Heroes
By now, most movie buffs in the world should have already caught Star Wars 3. I trust that most of my readers are current enough to have already watched it, unless they happen to one of the Anti-Star Wars breed.
I happen to be in that category too. While I do not deride and mock at the film as how my co-blogger does, I find the appeal of the show elusive. While the graphics and fight scenes were sure-winner elements of a blockbuster, other aspects of the film didn't captivate me as much.
Perhaps I never had an interest in sci-fi stuff. Perhaps I couldn't stand Hayden Christenson's one-note expression on his face. Perhaps I was just pissed that Mace Windu died and Yoda failed to kill Darth Sidious.
And yet, the show got me thinking. About heroes. I thought about what being a hero entails. Clearly, it isn't as simplistic as being the guy that saves the day. Anakin Skywalker rescued the city countless times, and yet in the end, had his heart tainted with lust for power, in the process losing his conscience and humanity. His master, Obi-Wan was shocked. The jedis in the temple never expected him to massacre them. In their eyes, he was a hero. Larger than life, glorified by all, elevated to the position of a saint. But often the heroes in our lives make mistakes and fall from the heavens, like Lucifer did.
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I remember when I was much younger, my hero was, well, Optimus Prime. You know, the good Transformer in the cartoon? Certainly, he does not qualify for the status of a hero technically, since he isn't even a human being to begin with. But it was the innate qualities he had -- bravery, strength, integrity, loyalty -- that had me so in admiration of him ( or 'it', for that matter). Aren't these all qualities that we emphasize on so much? Likewise till these day, these are some qualities that I espouse.
Of course growing up, your perception of heroism evolves a little, and new heroes/objects of admiration come into your life. I transitted from the phase where robots and pixies and dwarves were a large part of my life, to another phase where textbooks were an even larger part of my life. And then, when you finally reach that stage, where you realize that there is no Optimus Prime, or Batman, or Superman, you finally decide to make another human being your role model.
Initially, my first real (human) hero I admired was Eric Cantona, the infamous former Manchester United captain. Then a young boy captivated by the thrills and technicalities and aesthetic qualities of soccer, passion and love for a football club and admiration for certain players were inevitable. It was a natural progression for a young soccer loving boy to view this player as larger than life, in the process elevating him to the status of a deity. His charisma, his strength, fighting spirit, flamboyance, and even arrogance were something that gripped my attention and admiration so tightly.
Then I started seeing the ugly. His outbursts of temper on the field, the occasional tendency to play dirty for the sake of acquiring a victory -- already the norm in standard soccer games nowadays, especially the English Premier league-- finally got me crashing back to solid ground, forcing me to be down to earth.
Perhaps it was more his talent that kept me in awe. He did possess great leadership, charisma, and fighting spirit. I still respect and desire those qualities, and yet I came to view him as what he really was: a human. And he was a human with flaws he did not seek to overcome.
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No man is an island; likewise no man is perfect.
Sometimes we view our heroes with such admiration, we see only the sheen of grandeur wrapping around them. We often see the facade; seldom the true depths of their heart. We fail to see their weaknesses, as we should, because it is only then we come into a realistic picture and perception of the true identity of our hero. Often when we admire someone so much, when certain people in our society are held in such high esteem by all, these people always fall in some way. Then our world is shattered; it is never possible to piece those fragmented portions of our heart together again.
I remember when I was much younger, a primary school kid. My dad may have visible imperfections, it was apparent to all. And yet I really looked up to him. He used to be in the basketball team of St Joseph's Institution, he was one of the few in his generation to end up in university, and he was an excellent student in his various institutions of education. He was the one who got me supporting Manchester United, not to mention. Imagine my shock when I found out in secondary 1 he was some sort of a porn addict. I remember my state of shock and disbelief. Porn is extremely common nowadays, don't get me wrong. But when your dad is in his 50s with a dying sex drive, and you've for life viewed him as a devoted family man, it is hard to fathom his penchant for salacious internet content. Also, you wonder if he doing it behind the back of your mother was tantamount to cheating. Of course, my mother eventually found out, but I'll spare you the details.
I guess that's why comic characters like Spiderman, Superman and Batman are so popular. These writers portray them as tragically human, grappling with human weaknesses. They are shown as ordinary humans plagued with crippling faults, and yet blessed with extraordinary powers. They learn to cope with their powers and their weaknesses after they come into realization that they possess extraordinary abilities. Comic characters are thus really in essence, what this world will never give us.
We don't get power and authority thrown onto us first without proving our integrity and striving to overcome our weaknesses. Which is pretty much unlike some comic characters, who only learn responsibility and integrity AFTER they get their powers.
****************************************************************
Well, I still have many role models in my life. I admire and respect many people for certain qualities they possess which I feel I lack, or which I strive to achieve. Still, there is only one real hero in my life now. He was human, and yet perfect. He had qualities I still constantly strive to possess-- strength, wisdom, determination, love and courage.
"Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried out sorrows;....
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed."
I happen to be in that category too. While I do not deride and mock at the film as how my co-blogger does, I find the appeal of the show elusive. While the graphics and fight scenes were sure-winner elements of a blockbuster, other aspects of the film didn't captivate me as much.
Perhaps I never had an interest in sci-fi stuff. Perhaps I couldn't stand Hayden Christenson's one-note expression on his face. Perhaps I was just pissed that Mace Windu died and Yoda failed to kill Darth Sidious.
And yet, the show got me thinking. About heroes. I thought about what being a hero entails. Clearly, it isn't as simplistic as being the guy that saves the day. Anakin Skywalker rescued the city countless times, and yet in the end, had his heart tainted with lust for power, in the process losing his conscience and humanity. His master, Obi-Wan was shocked. The jedis in the temple never expected him to massacre them. In their eyes, he was a hero. Larger than life, glorified by all, elevated to the position of a saint. But often the heroes in our lives make mistakes and fall from the heavens, like Lucifer did.
*************************************************************
I remember when I was much younger, my hero was, well, Optimus Prime. You know, the good Transformer in the cartoon? Certainly, he does not qualify for the status of a hero technically, since he isn't even a human being to begin with. But it was the innate qualities he had -- bravery, strength, integrity, loyalty -- that had me so in admiration of him ( or 'it', for that matter). Aren't these all qualities that we emphasize on so much? Likewise till these day, these are some qualities that I espouse.
Of course growing up, your perception of heroism evolves a little, and new heroes/objects of admiration come into your life. I transitted from the phase where robots and pixies and dwarves were a large part of my life, to another phase where textbooks were an even larger part of my life. And then, when you finally reach that stage, where you realize that there is no Optimus Prime, or Batman, or Superman, you finally decide to make another human being your role model.
Initially, my first real (human) hero I admired was Eric Cantona, the infamous former Manchester United captain. Then a young boy captivated by the thrills and technicalities and aesthetic qualities of soccer, passion and love for a football club and admiration for certain players were inevitable. It was a natural progression for a young soccer loving boy to view this player as larger than life, in the process elevating him to the status of a deity. His charisma, his strength, fighting spirit, flamboyance, and even arrogance were something that gripped my attention and admiration so tightly.
Then I started seeing the ugly. His outbursts of temper on the field, the occasional tendency to play dirty for the sake of acquiring a victory -- already the norm in standard soccer games nowadays, especially the English Premier league-- finally got me crashing back to solid ground, forcing me to be down to earth.
Perhaps it was more his talent that kept me in awe. He did possess great leadership, charisma, and fighting spirit. I still respect and desire those qualities, and yet I came to view him as what he really was: a human. And he was a human with flaws he did not seek to overcome.
************************************************************
No man is an island; likewise no man is perfect.
Sometimes we view our heroes with such admiration, we see only the sheen of grandeur wrapping around them. We often see the facade; seldom the true depths of their heart. We fail to see their weaknesses, as we should, because it is only then we come into a realistic picture and perception of the true identity of our hero. Often when we admire someone so much, when certain people in our society are held in such high esteem by all, these people always fall in some way. Then our world is shattered; it is never possible to piece those fragmented portions of our heart together again.
I remember when I was much younger, a primary school kid. My dad may have visible imperfections, it was apparent to all. And yet I really looked up to him. He used to be in the basketball team of St Joseph's Institution, he was one of the few in his generation to end up in university, and he was an excellent student in his various institutions of education. He was the one who got me supporting Manchester United, not to mention. Imagine my shock when I found out in secondary 1 he was some sort of a porn addict. I remember my state of shock and disbelief. Porn is extremely common nowadays, don't get me wrong. But when your dad is in his 50s with a dying sex drive, and you've for life viewed him as a devoted family man, it is hard to fathom his penchant for salacious internet content. Also, you wonder if he doing it behind the back of your mother was tantamount to cheating. Of course, my mother eventually found out, but I'll spare you the details.
I guess that's why comic characters like Spiderman, Superman and Batman are so popular. These writers portray them as tragically human, grappling with human weaknesses. They are shown as ordinary humans plagued with crippling faults, and yet blessed with extraordinary powers. They learn to cope with their powers and their weaknesses after they come into realization that they possess extraordinary abilities. Comic characters are thus really in essence, what this world will never give us.
We don't get power and authority thrown onto us first without proving our integrity and striving to overcome our weaknesses. Which is pretty much unlike some comic characters, who only learn responsibility and integrity AFTER they get their powers.
****************************************************************
Well, I still have many role models in my life. I admire and respect many people for certain qualities they possess which I feel I lack, or which I strive to achieve. Still, there is only one real hero in my life now. He was human, and yet perfect. He had qualities I still constantly strive to possess-- strength, wisdom, determination, love and courage.
"Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried out sorrows;....
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed."
