The Hero Complex

We all want to be heroes. I can remember being a kid and imagining I was Batman or Spiderman. Even at this age, I dream of being brave and strong and indestructible. The thing is, even if I was those things, that wouldn't make me a hero.

There was a time when being a hero meant something. It wasn't too long ago. But the title means little now. Everyone is a hero. All you have to do is donate blood or wear a mask or rat out a neighbor who is barbecuing without a permit or not wearing a mask.

A few months ago, I was ratted out at my local grocery store for not wearing a mask. Did the person who ran to the manager to snitch on me earn the title of Hero? Of course not. There was no risk and no good deed was performed. All there was, was an individual who wants to feel good about himself pointing a finger at someone who wasn't marching along with the parade.

Years ago, it was recycling that made you a hero. Commercials make heroes out of moms who make a sandwich for their kids. The result is that the title is cheapened. Who the hell wants to be a hero when everyone else is a hero? If you want to be special, you're going to have to go full anti-hero. It's the only way.

Nurses and grocery store workers are not heroes. Sorry, but that's the truth. Cops and firefighters are sometimes heroes, but not always. Heroics are not a matter of daily life.

Heroic is defined as "behavior or talk that is bold or dramatic, especially excessively or unexpectedly so."

Excessive or unexpected? Grocery store workers? Why? Because they're at work? Not good enough. By that standard, we're going to have to start loving Walmart and DMV employees and I'm willing to bet none of you will do that. Now, if there is a robbery or an attempted mugging and a bag boy puts a paper bag over the bad guy's head and holds him down until the cops come, he is indeed a hero. Putting my Oreos in a bag ain't heroic, I don't care what viruses are floating around.

I don't mean to take anything away from anyone who has earned it, but we have to stop throwing words around. Calling everyone a hero is no different than calling everyone special. If we all are, then none of us are.




Adolfo Jimenez is an author, poet, and blogger. He lives in Hollywood, Florida. He has published nine books, which you can find here.







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