The key answer of exercise 7

The word ‘hero’ means different things to different people. Dictionaries tend to de ne a hero as someone who is brave, but for other people it might simply be someone who inspires them. I believe that heroes are extremely important for all of us and that who we choose to view as a hero is not actually important. Heroes show us the way. For children, heroes provide a benchmark for behaviour, and teach them what is good and what is unacceptable. This is vital, as it helps children to make sound decisions as they become young adults. Without heroes, children may not develop the kind of good moral judgement they need to become effective members of society. Of course, for many children, a hero can be a comic book character with superpowers, but it can just as easily be an ordinary person with no exceptional powers at all, such as a grandparent. Heroes can provide a path for adults, too. Often in our lives, we encounter obstacles that may feel unsurmountable. Looking to heroes can give us strength and resilience. We see others who went through something similar and survived and it gives us comfort to know that we can do the same. Often, having a hero is simply about making a connection with someone else so that we receive comfort in times of difficulty. Emulating our hero may also help us to overcome the obstacle, giving us a renewed sense of hope in the process. It is true that these days, people often call celebrities ‘heroes’ when in the past that term may have been reserved for people who made a much bigger impact on society – people who made great sacri ces for others or people who e ected social change. However, I would argue that the type of hero we choose to admire is irrelevant. We may select a hero because we feel we can identify with him or her in some way. Or we may choose them because they are brave where we feel weak, or we simply feel awe when we hear their story. We choose heroes based on our background, our experiences, our interests and so on. We are not all the same. Therefore, our heroes cannot all be the same. To conclude, we all need to be inspired to live better lives. That may mean admiring someone who performed a heroic act, showed bravery over a long period of time, or who we recognise as being a better version of ourselves. A hero can motivate us to transform ourselves so that we lead better lives. This can help to create a more exceptional society – something we should all strive for.