Actually, this is a problem that unfolds to reveal many weaknesses of our dependence on the modern hero. First, let�s go over what a hero is. A hero is a firefighter that risks his or her life to put a stop to inflammatory destruction and saves lives as well as property. A hero is a police officer that sets down regard for his own safety and ensures the safety of others whether his actions are preventive or interceptive. A hero is a surgeon that won�t rest until those in pain can rest peacefully. These are what I call "occupational heroes," or people who take heroic actions because that is what they do. It is their job, their duty.
There is, however, another kind of hero: the ordinary citizen who partakes in one of those actions when it isn�t his or her responsibility. A hero, in reality, is a person who goes out of their way to help others. That is the kind of hero that we need more of these days. I know you know this, so you are probably wondering at my point. Well, my point is this: people should look out for each other anyway; it shouldn�t be something special that warrants a treat. People are lazy, so instead of going the extra mile and helping one another, we label good citizens as heroes saying that, since they are heroes and we are not, we are inept. So then the majority of us sits around and waits for a good citizen to come around in the lieu of actually doing work (God forbid!).
I bet a lot of you are sitting there thinking: "This guy is stupid! He has no idea what he is talking about; he just can�t leave well enough alone." Well, maybe I�m not the stupid one here. You see, others have noticed this too. In fact, some very intelligent people have taken notice to this disturbing reality. For example, was it not Will Rogers who said: "We can�t all be heroes because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by."
Again, we go back to the fact that so many people want a reward or a pat on the back every time they do what is expected (which is out of the ordinary). Another example of laziness is in a good movie that I own: Batman Returns. In that movie, when the Penguin Man�s henchmen were overrunning Gotham City, the most common phrase you�d hear from the police officers was: "I wish Batman was here." During that part, I kept thinking, "You�re a cop with a duty and a gun; why don�t you get up off your geriatric, donut packing behind and do something yourself." But what was I thinking, he was waiting for the hero to come along and do his duty for him.
Another example is in The Matrix, when Neo is running by and grabs a business man�s cell phone. That business man had no idea why, but did he do something about it? No, he didn�t! All he did was point and scream, "Hey, that guy took my phone!" I�m thinking, "Sorry dude, this is New York. Nobody cares, so there will be no hero to take over your responsibility." This crap is happening all around us, people, and only if you take notice will it make you sick. Gather me some followers, and what a nauseous group we would be! There just might be enough vomit to candy coat our world of crime for all of you that don�t believe me.
What this all means is that hardly anybody will acknowledge their own duty. Instead of doing it, they elevate those who do into a position higher than them, and then they sheepishly point that out to others. It may be embarrassing for them, but now they have covered their own backs. The ironic thing, which makes for my fine, is that the lazy people haven�t elevated heroes, but rather degraded themselves. In reality, there is no such thing as a hero: There is the good citizen, and then there is the garbage that pollutes modern western society.