Boston Heroes: Let's start with Carlos, the "Boston Cowboy"

Originally posted by SMR
You're right. We get all warm and fuzzy inside at the thought of looking for the next Hero ...

How would calling someone a Hero make us feel good ? How does that benefit me in anyway, shape or form ?

I'd like to know what your definition of a Hero is ?

edit on 4/17/2013 by SMR because: (no reason given)

I just wandered over here by link from another thread and hadn't seen where this had gone to since it had first been opened. Of all the posts over the few pages I've skimmed over? Yours caught my eye as a clear one for a clear response. Heroism isn't a tough thing for me to define. It's not about income, or sports fame or political profile or self declaration. The men I've known who I consider that would have reacted very badly to being called that, themselves.

A Hero, to my thinking and perhaps mine alone, is a man or woman who knowingly puts aside their own life and future in the face of uncertain outcome for the benefit of saving or rendering aid to others. Whether that be the Boston Cowboy, as this thread refers, or just a normal guy who doesn't stop to screw with a phone when seeing a neighbors house on fire but runs into it to get them out and/or grabs the garden hose to desperately try and do what little can be done.

It's just that simple, as I see it. The over-use and absurdly wide coverage of the term to normal acts which risk little to nothing and save no one...is what has so cheapened the term, IMHO.