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Hero?

(13 Posts)
sunseeker Fri 17-May-13 08:48:19

The news that David Beckham is retiring has led to lots of tributes on radio calling him a hero. I have no interest in football but whilst he does appear to be a pleasant man who has done well for himself I don't consider him a hero.

On TV last night there was an item on the Royal Commandos coming home from Afghanistan, all those interviewed were modest, one saying he thought his wife had a tougher job taking care of 3 children under 5 on her own. In my mind these men are heros (whether you agree with our presence in Afghanistan or not).

Aka Fri 17-May-13 08:52:46

We need all the heros and heroines we can get sunseeker so bring them all on, better than all these perverts and murderers in the news at the moment. LET'S HAVE MORE HEROS!

PS love the name, let me know if you find it.

sunseeker Fri 17-May-13 09:01:28

I agree we need heros but whilst I consider Beckham a good role model I don't think he is a hero.

Aka In the last 2 days we have been promised rain, hail and thunder but we have had sunshine albeit with some clouds!

nanaej Fri 17-May-13 09:01:47

I think DB is a hero to football fans especially Man U and to be fair he is not a bad role model as despite his wealth and fame he remains quite a modest person. I know there were rumours about his private life but he handed it all with reasonably dignity.

When people have jobs that put their lives at risk: soldiers/police/firefighters etc. it is easier to see the heroism in their work but there is another kind of heroism that we rarely see and that is those who do unpleasant jobs day in day out and without whom we would all suffer... e.g sewage workers

To me they are heroes too!

sunseeker Fri 17-May-13 09:08:22

Totally agree nanaej

j08 Fri 17-May-13 09:30:43

I'm sure we can all manage to distinguish between a sporting hero and the kind of hero who lays his/her life on the line for others. We're not really that simple minded are we? hmm

I think a far more interesting question is, which kind do you consider a good role model for your grandchildren. I know which one I would wish mine to follow.

Btw this subject has already been done to death on GN, but it was close on two years ago now. Still there in search.

HildaW Fri 17-May-13 15:34:00

Two things spring to mine here. (1) The tentative subject of this discussion hinges quite a lot on one's personal understanding of what a hero is. On one level its someone who has done something 'heroic' i.e. put others welfare and safety way beyond their own. In modern parlance a 'hero' is also someone to look up to.
(2) I don't see the harm in bringing up a subject thats already been aired. Having two threads running concurrently would be daft....but a few months or so apart....whats the harm? Folks come and go and might well have something they wish to contribute.

positivepam Fri 17-May-13 15:56:05

I agree HildaW I think people can all have a different idea of what a hero means to them and there are different sorts of heroes. I also think it is a real shame that some people who post always have to put a negative slant on either the views of a person or the person themselves. Just because their views do not agree with someone elses. We are all different and how boring it would be if we all had the same views, as we wouldn't have anything to discuss. Debate, i think keeps your brain active.
Gosh, I have had so many heroes during my life from all walks of life, too many to mention.

Aka Fri 17-May-13 16:09:20

Which one JO?

gracesmum Fri 17-May-13 16:20:06

is a role model necessarily a "hero"? (Or indeed vice versa?) DB seems a nice chap, his private life has remained more or less just that and he is a good example of a sportsman who has had neither recourse to drugs or alcohol abuse. Sadly too many fall short of even that modest ideal.

positivepam Fri 17-May-13 16:38:43

Hmm gracesmum you might have a point there, I think possibly they could be both, but I agree with you, that it aint necessarily so. And a lot of people judge DB by his wife and well, that is another subject altogether. grin

merlotgran Fri 17-May-13 17:14:08

You only need to watch some of the Dambuster tribute programmes that have been on TV the last couple of days to define the word Hero.

Grannyeggs Fri 17-May-13 17:18:52

I think a Hero is someone who is brave and shows courage. I'm not sure that is DB, but I agree that he has been an admirable role model for young boys, he seems very likeable.