibility and the like are all divested of their meaning. In the everydayness of or comings and goings, forget it: we need these ideas in place; they have pragmatic value. But on analysis, they are just fictions.

So who we celebrate, that is, who, not what? I celebrate those who are thrown into the deepest s**t this world has to offer. They suffer for us (and i will argue this, if you like), suffer for our *sins,* if you dare (they suffer so we can live well).They are out martyrs.

when i think of how wonderful a person is, I go the criterion sacrifice, not accomplishment.
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Burning ghost
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Re: Who are the true heroes in the world?

Post by Burning ghost »

I try to emulate myself and succeed! :D

I guess my heroes are all those that are like the way I see myself (not how I want to be because how I want to be must be how I am otherwise I would be constantly moving toward being who I want to be which would mean I am necessarily being exactly as I am and want to be now). That is the truth.

As for people I admire it is usually those that entertain in some way or another and succeed in expressing learning and love of learning in some form or other. Pretty much anyone can be admired in some way though.

I admire Bjork Gudmundsdottir for numerous reasons. The most likely reason being because I have never actually met her and so only idealise my impression of her. In this way the dead are easier to admire than the living.
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LuckyR
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Re: Who are the true heroes in the world?

Post by LuckyR »

There is some truth to the OP. Separation of the person and their actions is logical. Distinguishing the gift from the effort is also logical.

However seeking logic in the media's marketplace is a fool's errand.
"As usual... it depends."
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