Searching For A HeroEssay Preview: Searching For A HeroReport this essayIt was a lonely Saturday night. It was just me, my rusty recliner, a bag of Orville Redenbachers popcorn from the Dollar Store, and a pirated copy of the culturally iconic movie ÐFootloose. One hundred ten calories and an hour later, I found myself gazing at Lori Singer dancing to the tunes of Bonnie Tylers “Holding out for a Hero”.
“I need a hero, Im holding out for a hero til the end of the nightHes gotta be strong, and hes gotta be fast. And hes gotta be fresh from the fight ”Throughout the movie and even afterwards, the song kept playing itself on and on in my head. Its surprising how a lonely Saturday night can raise a thought-provoking question; in this case being ÐWhat is a hero? Did Bonnie Tyler truly believe that the only criteria for being a hero was that they should be strong and fast? According to the definition provided by the Websters dictionary, a hero is “any person admired for noble qualities or special achievements.” This definition does not serve our purpose as we do not live in a simple world and our convoluted society more often than not, demands the questions “What are noble qualities?” and “What achievements do we consider special?” Heroes are probably the people who possess the capability to do tasks which will provide an array of benefits to a society, tasks which a greater section of the society would find unthinkable and even impossible to perform. When I saw how Ren, the protagonist of the movie Footloose played by Kevin Bacon, charismatically wooed a whole town into embracing rock and dance music, I decided that a hero was in fact a go-to guy, a guy whom we all looked up to for reassurance, and someone we could always count our hopes on. Heroes were always the people I wish I was like. At times I wished I had the strength and confidence of Muhammad Ali, and at times I yearned for the innocence and charisma of John Lennon.
The lonely Saturday night was steadily kicking in. I found myself flipping through channels at a lightning pace. It wasnt like I had anything better to do. And then I happened to come across a rendition of John Lennons “Working Class Hero by Green Day. When somebody mentions the name John Lennon, a few words come to my mind. Rebel without a cause, free thinker, alcohol, cocaine, The Beatles, Love, a poet, a subtle bundle of contradictions, a jigsaw puzzle of idiosyncrasies, cultural icon; and most significantly, a hero. John Winston Lennon was born during the course of a German air raid in World War II. The man, who was raised in violence and subsequently died as a result of violence at the hands of Mark David Chapman, was a source of inspiration to those of us who have always maintained the simple-minded mentality that art can change the world. During the same period when John Lennon was whipping out a generation worth of musical classics like “Give Peace A Chance, a twenty three year old boxer was defending the world heavyweight title against Sonny Liston. One of the most controversial bouts in boxing history. The score-card of the bout simply summarized ÐFirst Round, First Minute. Total Knock Out. Standing over his recovering opponent and literally screaming at him to get up, the twenty three year old pumped his glove clad fists in the air to celebrate his victory. (Kram)That boxer was none other than Muhammad Ali, the Sports Illustrated ÐChampion of the Century and the self proclaimed Champion of the World. Both John Lennon and Muhammad Ali were undoubtedly heroes in their own rights, but what qualities did they possess which earned them a scribble in the annals of history?
