Where are the Heroes?

As much as I am always moaning at my children to read the newspapers, there are definitely times that I am glad that they don't. Like the last few days where the front page has all the details of the latest sporting "hero" to bare all  and come clean, no doubt to promote his career and line his pockets. This morning, yet another sportsman is telling his story and letting out secrets. Why do we want to know this? Why should we even care? 

Our children need heroes. We need heroes. We need people to look up to. People who lead lives that inspire us to be better people. People who have overcome adversity, people who are compassionate, respectful and tolerant.  Real heroes who are accessible and whose achievements are examples of what we would like to be.

Sports people encourage us with their prowess on the field and they spur us on to work harder, to go further, to be the best we can on the field. While I can think of many sporting people who are inspirational off the field, we should not expect them to be heroic simply because they have a skill which they shine at.


I think we are partly to blame for putting people onto pedestals, bowing down to them in glorification and adoration and expecting them to be icons. More money than anyone needs is thrown at them and they start to believe that they are in a class of their own and above the laws of decency. They lose respect for women, marriage, family, ordinary values. And then they are plastered on the front pages with their tales of drug abuse, sex exploits and more. Have we fallen so in love with fame that we need to draw attention to ourselves no matter what?

I can't remember who said this, he reads about society's failures on the front page and then turns to the back page (the sports page) to read about it's successes. Makes one think...