What defines a hero? Who are heroes?

What defines a Hero? What is your definition of a hero? As a member of the younger generation, I look up at all these vets and see them as heroes even if they may deny it. As far as I'm concerned vets, fire fighters, police officers, soldiers, doctors/nurses and teachers are all heroes so long as they love what they are doing and do it honorably. If anyone has a different opinion or a similar on just post. I'm open to all ideas.

 

My basic definition is someone who steps above everything that is normail in ww2 terms = A soldier going to fight for his country willing to die for someone else is a hero.

I cant remember where this quote is from but
Quote: It takes a brave man to stand up for himself
But it takes a braver man to stand up for someone else

Well if that is not exactly how it goes please feel free to correct me.

 

My own definition of a hero ?

Someone who knowingly recognises the risk that he or she faces in carrying out a certain course of action but still goes ahead and does it, purely for the common good.

Included in this category will be all those who gave succour, at the risk of their own lives, to any civilian or service man/woman who was fleeing from the enemy.

Many such heros have been recognised as "Righteous Gentiles" at Yad Vashem.

 

I am not a veteran like Ron Goldstien so I can't say for sure.

My neighbor is a Vietnam Vet willing to be interviewed; I'll ask for his opinion.

 

anyone who:
1. Stands up for/protects/saves other people from discimination/fire/criminals.....
2. Stands up for what they believe
3. Fights for thier respective countries and endures the horors of war.

 

Those who give their lifes for a losing-case.

 

Someone who sees what needs to be done and willingly does what others will not while expecting nothing in return.

 

If you ask me, the cemetaries are full of them......

 

Would any vet out there classify yourself as a hero?

 

Who is a hero...those who kill 400 people or shot down 300 planes....those are not for sure. I think the many of the real heros are those who never fought, those who saved Jews hiding them from the Nazis suffering real danger, those who opposed a cruel regime, those who fight for a cause not for simple survival...Maybe an SS who opposes his superiors and helps his enemies. Dying in combat does not mean necessarily to be a hero.

 

Heroes ? though they themselves may not think so, but you have them right here on this very forum, their own names are specially marked in thick blue letters ........

 

Well said E, Churchill nor I, could have said it better.

 

I agree with what most of you have said so far but besides military , police and firefighters there are other people I consider hero’s

Like Lance Armstrong
People that you can look up to

 

sorry even on the cylcing circuit which I have done for years, Lance is NOT a good example of a hero. sure with testicular cancer I would be fighting dang nam hard like he did and I am with my own cancer battle, but to come out even publically which he has done more than once saying I did it myself is a total load of crock. His bod was at the mercy of the doctors and the table and he bloody knows it. He's a fighter and if anything in the positive that is going for him

 

Erich
I can see where you are coming from on this one i don’t think he is a hero because that he beat cancer or how he did it but because of all the people he has helped..

But now that I think about what you said maybe he is not a hero but I do think he is a good role model for people.

 

I agree Carl, nicely put E.

 

I like this definition as well. I especially I like "He didn't go seeking honor, he already had it." Perhaps, that is why our heroes so often don't know they are heroes. They don't aim for heroism, they live - and sometimes die - with honour.

Michelle

 

I completely agree with this view. Heroes are honest human beings who didn't intend to be heroes but even without thinking about it, just take action for others when it's needed. The boy who repeatedly moved in and out of a collapsed school building to pull out his trapped classmates during an earthquake in 1990 in the Philippines is a hero. That boy died when the classroom finally collapsed but he did save many of his classmates. So is the soldier who keeps on fighting against odds to save his buddies is a hero. They are all around us.