Hero

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Bill : "Now, a staple of the superhero mythology is, there's the superhero and there's the alter ego. Batman is actually Bruce Wayne, Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker. When that character wakes up in the morning, he's Peter Parker. He has to put on a costume to become Spider-Man. And it is in that characteristic Superman stands alone. Superman didn't become Superman. Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he's Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red "S", that's the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears - the glasses, the business suit - that's the costume. That's the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent. He's weak... he's unsure of himself... he's a coward. Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race. Sorta like Beatrix Kiddo and Mrs. Tommy Plimpton."

Who do you regard as a hero in your life? Your dad, your mom, a friend or a boss in your company? If so, what are the constitutions that elevate a person to this elite status? Each hero symbolizes a virtue. How do you recognize those elements in them? These are all the critical questions one would be intrigued in discussing about heroism. And most important of all, i will try to expound what moral treason that has crushed heroism when it at its pinnacle of excellency.

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No matter how a person wants to defy the superheroes as to their existential issues, one cannot escape the fact that one feels the admiration and inspiration towards an unyielding figure who fights for a value and stands firm by it. A hero,by definition which i find adequate " is an individual of elevated moral stature and superior ability who pursues his goals indefatigability in the face of powerful antagonist(s)."

As the definition implies, it consequently results in several breakups of components which we could identify heroism,notedly ; moral greatness, ability or prowess, action in the face of opposition and triumph in at least a spiritual, if not a physical, form.


It is worth mentioning that, the last component of heroism stated that triumph in at least a spiritual form. A hero is a champion of values and of virtues regardless of what becoming of him. Whether he succeed in its physical application or not. This misconception is once and for all has to be corrected. Lets take some examples of men who we regard as heros but failed in their quest. Henry Cameron, a character in the Fountainhead, who once erected a substantial skyscraper while the neighboring buildings were still deluded by hodgepodges of ancient mimicry. His design was so crude and quintessence in its form that a birdbrain will avoid their eyes and gives loathful remarks while a rational mind sees what his building symbolized. Yet, his greatest building were never erected and he dies a drunkard.

What should we say about this? Is he not a hero? Dies a drunkard?

He is a man who elevates architecture in its very sense, who sees that a building is like an embodiment of man's purpose and values,who fights unnoticed for man's unlimited potentials when he erected Dana Building. He is,in fact, a hero in architectural world and universally in human province.

Every nation will fall without a proper,well-defined philosophical base. So as heroism. Heroism in its essence, requires an exeptional level of abstraction, a soul that understand his motives and a clear mind in which his metaphysical value-judgement take place. You see, in this context, a soul-body dichotomy fails miserably. What do you think,if you see a man, who possess a great physique yet all of his actions were motivated by bodily whims and unruly desires? Without a rational philosophical system, he is just a man with a prominent muscular body encapsulated an empty soul.

On the contrary, an outstanding mind without any practicalities cannot be considered a hero. A hero is a man of ability. He is a practical man. Take Mycroft Holmes, who serves a good exemplary in this setting. No one denies how terrific his mind solving the very complex murder in a finger-counting. Yet, a hero doesnt depends on others to achieve his values. He is a doer. He is a self generated person who doesnt wait for others and abdicate the necessities to pursue his goals.

Yesterday we were visiting a friend of my parents who was now a successful businessman. During his leisure times,he practices a kind of martial arts that is used in one of the TMNT's character,Donatello, called Bo/staff. He incorporates the philosophy of the martial in his business pursuits. He told me a wise word which i dont fully agree in its theoritical sense but practically it is true. He said that to succeed, one must be opposed,which it is not a must, without oppositions denotes that we are weak,we have nothing to stand for and when there is no sense of challenge, we will live in a sweet comfy life, renouncing there is further goal to pursue. 

A hero is a man of elite status. He attains a moral stature which no ordinary man possess and stands by it truthfully. This is the distinctive feature between an ordinary and a hero. An ordinary man will hesitate, unclear about his motives,clouded by his surroundings, afraid to make people around him uncomfortable.

A status of of art in a given society reflects the dominant philosophical system in it. The discussion brings us to a topic of moral treason, which hits heroism destructively. Ethical systems result from metaphysical foundations. So as our actions,based on the ethics which consecutively derived from what we hold as our view of life. When a society holds reason as an absolute, that our rational mind is the only tool for survival, we will see men seek for the best in them. Hence, it will produce a set of virtues namely independence,productiveness,and pride resulting from a self esteem and purposeful mind.

Why then should we apologise when we witness or experience greatness? 

Observe this in our daily life, when we see a wealthy and successful businessman,we feel the admiration and longing for that status as it is what a productive mind supposed to reach, yet we feel guilty towards feeling it. Let alone to be that man.

Why? Why do we apologise to greatness?

This is the moral treason that destroys heroism. It is even evident in superheroes movies where the conception of being a hero is a sin. Its better to be ordinary.People feel pity towards a hero for being an exceptional and the hero himself wishes he could be just like an ordinary people. Paradoxical enough, a creator of superheroes elevates and at the same time seeks to destroy them.

The superman monolgue that i quoted from the character Bill,in Kill Bill 2 by Quentin Tarantino earlier serves a perfect form of damnation to this irrational culture. The red-blue suit of Superman is not his costume. That is him,his original clothes. The weak and indecisiveness of Clark Kent is what Superman has to wear to face the society. It is a form of apology,isnt it? From what sources this moral treason? The answer is, altruism.


Do you consider yourself a hero according to this exposition? Or do you want to be one? Find the hero in you.