Heroj/-stvo

Ø  Da li si heroj ili si ikada bio/la?

Ø  Da li zelis da budes heroj?

Ø  Da li imas svog heroja?

Ø  Sta je specificno za tvog heroja?

Ø  Ispricaj o tvom ili tudjem herojskom podvigu.

Ø  Ko je heroj i sta je herojstvo za tebe?

Ø  Zasto nepostoji heroj u zenskom padezu, i koje su vaze zene heroji?

Ispricaj nam tvoju pricu ili napravi intervju/video sa/o tvom heroju, pa ga okaci na sajt da svi mozemo da ga bolje upoznamo.

Svi mi zelimo da mislimo da smo mi dobri, moralni, svesni. Zelimo da mislimo das mo drugaciji od losih i zlih ljudi. Takvo razmisljanje je veoma bitno da bi se osecali vredno i cenjeno. Ali zapravo linija izmedju dobrog I loseg je propustljiva, kao celije naseg tela koje omogucavaju prolaz cesticama kroz membrane. Sve sto je bilo koje ljudsko stvorenje ikada uradilo- sve sto se moze zamisliti- je potencijalno moguce da i mi uradimo, ako I kad se nadjemo u slicnoj situaciji.

Sta je onda zapravo to sto omogucava neke ljude da se ponasaju kao heroji I da odbiju ili osude losa dela? Jednim delo, to im omogucava njihovo zapazanje pritiska situacije, kao I njihova spremnost da budu odbaceni od grupe kada znaju da rade ispravnu stvar. Njihova intuicija im pomaze da primate I identifikuju one kojih se treba kloniti. Svesni su i kako njihovo razmisljanje utice na vidjenje situacije. Najzad ne boje se da se ponesu herojski i bivaju heroji.

1.         Ko je heroj i sta je herojstvo?

Ideja herojstva je stara koliko I ljudki rod, ali neke njene odrednice se polako gube ili bivaju modifikovane pod uticajem modern culture. Biti heroj ne znaci samo biti neko ko je za primer, javna licnost, ili popularna sportska figura. Herojstvo je drugazije od altruizma, takodje. Dok se altruizam sastoji od nesebicnog dela koje pomaze drugima, herojstvo obelezava mnogo dubljie licno zrtvovanje. Osnova heroizma zasniva se na licnom zalaganju za visi cilj i spremnost da se private posledice borbe za taj cilj.

Najpre, herojstvo podrazumeva neku borbu, od odbrane zivota do odbrane ideala. Drugo, heroizam mora da ima neku formu pravog ili potencijalnog rizika i zrtve, bilo fizicki ili socijalne. Trece, herojsko delo moze biti pasivno ili aktivno. I najzad, herojstvo moze biti iznenadno, jedano izolovano delo, ili nesto sto se desava tokom duzeg vremenskog perioda. Heroisam dakle moze biti instant reakcija na neku situaciju, ali i dobro promisljenja serija postupaka koja traje danima, mesecima pa i ceo zivot.

 

2.        Tanka linija izmedju zla i herojstva?

Svi mi zelimo da verujemo da je linija izmedju dobra i zla nepropustiva- da ljudi koji rade strasne stvari, su na zloj strani linije, i svi mi dobri nikada nebi mogli da je predjemo. Ali istorija i bihejvioralna nauka su pokazale da “banalnost zla”- tj. da pod odredjenim uslovima i socijalnog pritiska, obicniljudi mogu da ucine dela koja bi inace bila nezamisliva. Neki ljudi su na dobroj strani linije samo zato sto ih situacija nije naterala ili primamila da predju na drugu stranu linije. Da li onda moguce das u herojska dela nesto sto svako moze da uradi, imajuci pravi pogled na stvari i uslove situacije? Da li je moguce da takodje postoji i “banalnost heroizma”? Banalnost heroizma predlaze das vi mi imamo potencijal da budemo heroji koji cekamo momenat kad cemo uraditi herojsko delo. Odluka da se ponesemo herojski je izbor koji ce mnogi od nas imati pred sobom barem jednom u zivotu. Ako je tako, onda treba biti spreman da se pravi izbor preduzme.

3.        Herojska masta, je mozda kljucna stvar!

Bitan factor koji ohrabruje na herojsku akciju jeste stimulacija herojske maste- kapacitet da se zamisli suocavanje sa ficiki ili socijalno riskantnom situacijom, da se bori sa hipotetickim problemima koje takve situacije kreiraju, kao I da se uzmu u obzor neophodni koraci i njihove posledice. Ako se ova pitanju uzmu u obzir i o njima razmisli unapred, osoba postaje spremnija da dela ako i kada momenat za herejsko delovanje naidje. Jacanje herojske maste moze da pomogne da ljudi postanu svesniji etickih dilemma i testova utkanim u teskim i kompleksnim situacijama, omogucava da osoba porazmisli i shvati i prihvati cenu svog herojskog dela. Sposobnost videti i zamisliti sebe kao spobonog/u za herojsko delo je dakle prvi korak ka herojskom delovanju.

 

4.       Kako negovati herojsku mastu?

Evo nekoliko kontretnih koraka moje mozemo da preduzmemo kako bi osnazili herosjku mastu:

ü  Najpre trebamo da budemo svesni, pazljivi i kriticki ocenimo svaku situaciju kako nebi propustili situacije koje traze hitnu intervenciju.

ü  Drugo, bitno je da se ne bojimo interpersonalnog konflikta, i da razvijemo licnu cvrstinu neohodnu za  zalaganje za nase cvrste principe. Zapravo, netreba da mislimo o teskim interakcijama kao konfliktima vec kao pokusaje da izazovemo druge da podrze svoje principe I ideologiju.

