You could be considered a hero, doesn’t mean you will be. It’s just a matter of perspective.
Hero is a socially conferred title. So is villain. These titles only have meaning within the human social sphere.
I think the way the brain might consider these distinctions, at least in part, is relative to what could be called “self-perception.”
I think this because someone who sits in their room all day out of fear of the outside world (and then finally comes out) is not likely to be perceived as heroic by me (or I’d wager many people at all) because, among other things, I do not share their fear.
Someone who is afraid of drinking juice and then suddenly finds the will to do it won’t be perceived as heroic by me (and again I’d wager not many other people either) because, among other things, I do not share their fear.
They are indeed displaying forms of courage but as I said before courage seems to me to be only one part of the “hero equation.” I’m not entirely sure how to perfectly articulate the other parts but I definitely think they have to do with the recognition of common purpose and concern, the sense of a duty being performed on one’s behalf and the sense that I’d actually be afraid to do their job. There might be other things going on in my brain but those are the ones I’m at least consciously aware of and able to articulate.
I am afraid to go to war. I am afraid of that sort of environment. I do recognize a common purpose and concern with the troops. I do recognize that they’re performing a duty on my behalf. So when our troops go to war, regardless of the reason, I still admire them and view their acts and sacrifices as heroic.
Perhaps lots of people feel the way I do about this country and the troops which may be why so many people view our fallen soldiers as heroes. Whatever the exact cause, it definitely seems to be a common social feeling.
When people try to degrade the acts and sacrifices of our servicemen, they risk bringing upon them the social wrath of those who disagree with them. That’s exactly what happened to this reporter and he was correctly chastised in my opinion, as would be anyone else who said what he said.
This is my case in point. They’re heroes to you because you sympathize with their plight. I don’t.
The positivity or negativity conferred depends on which side one is on and which cause one supports.
They were probably considered heroes to other SS troopers and the German people, particularly the ones who hated Jews. Obviously I wouldn’t call them heroes because they would’ve been enemies to me. I’m more inclined to view my enemies as villains than heroes, regardless of how much courage they might display.
Well they’re different to me because I am an American. I’m not an Iraqi or an Afghani. I don’t have any reason to have any compassion for them. They’re the enemy to me.
I’m really not surprised that libertarians view the american military as villainous. It makes sense and it’s consistent with the libertarian worldview. But not everyone is a libertarian.