It's funny how a seemingly normal man can be elevated into the title of hero in a single moment. I'm not commenting on the propensity of certain humans to act in the aid of others--sometimes in the most extreme situations--but rather that of some humans to laud the actions of specific individuals according to fulfill selfish ambition.
Observe, if you will, the debates that rage amongst groups and the shining knights they present as their representatives. The flowery language that adorns their character and the resolute steel of hard-line words that distinguish them from the filth of "that other guy." There is no fault to be found in the presentations of these "unsung" heroes. They represent you! They stand for you! They are your hero!
Now, I don't want to say that some off these individuals who get thrust into these positions are not truly heroes. I would say a good portion of them are worthy of ceremony for their actions. Sometimes, though, these individuals get pulled into a web of ambitious men and women whose cause needs a champion. Sooner or later the hero becomes a saint and then the saint becomes a forgotten instrument of success.
The easiest time to spot these "heroes" is during a presidential election. Sometimes they are men who support certain candidates and sometimes they are the candidates themselves. President Obama was one of these individuals. As was the famous "Joe the Plumber" of the McCain campaign (though, obviously, President Obama's was a much more successful role). President Obama's campaign was run masterfully: painted as the shining knight who would bring about the Change this country needed, Obama became an icon. His name was equated with all manner of causes--a champion for the people. And, in the end, the people chose their given hero to lead the nation.
Eight years later, we find the hero a tarnished icon. Few now believe in his capacity to bring about that promised Change. The press that once sang his praises nows turns against him in an ugly rearing of their considerable power. The one-time champion has become the butt of the joke.
I don't want to use this blog to rag on President Obama, though. He isn't the focal point of today's topic. He is just a readily available example of the kind of "hero" that gets raised into his position because of the actions of others rather than his own. With such a short shelf-life, these individuals find themselves (as according to The Dark Knight) dying as the hero or becoming the villain. Limited by the backing of those ambitious builders, they are unable to stand on their own feet.
I wanted to write this to warn of the dangers of this kind of cause. While the presence of a hero (real or constructed) is a good way to gain momentum for a cause, it is also a way of bludgeoning into the scene--often harming others. It is a way of winning without thinking. A way of getting a majority without acting with the majority's interest in mind. Don't be afraid of having heroes, but do not elevate them into the realm of perfection that none can occupy.
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