Heroes
Who's your hero? A civil rights activist? A brave fireman? Men and women in the armed forces working in dangerous conditions? A lifesaver at a beach?
Should you refer to a person who is a good sportsman or sportswoman as a hero? Opinion piece and comments here. Some would say that it isn't right to refer to sports stars as heroes and to be frank, I don't recall ever hearing any sports stars referring to themselves as heroes. Yet the media heap titles upon them and some people think it's an insult to those who've done more worthy things to deserve that title. Please don't get me wrong - I think that the athletes who achieve these extraordinary athletic feats (swimming, running, fantastic hand-eye coordination, etc.) are remarkable.
One commenter to the opinion piece wrote:
Your ignorance of what the word hero means is astounding. A hero is someone who inspires others. Sorry but I don't see huge rushes of people running to join the army when a soldier is on TV, or to become doctors, nurses, firemen or scientists when those people on TV. So, while they be very good at their jobs, and they may even put in a "heroic" effort, they are not heroes.
Another wrote:
Austrialians love our sporting heroes because they produce things that don't seem possible.
One remarked that words evolve so it's correct to call a sports star with astonishing abilities a 'hero'.
The one that made me think was:
The next time a sportsperson saves a life or intervenes in a situation potentially placing his own life in danger or rescues someone, they will be able labelled a "hero" appropriately. Until then they are just someone who can undertake a physical activity better than others.
Should you refer to a person who is a good sportsman or sportswoman as a hero? Opinion piece and comments here. Some would say that it isn't right to refer to sports stars as heroes and to be frank, I don't recall ever hearing any sports stars referring to themselves as heroes. Yet the media heap titles upon them and some people think it's an insult to those who've done more worthy things to deserve that title. Please don't get me wrong - I think that the athletes who achieve these extraordinary athletic feats (swimming, running, fantastic hand-eye coordination, etc.) are remarkable.
One commenter to the opinion piece wrote:
Your ignorance of what the word hero means is astounding. A hero is someone who inspires others. Sorry but I don't see huge rushes of people running to join the army when a soldier is on TV, or to become doctors, nurses, firemen or scientists when those people on TV. So, while they be very good at their jobs, and they may even put in a "heroic" effort, they are not heroes.
Another wrote:
Austrialians love our sporting heroes because they produce things that don't seem possible.
One remarked that words evolve so it's correct to call a sports star with astonishing abilities a 'hero'.
The one that made me think was:
The next time a sportsperson saves a life or intervenes in a situation potentially placing his own life in danger or rescues someone, they will be able labelled a "hero" appropriately. Until then they are just someone who can undertake a physical activity better than others.