Heroes, cults, & flawed humans
Heroes are double-edged swords. There is something in our cultural (biological?) makeup that pushes us to identify with heroes – especially in western cultures.
The word “hero” has an interesting etymology:
The word hero comes from the Greek ἥρως (hērōs), “hero” (literally “protector” or “defender”), particularly one such as Heracles with divine ancestry or later given divine honors. Before the decipherment of Linear B the original form of the word was assumed to be *ἥρωϝ-, hērōw-, but the Mycenaean compound ti-ri-se-ro-e demonstrates the absence of -w-. Hero as a name appears in pre-Homeric Greek mythology, wherein Hero was a priestess of the goddess Aphrodite, in a myth that has been referred to often in literature.
According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, the Proto-Indo-European root is *ser meaning “to protect”. According to Eric Partridge in Origins, the Greek word hērōs “is akin to” the Latin seruāre, meaning to safeguard. Partridge concludes, “The basic sense of both Hera and hero would therefore be ‘protector’.
Wikipedia – “hero”
A protector. Sounds simple enough especially if viewed from a TV lens, even cartoons. There’s more to it though, right?
Two questions about heroes surfaced recently after I identified a role model hero set and quickly discovered they too could be characterized like classical heroes.
First, why are we so driven to identify and claim a hero / heroines? Hero worshipping is quite old, especially in western culture; Ancient Greece for example.
Hero cults were one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion. In Homeric Greek, “hero” (ἥρως, hḗrōs) refers to the mortal offspring of a human and a god. By the historical period, however, the word came to mean specifically a dead man, venerated and propitiated at his tomb or at a designated shrine, because his fame during life or his unusual manner of death gave him power to support and protect the living. A hero was more than human but less than a god, and various kinds of minor supernatural figures came to be assimilated to the class of heroes; the distinction between a hero and a god was less than certain, especially in the case of Heracles, the most prominent, but atypical hero.
Wikipedia – “hero cults”
Strangely, western culture continues the hero tradition. The contemporary list of hero and heroine types seems to have evolved to a)pop culture and sport figures, b) business leaders – rich, and c) religious icons both dead and living. Are these the people we wish we could be? The lives we wish were ours? Have we evolved culturally from hero cults?
Another way in which the Cults were used was for political propaganda and manipulation. Sparta’s propping up of many hero cults was out of recognition of the fact that their population reacted to them in such a way that would allow them to use the hero shrines as political propaganda.
Wikipedia – “hero cults”
Honestly, contemporary hero cults seem more about increasing the wealth of the hero (or their family) than political aims – that is, after WW2. Regardless if one labels them “icons”, “heroes”, or “idols” – they are placed on some pedestal as if they were ‘more than human’ – better, more important than me. This could prompt another discussion on the fates, but later. I do question if the hero cult today focuses on the hero so the followers can ignore their own lives and the work required to live better (stoically).
Second, do all heroes have flaws, and how do worshippers and fans respond? That is, if the hero is human. I’ve yet to meet an unflawed human, so … human heroes are flawed too.
The Greek heroes shared similar traits, think about Achilles heel as a metaphor.
Regardless of the hero’s ‘goodness’, there was another side.
While these heroes are incredibly resourceful and skilled, they are often foolhardy, court disaster, risk their followers’ lives for trivial matters, and behave arrogantly in a childlike manner.[2] During classical times, people regarded heroes with the highest esteem and utmost importance, explaining their prominence within epic literature.
Wikipedia – “hero”
My new found heroes from the Kalahari soon proved to be human, just like me. For me, their humanity changed my views toward them as heroes, but not their work, their postive impacts. I can admire the work, the good parts of their lives, and accept their humanity (flaws) … does that remove their hero status? I’m not sure it matters.
I’m guessing that all heroes past and present are just the same … flawed humans. We all get to choose who we admire and follow and who we ignore, a hero designation is not necessary … and any cult is counterproductive to my primary endeavor – eudaemonia.
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