Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Where Do Heroes Come From?

James Loewen addresses the heroification of some of America’s icons in Lies My Teacher Told Me. He specifically addresses Helen Keller and Woodrow Wilson. He notes Keller’s social activism supporting Communism and Wilson’s racism and military aggression in Latin America. These aspects of history are intriguing indeed, but Loewen offers interesting insight into humanity as a whole while addressing his topic.

Loewen speculates about the responses of the common man toward the glorified mortals of history. He says “students poking fun at the goody-goodiest of them all by telling Helen Keller jokes. In doing so, schoolchildren are not poking cruel fun at a disabled person, they are deflating a pretentious symbol that is too good to be real.” Is the root of dissent not prejudice, but an inferiority complex?

I cannot condone the slander of anyone, but his theory seems to hold in light of man’s desire to be self-actualized and affirmed; particularly affirmed through the subjective standard of culture. It appears true that all levels of society criticize those perceived as accomplished in some manner so that average does not appear inadequate. Tom Cruise and Brittany Spears are prime examples of this theory in action.

Keller jokes, in light of Loewen’s theory, encourage inspection of other aspects of culture. Are blond jokes so prevalent because blonds are actually less intelligent or because blonds are viewed as icons of beauty and the 'common' man is threatened by this? Celebrity successes are never advertised, only their failures. It has been said that people love to see their heroes fall and this is the epitome of mankind's pervasive sense of inadequacy projective itself onto individuals in the limelight.

If our heroes, historic and other, were seen as they truly are, why should we be surprised by their fallible judgment, errant personalities or finite victories? We are all equally human and equally fallen, and could only hope to fair better. Heroification provides lofty ideals for us to reach toward yet brings contempt as man's response. Again, we are but human; fallen.

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