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With Democracy and Decency at Risk, Is Now the Time for a Hero?

It should come as no surprise, given the topics I write about, that I am more than a little fixated on the news. I like knowing what is going on in the world—the news has always been a backdrop to my day.

But this year, the news has been depressing, and a little frightening, to be honest. New developments, from the Brexit crisis in Britain, to the political problems in France, to the unstable government in the USA have revealed that many democracies in the Western world are in trouble. Even here in Canada, where I believed our government was safe, the integrity of the governing party is in doubt. While politicians duke it out over trivial matters, important issues like climate change and universal health care are neglected. When it comes to governing, it appears that there are no grownups in the room.

It’s true, there have been many other times when the world has been in the same sort of disarray. In each one of those instances, it seems, someone has stepped up to save the day. Such a person was always hailed as a hero, someone who had the integrity, the courage and the leadership qualities to bring about a massive change at a critical time.

It’s not difficult to come up with examples of this. When England faced disaster during World War II, for one, Winston Churchill took the lead to spur that nation on to fight until victory.

In India, Mother Teresa, a the Catholic nun, dedicated her life to caring for the destitute and dying in the slums of Calcutta and to promoting peace and understanding throughout the world.

Martin Luther King Jr. led the black consciousness movement in the United States of America by turning the other cheek and in the end giving his life for the sake of freedom and equality for all

In South Africa Nelson Mandela was the man of the hour, preaching peaceful co-existence, unity and true democracy in a country that had been torn apart by injustice and oppression.

But what is a hero, really?

Heroes can come from any stripe of life. They are like us, human, fully capable of making mistakes, of having doubts, of feeling fear. Heroes aren’t born exhibiting qualities like fearlessness and the desire to do good. Rather, something happens in their lives, some challenge that they are called upon to meet, and they respond in an unexpected way. It is said that heroes don’t do anything for the sake of being heroic—it is the situation that brings out the courage and noble qualities that define them.

At first, they may not even be aware that they have what it takes to be heroic. They may not know what a difference their courage, nobility and magnificence can make to the world, until they are immersed in it. As it happens, one day they can be quietly living life, when the next moment, something calls them to act, and suddenly, they have done something of extraordinary valor and beauty.

What they have done, in the moment that they rose to a challenge, in that moment that defined them, surprises us, possibly even surprises them, with a sense of what is possible.

Why do we humans need them?

Scott LaBarge, (Jan 1, 2000) (Markkula Center for Applied Ethics) expands on this, saying,

“If most of us, as Thoreau said, live lives of quiet desperation, it is because our horizons of possibility are too cramped. Heroes can help us lift our eyes a little higher.”

And this, from Scott T Allison Ph.D., who says, in Why We Need Heroes (Apr 16, 2014),

“People need heroes because heroes save or improve lives and because heroes are inspiring. But we also need heroes for surprising reasons that go beyond the direct benefits of heroic action. Heroes elevate us emotionally; they heal our psychological ills; they build connections between people; they encourage us to transform ourselves for the better; and they call us to become heroes and help others.”

It occurs to me, as I struggle with the news I hear every day, as we all try to find a way to navigate this confusing and frightening time, that we cannot see that there is another course to take, that things could be different if only we had someone who could show us the way, and lead us toward solutions. If only a hero would arrive, some person of courage, honor and justice, who could expand our sense of what human beings can do, perhaps then, we could see what we could accomplish as well.

What do we do if a hero never comes?

And if this isn’t happening, it may be up to us, each of us, in our individual lives, to be brave and willing to sacrifice, in whatever small measure, helping others and trying to make a difference in other people’s lives,

As Ritchie Gibson, (Dec. 21, 2015), The Daily Telegraph says,

“Performing an act of kindness or good deed, no matter how small, starts a shift of positive energy that can profoundly change lives.”

It seems then, as Ritchie Gibson says, that a hero is not necessarily someone who wears a cape, has superpowers and saves the world.  Any one of us can use our unique talents, behave with honor and courage, and create a ripple effect that affects others.

