People tend to stereotypically perceive the hero based on the books they read and the movies they see. In those examples, heroism was defined by the notion that someone does something outstanding that others cannot imagine. They have neither the powers to complete heroic tasks nor exceptional courage. For instance, saving thousands of people from imminent death without fear for their own lives and with the risk of dying is heroic.
However, a different type of heroism is achievable for most individuals in our society. People can live according to moral principles and promote the common good. These actions might not seem worthy of the heroic name, but they contribute to improving life in the community. Therefore, the notion of heroism implies steps that all individuals can take to improve the lives of others.
Altruism and ethical background are the critical factors related to heroism that can be achieved daily. The Stanford Prison Experiment demonstrates that individuals who can distinguish right from wrong and are not afraid to oppose the opinions of authorities and the rest of the group members can be regarded as heroes (Zimbardo, 2007).
Non-conformity is exceptional because it is contrary to the instinctive behavior of humans, who generally want to be part of a group. It is the ancient mechanism responsible for a person’s survival, as in the past and under challenging conditions, people could not exist without the community’s support (Large et al., 2019). All these details suggest that, although conformity is natural, it often has negative consequences, particularly when people submit to the decisions of the majority and authorities.
It is possible to illustrate the everyday heroism of people who are not afraid to stand against immorality and evil, using historical examples. Not everyone in Germany supported the Nazi regime during World War II, and they understood that it was the mass assassination of innocent people due to the vicious ideology. Some hid the Jews from the police and army to protect them, even though they risked becoming the victims themselves (Sznaider, 2020).
They acted according to their perception of morality and their views on what was acceptable, while the rest of the society obeyed the laws of the Nazi regime. It allows for discussing everyday heroism that does not involve dramatic actions, as often depicted in popular movies about heroes. When people learn about these stories of heroes who do not make grandiose actions but whose contribution to the common good is essential, they understand how heroism works. As a result, they can do similar things in their lives.
A person can be trained, educated, or programmed to become a hero with the appropriate moral upbringing. If individuals understand what is ethically acceptable and what is not, they can make informed decisions about their own situations. Examples of people who perform heroic actions in their daily lives can inspire those who learn about heroism. It provides them with examples of how to improve the lives of others, assist those in need, and contribute to making society a better place to live. It allows us to state that the positive example of heroism that can occur without exceptional circumstances is an effective way to show people that everything is within their hands and that they can make a difference.
References
Large, I., Pellicano, E., Mojzisch, A., & Krug, K. (2019). Developmental trajectory of social influence integration into perceptual decisions in children. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 116(7), 2713–2722.
Sznaider, N. (2020). The clogged toilet of German guilt: German questions and universal answers. KulturPoetik, 20(1), 78–90.
Zimbardo, P. G. (2007). The Lucifer effect: Understanding how good people turn evil. Random House.