The English Language Has Killed the "Hero"

The word Hero has fallen from our tongues and is flailing around on the ground slowly dying. Why has this happened and what can we do to understand the true meaning?

Definition of a Hero:

A remarkably brave person. Somebody who commits an act of remarkable bravery or who has shown great courage or strength of character.

The Story:

I hope this article opens your minds, even to argue the point with me. I welcome debate. I am concerned today with the news, people and even some dictionaries. People like you and I run around telling the world about their hero's. They talk about the rich, beautiful and superstars as their hero's. Is a professional football player a hero? The answer is quite simply NO. What has happen to our society? Why are people who are famous elevated to the stature of hero's? Yes I see that they are great inspirations; but when did the line between a hero and an inspiration fall and die? I am excited when people talk to me about their inspirations. I myself have people who I follow, who inspire me daily but are they hero's, no.

I recall a story of a town going through a flash flood. People were trying to escape over a bridge before it was washed away. A woman's baby somehow went over the bridge and fell into the raging water. A man saw what happened and before his brain could even contemplate the danger he threw himself into the water. He got to the baby and with no consideration for his own safety he used his strength to hold the baby out of the water while he himself was being hit by branches. He was also not able to keep himself about water. The man and the baby survived and needless to say the mother was very appreciative.

My question to you is. When did a man who plays football, model or anybody else come into the same category as that man? This world needs to remember the difference between the inspirational person and the hero. Our language is dying a slow and painful death and meanings of words are dissolving.

In closing I wish to say keep your inspirations, I don't condemn them or say those people you look up to are not great and inspiring. Just know difference between them and don't let the verbal and written word to fade away.