Re: The loss of the seemingly timeless concept of "hero" Posted by Bolso Snell on June 16, 1999 at 17:56:38:
In Reply to: The loss of the seemingly timeless concept of "hero" posted by Jason Brice on November 02, 1998 at 19:30:14:
The belief that one's age has degenerated from a noble or heroic state is timeless. The golden age of heroes is always long gone, and those alive today are cursed to live in "interesting" times. The popularity of Millenialism throughout history is evidence. Our fathers were giants, but we are dwarfs; they were brave, we are cowards; they were saints, and we are transgressors deserving punnishment. People think that the world has wound down and is about to end. They are right, of course - the world is always ending and beginning. But if you think about it, were the heroes of the past really so great? Roland the warmonger, Achilles the traitor, Brother-killing Romulus? Abraham from Genesis who tried to murder his son, and abandoned his family in the desert? These were dysfunctional people!
I say, if people want a Moses, they will get one eventually, bringing not only wisdom and courage and whatever other virtues people value, but also the same impetuousness and arrogance of the original Moses. Don't be so quick to blame the media. This has been going on for thousands of years.