Heroism Essay

In paralyzing situations such as witnessing a crime and saving a life, ordinary people often perform heroic actions far beyond their normal capabilities.
To begin with, the action doesn’t have to be the superhero stereotypical story. “When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness.” – Joseph Campbell. This means that in any situation where you put another person before yourself you are being heroic in a way. Maybe you stood up for someone in the hallway that was being bullied and sacrificed how people perceived you as being “cool”. Or maybe you just performed a random act of kindness for someone for no reason at all.
Additionally, heroism can be resisting temptations as well. “I tell you that there are terrible temptations which it requires strength, strength and courage to yield to.”- Oscar Wilde. Resisting peer pressure is a good example of being heroic. Being excluded from the “cool” crowd doesn’t sound very fun, but neither does making bad decisions that you’ll have to live with for the rest of your life. Staying away from drugs, and alcohol and those types of things does take courage, a quality of a hero.
Therefore, someone who feels compelled to help people, is courageous, is a friend to anyone and everyone, takes time out of their day for someone else, or just does something to brighten someone’s day, is a hero.
Ultimately, heroes are people like me and you, anybody with the heart and mindset of one. Whether it’s putting someone before you, defending a friend, or just being a hero to yourself by resisting peer pressure, people are often capable of more heroic action than they