To think that a HERO is someone who has saved lives, or who has helped people in terrible situations, or who has put themselves in danger in order to help, or who

[hecAteTheirBrains]

through their words or actions, has made the world or some part of it, a safer place, or who has rescued a child from a burning building, or has saved an old lady from a knife-wielding robber, or took on the system to fight to end racial segregation, or who spent most of their life in jail because they tried to make a difference or who risks their lives fighting for their country, or....

NOT someone who runs round a track faster than other people running round the track, or someone who pedals the fastest out of a group of people on bicycles.

Yes, I am of course, talking about our Olympic 'heroes' and this parade folks are on about to celebrate the total heroism of taking part in a competition to see who can chuck a stick furthest across a field or paddle a small boat fastest down a stream.

Bollocks.

Great big festering, sore-covered, pus filled weeping, hairy bollocks.

How insulting to call them 'heroes'.

[2shoesdrippingwithblood]

I sort of agree, except for the paralympics.

[TigerFeet]

You're my hero Hecate

[FCH]

Strictly speaking a hero is "a man idealized for posessing superior qualities in any field" so I suppose it is correct as long as the person saying it idealizes them.

Doesn't quite do it for me I must admit... I'd go for admirable, and in some cases inspiring...

[southeastastra]

they were saying this on the radio at lunchtime.

[MorrisZapp]

YANBU but surely it's great that these athletes send such a positive message to kids, ie to engage with sport and to try to be the best they can?

Lots of kids would name sports stars as their 'hero' and if it gets them off the sofa and into any form of physical activity then fair play say I.

(and have you SEEN the thighs on Chris Hoy???)

[PenelopePitstops]

YANBU
well done to them all, but they aren't heros, just bloody good sports people.

[VinegARGHHHTits]

Yes 'hero' doenst seem to be the right word i agree

Olympic Champions would be better

[mayorquimby]

meh each to their own. i think the dedication to their dreams and pursuit of excellence marks them out as perfect role models for children to look up to as heroes.
and the amount of social change that athletes have inspired throughout history is inspiring. you give the examples of fighting for their country, but i don't think i'd take any pride in a relative who was in the army but i understand others do.
as for fighting racial segregation i'd imagine that tommie smith and john carlos did more for fighting racial segregation worl wide than a lot of politicians ever did. ditto muhammed ali and the vietnam war.
basically what i'm saying is everyones definition of a hero is different, so why get so righteous about others definitions?and why take it as an insult to those who you class as heroes? like my examople earlier on, i would not class those fighting in the wars in afghanistan etc as heroes, bt i would certainly not be insulted by others who would.i just accept that their definition is different to mine.

[melpomene]

I agree that just being a good sportsperson, and working hard at it, doesn't really make someone a 'hero'. If they overcome extra obstacles (eg Lance Armstrong still being a champion despite cancer) then perhaps the word could be used.

[Twelvelegs]

I agree, i was thinking that today when someone described the para and ordinary oympians.
Mayor, I think the soldiers are risking their lives for something they believe in.

[nooOOOoonki]

YABU a bit think it is amazing the dedication it takes and the perseverance they put in

I mean I think I am quite amazing for swimming 30 lengths today, but don't expect to be anyones hero

but I would be more than happy for my boys to heroworship some of the olympians as apposed to most crappy celebraties that get so much envy/appreciation/interest from teenagers.

[KimiTrickOrTreat]

YANBU

[LazyLinePainterJane]

YANBU. I agree that it takes an immense amount of dedication and work to become an Olympic champion, but they do it for themselves, no? They do it to win medals, be the best, succeed and make money.

Maybe technically, they could be described as heroes, but that is not what it means to me.

[CountessDracula]

yabu

there is more than one definition of hero

1. In mythology and legend, a man, often of divine ancestry, who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and favored by the gods.
2. A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life
3. A person noted for special achievement in a particular field
4. The principal male character in a novel, poem, or dramatic presentation.

[ivykaty44]

Olympic winners would be what they are.

At least they have done "something" rather than all these "odd people a lists" who don't seem to have done anything but get photographed for doing absolutaly nothing and told they are on a list, whats all that about?

[Claire236]

Olympians are definitely not heroes. I think it's sad people don't regard our military as heroes. However you feel about what's going on in Iraq & Afghanistan I still think risking your life for your country is pretty heroic.

[Twelvelegs]

Me too, I don't support any warbut do believe that these men and women are courageous and heroic.

[mayorquimby]

"Mayor, I think the soldiers are risking their lives for something they believe in."

and that was my point. i don't think they're heroes at all but i don't have any problem with you describing them as heroes.i just accept that you have a different definition of hero and a different moral value system. so if others want to describe olympians as heroes then more power to them.

[Claire236]

Soldiers risk their lives for their country which is heroic. How does that have anything to do with a moral value system?

[mayorquimby]

"Soldiers risk their lives for their country which is heroic. How does that have anything to do with a moral value system? "

because you are making a moral judgment on the worthiness of their cause and their sacrifice.as i've said all along i have no problem with others defining them as heroes but i myself do not see it as heroic and can't understand why people would get angry/upset at others having different definitions or criteria for heroic to them.
i mean in fairness in every war both sides have soldiers sacrificing their lives for their cause.does that make both sets heroic?even the ones who are dong untold damage? a lot of men risked their lives for their country for germany during WW2,would you class them as heroic?or to pick a somewhat more ambiguos (sp) war,how about the troubles in Northern Ireland where i'd class neither side as heroic yet both were fighting for a cause they believed in? as i said i'm not looking for an argument on the rights and wrongs of war. this thread was about someone getting upset about olympians being described as heroes and used the example of people fighting for their country as heroes. i only picked up on that example to illustrate how people have different opinions on what is heroic and shouldn't be insulted by others having a different definition to them.because i personally do not consider those people heroic, but i would never try to deny anyone else the right to define them as heroic to them nor would i take it as insulting to those who i classed as heroes.

[Claire236]

I don't judge the heroism of our military by whether I agree with what they're doing. I don't think we should be in either Iraq or Afghanistan but the fact that our soldiers & their families are willing to make such sacrifices for our country is definitely heroic. Funnily enough I don't regard Nazis, the IRA or any other terrorists as heroic.

[mayorquimby]

"Funnily enough I don't regard Nazis, the IRA or any other terrorists as heroic. "

which is exactly my point.i'd imagine there are thousands of people who view ira members as heroic as they were fighting against an occupying force in their country.you view them as terrorists.and on the other side they would have viewed the british military personel as thugs and not heroic at all.by your definition they were heroic cause they were risking their lives in service of their country. so two people have vastly different judgments and measure of what they consider to be heroic. why get annoyed by someone else not having the same view of heroism as you?

[beanieb]

"I sort of agree, except for the paralympics" really? Why!? Why make an exception for the paralympics?