Are Astronauts Heroes?

[katyseagull]

Do you guys think of astronauts as heroes? I remember asking diebitter this question months ago and he said he felt they were but I don't remember him giving me a reason.


While we’re at it, would you consider these people heroes?

- police officers/firemen
- soldiers
- sports figures
- teachers
- politicians
- artists (eg. John Lennon or perhaps a filmmaker you love)

- how about your parents?



Are heroes only for kids? I know a couple guys who talk about NASCAR drivers as if they are heroes. I know this girl who thinks all cops are heroes. She’s really gaga over cops. The whole sports-hero thing seems to cross all age barriers and all cultures. And have you noticed how every presidential election we get some candidate who stands up on that podium and talks about teachers as if they are heroic? [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] Someone explain that one to me!

I read somewhere that the majority of people cite their own parents as their heroes. That’s kinda cool if you think about it, but aren’t parents supposed to be there for their kids? How is this really heroic? People must have differing definitions of the word "hero".


So anyway, back to astronauts...Why do we perpetuate the astronaut-hero myth? Someone explain it to me. All my life I’ve been told that astronauts are heroes but I’m not really sure why. Are they heroes if they're in it for the glory or if they spend their entire career behind a desk?

thanks.