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.

[ItalianFX]

I think you need to start by having a common definition of "Hero" as "Hero" means different things to different people.

[katyseagull]

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I think you need to start by having a common definition of "Hero" as "Hero" means different things to different people.

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I'm interested in what everyone's idea of "hero" is. Tell me how you define it.

Here's what the dictionary said:

Hero - a man distinguished by courage or ability, admired for brave deeds and noble qualities.


I guess for me, a hero would be someone who places his own needs and safety second, in order to make considerable sacrifies for the good of others. However, being paid to do something sort of negates the "hero" aspect for me, as does parenting. What I mean is a parent ought to sacrifice and protect her kids, this should not be thought of as heroic. Likewise, a doctor ought to help try to heal patients. This is not heroic either.

[Rick Nebiolo]

Katy,

If you haven't already read Tom Wolfe's "The Right Stuff" about the original Mercury Seven (or just rent/buy the movie; very underrated IMO). I can't imagine not believing they were heroes after that read.

As the other poster mentioned Hero needs to be defined but by my definition they generally would top your list (even today going up in that aging shuttle).

~ Rick

PS If you want to get an idea of the book just hang around a chain bookstore with a coffee/latte whatever and read the chapter called "Yeager". It sort of stands alone and was excerpted in I think Atlantic Monthly (or maybe Esquire) before the book came out. (BTW, possible good thread topic: Is a Chain bookstore mostly a library, a place to get coffee and pastry, a place that sells books, or a place to pick up/meet smart chicks/guys?)

[katyseagull]

Ok, the first bunch of astronauts I can see as being heroic. Those must have been very uncertain times and yeah a whole new science. But the new crop I'm just not sure about. I know a bunch of people who have told me they would do it in a heartbeat, just to be able to say they did it. Just for the rush. Ask anyone around you. 50% of your friends will tell you that they'd go up in that shuttle in a heartbeat. I think it makes them more daredevils than heroes. I guess I sort of look at astronauts as scientists or engineers. I'm pretty sure that every one of the new crop is convinced they will make it back to earth safely.

[bogey1]

Astronauts - Heroes? No, but certainly courageous. It takes balls to get on top of a giant mass of fuel and hope you both make it up and back down again.

police officers/firemen - I have to separate these. Firemen, yes. I've known a few and they really strive hard to save people, houses, etc. I think most are a little crazy, but maybe that's part of makes them want to tackle burning buildings.

police - No. In fact, most are [censored] that enjoy being in a position of power over others. I've met one policemen on or off duty that wasn't an [censored] and he hated his job and coworkers so much he committed suicide.

soldiers - too much variance to generalize. I think, in large part, they're people who got into the service because it was one of the only things they were qualified to do and too poor to get other training. I suspect they do courageous things, but I have a hard time believing the majority really joined to "save/serve their country".

sports figures - Absolutely not, certainly no higher percentage of altruistic heroes amongst them than the general populace.

teachers - Maybe more than the average. Many teachers get into teaching out of a desire to help kids and that in and of itself lends to what I'd think of as heroic actions. Maybe not physically heroic, but going that extra mile for people.

politicians - Nope, barring a very very few examples. I think in this day of age, politics prevents heroes from getting anywhere in politics.

artists - Nope, no altruism or desire to help others here. It's about self expression by and large.

[Borodog]

Katy,

I unpixellated your avatar for you:

[mrbaseball]

[ QUOTE ]
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?


[/ QUOTE ]

When I was a kid astronauts were a real big deal. The teacher would stop teaching and we would turn on the radio and listen to the live news of the adventures of Alan Sheppard and John Glenn etc. Then of course the moon landings were huge. The movie Apollo 13 shows plenty of heroism both in the craft and on the ground. However Space Shuttle astronauts seem like glorified airline pilots. Not to say that doesn't have it's risks as we have seen horrifically in the past. There is plenty that can go wrong and a certain degree of heroism or risk is certainly implied. But space shuttle missions seem commonplace nowadays and don't hold the romanticism of the initial space shots or going to the moon.

[tuq]

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Astronauts - Heroes? No, but certainly courageous. It takes balls to get on top of a giant mass of fuel and hope you both make it up and back down again.

[/ QUOTE ]
Heh, my answer to the OP is "no chance", but I came across this bit and you've got a very good point.

katy, they aren't heroes simply by having job titles, it's all in their acts. For example, there is a lot of cop-hating and of course cops all have their own reason for wanting that job, but I'm sure there are plenty who strive to do the right thing, and then you've got the guys like Harvey Keitel in "Bad Lieutenant".

By the way, I wonder if ItalianFX's boss would mind if he knew that he plays poker extensively. It's kinda the same thing behind the NBA ref thing, but even more so because of his authoritah.

[ItalianFX]

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By the way, I wonder if ItalianFX's boss would mind if he knew that he plays poker extensively. It's kinda the same thing behind the NBA ref thing, but even more so because of his authoritah.

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I don't play it for income, more as a hobby, I guess. I doubt he would care as poker is not illegal? Correct? I don't see how it relates to the NBA ref thing as I don't have any authority to dictate the outcome of a poker game. Also, I don't gamble on the over/under of how many traffic stops I will make or how many arrests I will have.

As far as astronauts being heros, imo, I don't think so. Like one poster said, they are courageous. The definition that katy gave is kind of misleading because it would encompass alot of people who are courageous, but are more of a gambler/risk taker/stupid. To me, at least that is my opinion. Also, a hero to me is someone who goes above and beyond the expected duty of one person. A soldier who jumps on a grenade to save other soldiers is a hero. A person who runs into a burning building and rescues anybody is a hero. However, a soldier in Iraq who goes there for 12 months and then comes home is not a hero. Remember, that is my opinion. I was in Kosovo for 7 months, peacekeeping, which gave me veteran status, but I don't consider myself a hero. I am a police officer - I always try to do the right thing - but I don't consider myself a hero.

A guy I work with was commended in another county for running into a burning house to save a lady, he is probably a hero to her. To me, he's just a partner I work with.

So all-in-all, what I am getting at is that who can be labeled as a Hero is all in the eyes of the beholder.