Heroes

On Tuesday this week Sir Captain Tom Moore died, aged 100 having received more praise and recognition in the last year than he had perhaps previously received in a  lifetime. His intention to raise £1000 for the NHS by walking round his garden 100 times captured the imagination of many and provided a welcome ‘good news story’ at a time of national gloom and fear.  We were astounded as the sums raised soared into the thousands and ultimately the millions. He has been hailed as a national hero and there are calls for a statue in his honour.

This set me pondering over several questions. What is a hero? Was Captain Tom a hero? Do we need heroes’?  Wikipedia defines a hero (or heroine) as someone who in the face of danger combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage or strength. In classical times heroes were warriors who lived and died in pursuit of honour. Nowadays we prefer to see our heroes as being selfless and in some way serving the common good. Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and Mother Teresa might all be cited as examples of modern heroes, although some people may beg to differ.

The psychologist Philip Zimbardo has spent many years studying good and evil trying to understand the conditions under which apparently ‘normal’ people might carry out acts which could be described as callous or brutal . But he is also interested in exploring the conditions which encourage pro-social, altruistic and heroic behaviour. He argues that there is a difference between altruism and heroism. Whereas altruism emphasises selfless acts that assist others, heroism involves commitment to a noble purpose and a willingness to act despite potential danger or risk to oneself.  Many people have argued that as a society we need heroes. They can be seen to symbolise the qualities we’d like to possess, they can inspire us, give hope and help us see how adversity can be overcome. They can help us aspire to become better, stronger, more compassionate. It can certainly be said that in the early days of the pandemic we needed a person or a story to provide hope and there was a strong desire for a sense of being united in common purpose.

Yet, without wishing to diminish Captain Tom’s achievement in any way, I can’t help but feel that we may be elevating him beyond what might be warranted by his actions. That may not be a bad thing but I think it worth reflecting on whether it might  be true.  I ask myself, if he had walked round his garden 100 times and raised £1000 would he still be held up as a national hero?  Did his heroic status rise with each additional million?  And to what extent were these millions a result of the extensive media coverage he received as opposed to his own actions? He clearly was a genuine, good man but I would argue his heroism is more a consequence of the nation’s need to tell an uplifting story of hope and to be seen to be united in its support for the NHS.

 Everyday there are people who take greater personal risks, who put the needs of others before their own. There are people who embark on physical challenges to raise money for charities and people who silently give. Zimbardo says that there is a hero in each and everyone of us but that hero needs the right opportunity if it is to emerge.  Perhaps what we see in Captain Tom is the potential hero we hope for in ourselves, perhaps he just embodies many qualities which we value. The fact that he walked 100 times around his garden is an incidental. What really mattered was his apparent cheerful spirit, his warmth and his determination.  

There is much discussion these days about statues as we recognise that some of those who were held in high esteem in the past may no longer be seen as representing modern ideals and values. But one thing I think we are gradually realising is that few of us ever achieve anything entirely on our own. Perhaps the days of the individual hero are finally numbered.  It is teams of doctors and nurses who have worked so tirelessly in recent months. Teams of carers have looked after the elderly and vulnerable  and teams of teachers have taught the young. Teams of scientists have worked long into the night to create the vaccines we need. So many heroes.  Perhaps we do need a statue which represents the heroism shown by so many during this pandemic. It might include Captain Tom, but let it represent the thousands of other heroes who have worked selflessly and tirelessly at great personal risk and with great personal sacrifice.

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_makes_a_hero