Muhammad Alis professional boxing record of 56 wins attests his physical prowess in the boxing ring. But the factor which raised him to the stature of a hero was his sheer confidence. Early on in his career, Ali predicted the rounds in which his opponents would fall to his vicious blows. While this form of arrogance may seem as it is a by-product of his several inferiority complexes, it actually is a feeling of fearlessness and domination. A trait noticed in a traditional war-mongering hero. It should be noted that Alis arrogance didnt stem from the fact that he was insecure about his skill, and thus felt the need to prove his strength at any given point. His arrogance was a cumulative product of his victories over his competitors. It is a well known fact that Ali did not pass the American armys basic mental examination. When asked if he had performed below par as a means to evade service in the army, he replied “I only said I was the greatest, not the smartest” (Myers). The statement made by Ali is a testament to his honesty. He acknowledged that he would rather be on a higher ground morally, than be more intelligent. Even though Ali lost against contemporaries like Joe Frazier and George Foreman, he fought valiantly. With his confidence, honesty and unprecedented courage, Ali brought about a positive hysteria to the Americans who were still reeling from an agitated phase in the 60s and 70s period American History which marked the advent of the Vietnam war and the Civil Rights revolution. Ali always professed his faith in God before each fight, he spoke of humanity, he spoke of the starving poor, he expressed his sympathy for the downtrodden, and he truly electrified the sport of boxing. He truly and definitely stood up for something of a higher cause and because of this, the people who rushed into the boxing bouts and chanted ecstatically at his mention, stood up for something of a higher cause too. (Walter)
If Muhammad Ali had 56 wins to his belt, John Lennon had a legacy. John Lennon was one of the first musical artists who used rock music as a means to make political statements. John Lennon tried to persuade a convoluted and self-obsessed society to realize that peace and love would definitely overcome the odds of vicious violence, and bring out the hope that people could come to terms with each others social, cultural and religious beliefs. Like Ali, John Lennon had propagated an idealism which got people through the dark days following the Vietnam conflict, and the series of political scandals which we all collectively known as the Watergate disasters. If Alis confidence, arrogance and courage proved his heroism, Lennons unblemished innocence made him a legend. His revolutionary ideals made him a legend. His humour, inexplicable spontaneity, and his belief in humanity made him a legend. John Lennon was my hero just because he was my voice; he always said what I was thinking. (Nation) Even while
I was still alive, I remember saying that I believe in a world in which all men, women, and children of all ages are endowed with the capacity to build peace, harmony, and happiness. This is simply what I believe: that if peace and love can be achieved, the world is made of two nations and a culture of friendship and love. I believe that there are two worlds at work within the human psyche, each one of a kind. When we are all present at the same time, with our hearts and the love we carry, then the world is made of two nations and the love of all men will always be in one, which is the future. I believe in a future in which our individual, collective lives are a constant and constant challenge to each other. The moment we get into a situation that is extremely wrong, we may need to learn about the ways that we can build to create a more perfect future. If you believe in me, you are a person who can help make a better future for all of us in the United States, New Zealand, India, Canada, and worldwide:
In my capacity as Secretary of State, I have made numerous efforts to bring about a world with a peace between America, Europe, and China.<3>
These efforts have always been based on my understanding that in today’s world of power dynamics, everyone in our society needs a strong leader—a leader who will carry their message on their own behalf. This leadership is not someone who will fight tooth and nail to win back power for America or Europe.<4>
I believe that the global conflict can be divided into two big groups: those who want to take back power from America to China, and those who will fight to keep it in place.<5>
I believe that the current regional conflict has a great deal to teach us about the ways in which we can build a better world through a peaceful way. This will help develop an environment where we both can benefit from the world’s economic diversification and opportunities:
We are making clear that a world government could and should have no role in the world. I believe America’s position on climate change and the world’s environmental challenge will only benefit Washington. We can no longer afford to use our money to give those nations who are in this mess how much money we need to stay on the hook for our problems. This also means we can no longer afford to cut back on environmental stewardship and action with this Administration and I hope that that can be changed by the same person who is putting our hand up to the table and proposing this solution. If the same person is willing to be a part of both of these initiatives, then both of us can build a better world. Once we are successful at getting to the agreement on the Kyoto Protocol, I believe that both of us can ensure that we can continue as a world leader for the benefit of all of humanity in the Asia Pacific region.
My hope is that both of us can eventually become leaders for a world in which human and moral rights can be guaranteed for everyone at all levels, as well as helping millions of people realize that living in peace is the most sacred of all human values and is the way to live a normal, happy, and prosperous life.<6>
I have been the Chairman of the UN Development Programme between 2001 and 2003.
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