The world really does need heroes right now, in this time of international turmoil—people who have the ability to make extraordinary things happen in the environment we live in right now. We all have a hero in us — we are all capable of being unselfish and doing things without reward. We are all capable of taking a risk to do the right thing—and that is the essence of being a hero.

‘Cometh the hour, cometh the man’ from:  John 4:23 ‘But the hour cometh, and now is,’ and the English proverb; ‘opportunity makes the man.’

32 thoughts on “With Democracy and Decency at Risk, Is Now the Time for a Hero?”

  1. These are very wise words, Diane. If we each took a moment to reflect on even one small act that we could do to make a positive change, that change would be insurmountable! I have shared this on each of my SM sites to help add to this ripple effect!

  2. I think I agree with what you’re saying, if you mean that we shouldn’t look to someone else to be a hero, but we should find a little bit of heroism in ourselves … to reach out to people, try to walk a mile in one another’s shoes, step up to do the right thing, and try to live the beliefs that we espouse. Anyway. you’ve given us plenty of food for thought.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      We don’t need to be heroic in a big way, Tom. As you say, reaching out, understanding each other’s issues—I think makes a difference in a way that touches everyone. At least it gives us some purpose as we try to get through the political difficulties of the times.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Yes, Jean, I’m familiar with your personal philosophy, and it’s admirable. I think a great many people are confused today, about what is likely to happen politically in the future. Democracy is fragile, and what is currently happening in major democracies around the world is cause for concern. Given the erosion of voting rights in some countries, I think we should all be a little uneasy.

    2. Don’t forget, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle were elitists and believed democracy was an inherently corrupt and inefficient form of government. Of course, what forms of government don’t have that problem!

      The problem is democracies aren’t doing a good job of dealing with the problems facing us so some people are turning to strong men. You say Churchill saved the day for Britain — a lot of people in Germany turned to Hitler to save the day for them after World War I. Scary stuff.

      1. Still the Lucky Few

        The British were dissatisfied with Churchill after the war, needing someone to blame for the casualties and the post war economic problems, I suppose, so they voted him out. Unfortunately, since Germany was not a democracy, his people couldn’t vote him out, so they had to stay the course even though they may have realized belatedly that he was a madman. Democratic governments may be inefficient and can be corrupt, but at least they are accountable—and that is the whole point.

      2. I think you are a dreamer if you think a hero can rescue democracy. The mindset of hero worship, wanting to be rescued, means giving away our power.

        I helped tutor in a remedial reading class for 7th through 9th graders once. The teacher warned the class that there was no fairy godmother. If they wanted to do well they needed to do the work necessary to learn to read. She liked the kids and tried to make the class friendly, but she also wanted them to take responsibility for their education. Their futures depended on it.

        1. Still the Lucky Few

          I prefer not to get into an ‘I said, you said’ argument in this blog, so I won’t respond to your first sentence. As it happens, I taught remedial reading to those age groups for many years, and completely agree that students need to be taught to take responsibility for their learning.

        2. You are right. I apologize! Thank you. And a lot of people think FDR saved democracy in the U.S. because of what he tried to do during the depression. I will try to find an article by Peggy Noonan, a conservative, who thinks he saved capitalism. Not everyone, like my husband, agrees of course.

          1. Still the Lucky Few

            Thank you, Jean. I’ve received the article, and agree that Noonan is a good writer, and has some convincing things to say. About FDR—Hmmm, I’ll have to think about that one!

  3. Sometimes my hero is someone who has hope and courage at a time when i have none. A hero to me is someone who breaks the cycle of hopelessness which can come in many forms…physical, spiritual, emotional…

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      It’s wonderful to have someone like that in your corner. Heroes don’t have to be large scale, help can come in many forms. Thanks, Alexandra.

