Forums of the Megaverse®

prophet118 wrote:no, whats sad is they treat it as a disease.

Leave it to a psychiatrist to refer to heroism as stupidity.

..Just looking through the first lines of the responses to the article seems to show a majority for stepping up and helping, although there's probably a bias there revolving around people actually seeking out stories like this.

..The simple fact is this world needs more real life heroes. The success of movies like Spider-man 1 & 2 are proof of that. Notice in each film he pulls someone from a burning building? Thats because since 9/11 we've realized that firefighters are everyday heroes that exist.

..I do take issue however with societies pervasive notion that the typical person perpetrating a crime is evil. Most people doing something illegal have just had one bad day too many, or have found themselves in a position where it's all they know. Condemning something we don't understand won't make it go away, we have to learn what it is and solve the problems that cause it, such as poverty, lack of a good education and lack of opportunities.

-Mike >8]

Want an even stupider one?

A few years ago, the City of Winnipeg Police Department, in response to a civilian becoming involved and holding a bad guy for them, issued a statemement stating that:
a) becoming involved is dangerous (duh! )
b) members of the general public should not become involved because they are not trained (duh! )
c) civilians should simply call for help and step back.

I never heard such a load of pucky in my LIFE!

a) No freaking kidding! You never know if the jacka$$ you're discouraging is armed.
b) Second most stupid statement they made in one statement - after all, not even every cop out there is fully trained to deal with what they find out there, and the general public does not generally take ANY relevant training!
c) Excuse me? As a citizen of this city, and a member of this society, it is my RESPONSIBILITY to become involved! If nobody becomes involved, the society collapses.

This is the only item I will admit is superior in the educational system of the US over Canada..."Civics." A course designed to create better citizens. (However, whether it works or not, I'll leave to an American. )

Some people even have a genetic inclination to help.

"All people have the gene, but it's stronger in some than in others, just like some people have blue eyes and some have brown," Krebs said.

It's evolved from nature and is most obvious in insects like bees that will commit suicide to protect their colonies.

I agree with this. My father once lifted a car off of some people in a roadside crash outside our home when I was a kid, years later, I have chased off street kids spray painting walls in Sydney, talked agressive drunks down at parties and held back a well meaning, but underequiped guy who was about to step in during a bar brawl between a couple of drunk fishermen with pool cues.. I would not hesitate to put myself in danger to help others, as a matter of fact I am facing accusations from a university professor (for 'harrassment') because I'm an officer of the Student Union and I took offence at his treatment of a Palestinian student seeking to come and study at our university, and the tasteless reply by the professor that the student should ask Yassir Arafat for some money.

Is that heroic? Or do I just not suffer fools lightly?

Miller could have been partially inspired by his frustration over the Brianne Voth case.

The Port Coquitlam teen was murdered and neighbours ignored her cries for help.

"I used to run in the area she was found and it astounds me that people at that time could not do what seemed so obvious, to examine what was wrong at the time," Miller said.

"I come from a community where people stick their head out the door when house alarm goes off. It's who we are and what we do. It's who we all should be."

People who stayed in bed while they heard Voth crying are still suffering guilt over their reaction, something Riar said could stay with them longer than the post-traumatic stress disorders suffered by heroes.

So there you go, its less healthy to not help.
Our society lives in fear, and forgive me if I think this syndrome is worse in America.. hence all the locked doors and hand guns.. its a side effect of the media, who cram stories of horror and shock at us because scared people tend to buy more stuff.. remember Y2K and all the people buying water, batteries and canned foods?
Recall that pep talk by Mel Gibson as he portrayed William Wallace?
Run and you will live, and years from now, lying dying in your bed, would you trade all the days from now till then to have stood today and made a difference?

I would.

Heroism is simply helping others at the potential risk of one's self

the word is used way to often though because we are looking for real life heroes and forget to look at the everday heroes

people who survive an accident or come home a live from a captive situation etc are not heroes survivors ok but not heroes

FD and PD are heroes (mostly)

and I don't think it's simple genetics
I think it's mor elike 1 who you are when you are born. You may call it genetics but that doesn't stop one person from becoming a hero and another rom just sitting like a bump on a log while someone else gets beaten
and of course environment like other teaching you to do the right thing like say a father stopping to help others at the roadside

......so, now because of this, having the propensity to help out your fellow upright biped is a psychological defect?

Sounds to me like all the world's greatest villians thoughout the ages are giving a standing ovation at this.....

BookWyrm wrote:......so, now because of this, having the propensity to help out your fellow upright biped is a psychological defect?

Sounds to me like all the world's greatest villians thoughout the ages are giving a standing ovation at this.....

BRAVO!

Dr. Doom III wrote:

BookWyrm wrote:......so, now because of this, having the propensity to help out your fellow upright biped is a psychological defect?

Sounds to me like all the world's greatest villians thoughout the ages are giving a standing ovation at this.....

BRAVO!

..while somewhat amusing on it's surface, I think that this is out of character for Dr. Doom. He's an upstanding character who's willing to go as far as necessary to make his world a better place, Aberrant to a tee, so Heroics are right up his alley.

-Mike >8]

MADMANMIKE wrote:..while somewhat amusing on it's surface, I think that this is out of character for Dr. Doom. He's an upstanding character who's willing to go as far as necessary to make his world a better place, Aberrant to a tee, so Heroics are right up his alley.

-Mike >8]

Just somewhat?
Geesh Doom is losing his touch.

Dr. Doom III wrote:

MADMANMIKE wrote:..while somewhat amusing on it's surface, I think that this is out of character for Dr. Doom. He's an upstanding character who's willing to go as far as necessary to make his world a better place, Aberrant to a tee, so Heroics are right up his alley.

-Mike >8]

Just somewhat?
Geesh Doom is losing his touch.

..There is no humor where honor and suggested infractions thereof are concerened. I was being generous.

-Mike