A recent email from The Daily Stat caught my attention. It was titled ‘Hero Index’, and noted that Barack Obama has replaced Jesus Christ atop a list of America’s heroes. The poll, conducted in January by Harris Interactive, asked a cross-section of American adults whom they admired enough to consider heroes. Barack Obama, John McCain, Chesley Sullenberger, God, Billy Graham, Mahatma Gandhi, Condoleeza Rice, Sarah Palin, General George S. Patton, and Bill Gates all made the list for the first time in 2009.
Thought it was an interesting list, and it got me thinking about who my heros are. Granted, there are a few semi-famous people on that list- perhaps examples is a better term? – Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, Mother Teresa. But mostly, my heros are people I know: ordinary people doing extraordinary things with their lives. People like Jay & Kellie, like Levi, like Scott, like Sara.
Your shout: who are your heros?
It feels to me like politicians are disproportionatly represented here.. And maybe this is because it is around election time in America and there’s still that buzz.. Be interesting to see the list in a year’s time maybe when people have realised that Obama is not the Messiah and George Bush becomes history.. I think u may have touched on something aswell.. There is a quite clear reflection of the importance we place on famous people to lead us in the way we think and to inspire us.. This has so many implications that I don;t have time to list them.. So I’ll just leave it out there.. 🙂
Just occured to me though that only famous people are really to be represented on a poll of this kind.. but I guess most of what I said still stands.. Lol!
was just talking about this stuff in church last night actually!! society loves heroes/celeb figures…i’m loving the ordinary heroes more and more each day!
@ Graeme:This list only represents famous folks… needs to be for something like this, a nationwide poll. Will be interesting to see how the politicians on it move and change as the years go on though.
@ rick: me too, the ordinary heros blow me away. i wonder what it says about our culture as a whole: why our obsession with celebrity? What is it about heros that grabs our attention?