Do We Need Heroes?
Do We Need Heroes?
And when heroes become villains how should we react?
A hero is described in Webster's as a ‘mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability.’
I wonder if this description is a carry-on from Biblical descriptions of the Nephilim giants of old. The half-man, half-god people - Or fallen angels.
These ones are described in the Bible as angels coming down from heaven and taking women for themselves. Their offspring were known as terrifying and violent superhuman giants known as the Nephilim.
As time passed greek and other religious and non-religious mythology became filled with new heroes. These heroes replaced the one God concept and gave men a superhuman presence to look up to and admire. And then those heroes were replaced by newly created heroes.
As time passed mankind has gone back and forth to God and back to heroes. Heroes of stone and wood or heroes of a God in heaven.
Either way, the history of humankind is littered with heroes of all shapes, sizes and origins.
Some humans even become so obsessed with their heroes they will even violently protest (and kill) in the name of their hero. Just look at the Aztecs and how they ripped out the heart of the living to sacrifice to their gods.
But do humans need heroes?
Hero worship today is looked at from the viewpoint of them being seen as warriors, having great qualities or showing more than human courage. Like soldiers in the Ukraine war willing to defend themselves from the slaughtering Russian, stealing and anarchic violent invaders.
And we also witnessed this hero worship with the U.K. NHS service where it was almost demanded that the British public had to stand outside their homes and clap for them during the ‘pandemic.’
We also saw hero worship during BREXIT where the new puritanical populists stood up for those that were feeling invaded and directed by offshore powers. We saw how they lied and schemed only to enhance their own powers.
And we also saw the enhanced hysteria with TRUMP-ism despite endless lies and fraudulent practices.
And then, of course, the very modern hero or cult of social celebrity. From rockstars to TV presenters like Piers Morgan.
Despite their apparent heroism, these are mostly events of mass psychosis driven by algorithms or online manipulations that are designed to pull the public into the same patterns of belief.
Heroes Get Torn Down
Of course the predictable takes place and they fall. Trump fell, and Boris Johnson and his elite class of liars fell. Rockstars overdose and die (not all). We watch them fall almost daily. That will continue to happen. And the more time passes the more we awakened to the reality that they were false, they knew they were false and they simply rode on the backs of a current narrative usually for their own gains. History reveals there’s nothing new in that.
In other words, heroes are just humans with the few doing more than the average human would or could do. Worshippers would love to be where they are so they see them as higher, elevated or untouchable.
We are seeing this right now in our hero admiration for health workers stuck in situations that most wouldn’t dare to enter. They face possible death at work. That is heroic but doesn't make for super-human gods. And sadly as time has passed and more and more has been revealed the true circumstances were really not that much as was described by the hysterical media.
In historical times when godly belief is low, that doesn’t mean humans don’t need gods, godly ones or heroes. A lack of faith in a higher God is simply replaced with faith in something that fits humans better in that moment. This is usually something that is more in line with current or modern thinking. This is rarely something that is overly thought through. This is more of an adopted thought being promoted by another human as heroic.
Mass Thought
In today’s world, we now have mass singular thought driven by viral mass psychotic events. Mass thought has more viral power than any virus. Mass thought presents itself in simple and easily adaptable ideas that can spread like wildfire through huge online fanbases. Or those without a belief that want to believe.
Once we have a community in a state of ‘ongoing fear’ these pushed thoughts are even more easily adopted. And now there is also the power of the daily influencer. Most modern-day influencers carry that heroic label in the eyes of their followers. They also have the influence to shift power and worship from one hero to another hero.
In a week (and even a day) the hero power can go from little Greta Thunberg, the superhuman hero that is actively trying to save planet Earth. She was the saviour for a few weeks. Then that hero-worship now shifted to a new hero. That hero is a mass of individuals known as health workers right now. That power can easily shift and will shift once more.
This raises a question.
Do we need heroes?
According to history, it looks like the simple makeup of humans has always been driven to create gods and heroes. It is a deep-set inner part that has never really changed in the history of humankind.
When the use of fear is driven into man's thoughts and driven hard the masses will search for a hero or saviour to save them.
If the one God has been dismissed heroes are then adopted and created. That can shift back very quickly to gods or God. Our heroes can be killed off fast as they are created. This is the nature of man. This is the nature of the influencer. This is the power of mass thought.
When Heroes Become Villains
But what do we do when heroes become villains?
When the NHS was raised by Boris Johnson's government to god and hero status it seems they have bitten off the hand that gave them that status. They were elevated to the point that whilst they refused (and some still refuse) to see patients they are demanding more and more cash for themselves or they are refusing to work. Doctors getting paid more than six figures are demanding more to work fewer hours. Others are buying holiday homes so they can do video consultations in comfort without too much disturbance.
It isn’t their fault. When humans elevate other humans it can only result in a fall from grace. History teaches us that time and time again.
Ultimately humans - all of us - are inherently selfish. Their intuitive sense is always set to self. Humans will worship that which brings them a feeling of safety and the removal of fear. Most humans will always look outside themselves for salvation.
It looks like the answer is yes.
Most of humankind needs heroes even when heroes become villains.
Modern Philosopher,