      1. I re-read my comment and realized it seemed I was only speaking on the personal level. And yes, a hero to me is sometimes someone who serves to interrupt my personal stuck cycle; but, on a broader level of society I see a hero as someone who breaks the cycle we are all in, I see some of the newly elected people to our US Congress energizing us and possibly serving as a hero or enbolding some already in Congress. Of course on a world scale as well. A hero at this point might also be a community of ‘heros.’

        1. Still the Lucky Few

          The more the better, Alexandra. There does seem to be a new energy emerging with the arrival of the new members of Congress. Let’s give it some time, and hope for the best!

  4. Hi Diane! Such important questions. I tend to believe that we are at the evolutionary point when we need to stop looking for heroes (or heroines) outside of ourselves. If we are ever to get out of the current hierachical system then our society needs to move toward a more bottom up–rather than top down model as society has been for millennium. I don’t have the answers of how to do that but I am hopeful that if these precarious times teach us nothing more than the fact that it is time for us to question and change so much of how we’ve done things–then hopefully we will all find a way through it and come out better than before. ~Kathy

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Our current system prompts many questions, and I certainly don’t have answers either. Right now, the inequality of wealth, with people of means having most of the power leaves us all feeling that we can’t overcome the obstacles to correcting climate change or making societal changes. That’s why we need to be concerned about the erosion of our electoral systems. The vote is the foundation of our democracy, and must be protected. Today, it seems to be at risk.

  5. It feels heroic to watch the news; heroic to stay awake and not turn away; heroic to keep asking the question, “what can I do?” And heroes don’t lose sight of hope. Thank you for your writing. You ask good questions. Courage on!

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      It’s easier to turn away from all news, to become complacent and just enjoy our comforts. A certain amount of discomfort is required if we are to stay awake and be informed. An educated, informed and involved informed citizenry is necessary for democracy to work. I like your point that heroes don’t lose sight of hope—so true!

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      I gagged a little when you made that point, Rummuser! Then I went to the article you included, and understand more about your opinion of MT. It was an eye-opener, very critical of her. Yes, she may have had some very clear motives in promoting the beliefs of the Church, but you really can’t take away the many years she did a lot of good. But thanks, Rummuser—I am now enlightened!

  6. When the human animal is so flawed, it’s hard to find the person who inspires us all to rise above our imperfections and be our best selves. It’s happened before. I hope it will happen again. Until them, we must keep doing whatever we can, no matter how small.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      There is a ‘best self’ within each one of us—sometimes hard to find, but it’s there! And I still believe there are people who can inspire us. People like us, who write, and put it out there, faults and all, are part of the small army of those who are trying to make a difference. Thank you, Virginia—wise, as usual!

  7. I agree. It’s sad that democracies around the world are in such chaos. We can hope for a hero, but if no one comes to save us, then we must save ourselves. In the U.S., over a dozen Democratic candidates have begun running for President, and we must do all we can to make sure one of them wins. I don’t care which one. The current President MUST be removed before he utterly destroys our country and drags down democratic regimes throughout the world via his example. Keep watching the news. It’s depressing but necessary.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      There is definitely some promise there, among the new members of Congress. I agree with you on all counts, and yes, Rin, I will keep on watching the news!

  8. Trouble these days people seem to equate a sports outfit with heroism, Win a gold medal you’re a hero, plus a chance to get obscenely rich; which is even more heroic; and the damned media do everything in their immense power, to make sure it stays that way. Goes back to your previous post in a sense.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      The praise and wealth that sports ‘heroes’ receive is disproportionate to what they contribute, in my opinion, at least. I don’t watch sports, so am mostly out of touch with it, the Olympics included. Thanks, Bear.

  9. Evening, Diane. I think that many people are heroic, in that they help others and sacrifice for others regularly. Good parents, for instance. Still, it sure would be nice for a true leader — a decent, intelligent and forward-thinking person — to emerge where I live (the USA). We need him or her!

    1. Believe me, you don’t have to be in the USA to wish for that! The whole western world is on the same page. The world’s much smaller now, and if one democracy sneezes, the rest catch a cold. We are all affected by what is happening in your country, and we are all pulling for you. Lovely to hear from you, Neil.

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