Why do heroes matter

How do we make them aware of the evil that exists? How do we prevent them from getting seduced to the dark side? I love the story of a wonderful nine-year-old Chinese boy, who I call a dutiful hero. The ceiling fell down on a school, killing almost all the kids in it. This kid escaped, and as he was running away he noticed two other kids struggling to get out.

He ran back and saved them. It was my duty, it was my job to look after my classmates! For him, it was cultivated by being assigned this role of hall monitor. Another story: Irena Sendler was a Polish hero, a Catholic woman who saved at least 2, Jewish kids who were holed up in the Warsaw ghetto that the Nazis had erected.

She was able to convince the parents of these kids to allow her to smuggle them out of the ghetto to safety. To do this, she organized a network. That is a key principle of heroism: Heroes are most effective not alone but in a network. What these stories suggest is that every one of us can be a hero. Building on these insights, I have helped to start a program designed to learn more of heroism and to create the heroes of tomorrow.

There are already a lot of great heroes projects out there, such as the Giraffe Heroes Project. Each of these statements is valid after controlling for all demographic variables, such as education and socioeconomic status.

Heroes surround us. One in five—20 percent—qualify as heroes, based on the definition of heroism I provide above. Seventy-two percent report helping another person in a dangerous emergency. Sixteen percent report whistle blowing on an injustice.

Six percent report sacrificing for a non-relative or stranger. Fifteen percent report defying an unjust authority. And not one of these people has been formally recognized as a hero. Opportunity matters. Most acts of heroism occur in urban areas, where there are more people and more people in need.

No shit happens in the suburbs! Education matters. The more educated you are, the more likely you are to be a hero, I think because you are more aware of situations. Volunteering matters. One third of all the sample who were heroes also had volunteered significantly, up to 59 hours a week. Gender matters. Males reported performing acts of heroism more than females. I think this is because women tend not to regard a lot of their heroic actions as heroic.

Race matters. Blacks were eight times more likely than whites to qualify as heroes. Personal history matters. Having survived a disaster or personal trauma makes you three times more likely to be a hero and a volunteer.

And we offer more rigorous, research-based education and training programs for middle and high schools, corporations, and the millitary that make people aware of the social factors that produce passivity, inspire them to take positive civic action, and encourage the skills needed to consistently translate heroic impulses into action.

Not just all the classic ones and fictional ones, but ones that people from around the world are going to send in, so they can nominate ordinary heroes with a picture and a story. It will be searchable, so you can find heroes by age, gender, city and country. These are the unsung, quiet heroes—they do their own thing, put themselves in danger, defend a moral cause, help someone in need. On the walls of the room hang four oil paintings of previous Attorneys General.

By picking Richardson as her hero, Attorney General Lynch reveals what she stands for, what she values, what she hopes to be and even her deepest worries and fears.

Back during the Great Depression, the most popular heroes in the comic strips were Tarzan and Buck Rogers. They were characters designed to transport us elsewhere—into the jungle and the 25th century.

Because the world was depressing. Then, in , as World War II began encroaching on our shores, the world became a far scarier place. Now, we wanted someone to protect us. So at that time, why did Superman quickly sell a million copies?

Sure, superpowers are cool. And yes, he was someone people could aspire to. But when we look at that magic mirror, Superman revealed what we needed most in World War II—someone to come save us. The same holds true with our new President-elect. In Donald Trump , half the country sees a hero; the other half sees a villain. Need more proof? So what do we do? Heroes provide dramatic, entertaining stories — Psychologists have long been aware of the power of a good, juicy narrative.

Stories of heroes and heroic myth have entertained humans since the dawn of recorded history. Joseph Campbell documented recurring patterns in these hero stories in his seminal book, and virtually all hero stories feature these time-honored patterns.

People have always been drawn to human drama and they always will be. Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine. George Washington Carver introduced crop rotation into agriculture. Stephanie Kwolek invented the material in bullet-proof vests that have saved the lives of countless law enforcement officers. Heroes give us wisdom and save lives with their brains, not just with their brawn. Heroes deliver justice — People from all cultures possess a strong desire for justice. After members of the Boston police captured the Boston Marathon bomber, crowds of citizens lined the streets to applaud their heroes.

Research has shown that we need to believe that we live in a just world where good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. Heroes quench our thirst for fairness and lawfulness. So there you have them — 10 reasons why people need heroes. These reasons tap into basic human needs for survival, nurturance, growth, education, safety, security, healing , happiness, health, hope, wisdom , and justice.

None of us can meet these important needs without significant help from others. I think I was a hero to the slater that was crawling in the bath tub — I took it out before filling the bath! This is an interesting list, Scotty and George. As a writer, I naturally prefer 8. In other words, they provide inspiration. And inspiration is vitally important in combating the evil and, worse, mediocrity in the world. But, I think, even more crucial than that is the point that you brought up in the postscript: None of us can meet these important needs without significant help from others.