ü  Trece, moramo ostati svesni konteksta, dugorocnih vrednosti, bitnih van samo ovog momenta. Treba da smo prisutni u sadasnjoj situaciji, ali takodje moramo da mozemo da zamislimo potencijalne scenarije buducnosti, u zavisnosti koje akcije odlucimo da preduzmemo ili da izbegnemo u momentu u koje se nalazimo, kao i o posledicama nasih akcija. Pogled u proslost, nas moze pouciti, o vrednostima o kojima su nas ucili ilikoje su se pokazale dobre u nasem licnom iskustvu.

ü   Cetvrto, moramo se potruditi da izbegnemo teznju da nereagujemo ili da nalazimo opravdanja za lose/zle postupke koji vode do pravednih ciljeva.

ü  Najzad, moramo da pokusamo da prevazidjemo ocekivanje nekakvih losih posledica, koje se cesto asociraju sa herojstvom, kao sto je sociajlna izolacija. Ako je nas put pravedan, moramo verovati da ce drugi jednom prepoznati vrednost nasih herosjkih poteza.  

 

 

5.        Kako postati i ostati heroj?

Doci ce vreme kad ce svako od nas u svom zivotu imati tri puta pred sobom. Levo, mozemo pratiti vodjstvo drugih i bez razmisljanja biti ukljuceni u kreiranju nekog zla, ucestvovanju u diskriminaciji ili nepravde prema drugima. To je put zla i onih koji cine nedela. Desno, mozemo da pratimo one koji ignorisu zlo. To je put zla zbog nedelovanja. Napred mozemo, tako sto cemo sami odluciti da odgovorno kao pojedinci se zalozimo zaono u sta verujemo, da uradimo ono sto je ispravno kada  je lakse uraditi ono sto je pogresno ili kad je lakse neuraditi nista. To je put “obicnih heroja”.

Postoji mnogo nacina na koji mozes da treniras sebe da odolis nezeljenim uticajima, i tako postanes heroj:

Ø  Uvek budi svestan onog sto se desava oko tebe, ne radi automatski bez kriticnog razmisljanja.

Ø  Razmisljaj kriticki- prevazidji tudja misljenja i definicije situacija, budi skeptican i pitaj se sta se desava trenutno i sta ce biti posledice tvojih poteza.

Ø  Mozes da postanes crvsci, drugaciji ili tezak, tako sto ces  vezbati da kazes ne i zalagati se za nepopularan, ali ispravan nacin gledanja na stvari. Ako teplasi pomisao interpersonalnog konflikta, zamisli ga kao jednostavno izazov gde drugi treba da opravdaju svoje akcije u skladu sa svojim principima.

Ø  Nista ne uzimaj zdravo za gotovo ali budi spreman/na da prihvatis i priznas svoje greske. Mnogo ljudi nastavlja da se ponasa nemoralno iako shvate da ne traba, smao zato sto im je tesko da prihvate cinjenicu das u se ponasali lose. Ali ako mozes da kazes, ‘napravio/la sam gresku, zao mi je’ neces morati da opravdavas ranije postupke.

Ø  Najzad, heroji insistiraju na pravo svog identiteta i vrednuju sebe, te ne dozvoljavaju druge da ih ponizavaju. Uvek trebas da insitiras respect koji zasluzujes od drugih.

 

 

Hero/-ism

Ø  Are/were you a hero?

Ø  Do you want to be a hero?

Ø  Do you have a hero?

Ø  What’s special about your hero?

Ø  Tell about a heroic dead you or someone you know did.

Ø  Who is hero and what is heroism in your opinion?

Tell us your story or make an interview/video with/about your hero and post it so we can all meet him/her.

 

We want to believe that we are “good,” moral, and self-aware. We want to believe that we’re different from “bad” or “evil” people.  Thinking so is essential to maintaining a sense of personal dignity and self worth. But the line between good and evil is permeable, like the cell walls of our body that allow movement of chemicals across their boundaries. Anything that any human being has ever done—anything imaginable—is potentially doable by any of us in the same situation.

What is it, then, that enables some people to act heroically and to refuse to participate in or condone wrongdoing? In part, it’s their sensitivity to situational pressures, and their willingness to be rejected by the group when they know they’re right. They know intuitively how to spot and identify wolves dressed in sheep’s garments. They’re also aware of how their own thinking can distort what’s going on around them. They are not afraid to act heroically. They become heroes.

1.         Who is a hero and what is heroism?

 

It is an idea as old as humanity itself, and some of its subtleties are becoming lost or transmuted by popular culture. Being a hero is not simply being a good role model, a celebrity, or a popular sports figure. Heroism is different than altruism. Where altruism emphasizes selfless acts that assist others, heroism entails the potential for deeper personal sacrifice. The core of heroism revolves around the individual’s commitment to a noble purpose and the willingness to accept the consequences of fighting for that purpose.

First, heroism involves some type of quest, which may range from the preserva­tion of life to the preserva­tion of an ideal. Second, heroism must have some form of actual or anticipated sacrifice or risk. This can be either some form of physical peril or a profound social sacrifice. Third, the heroic act can either be pas­sive or active. Finally, heroism can be a sudden, one time act, or something that persists over a longer period of time. This could mean that heroism may be an almost instantaneous reaction to a situation, or a well thought-out series of actions taking place over days, months, or a lifetime.

 

2.        The thin line between evil and heroism?

 

We all like to think that the line between good and evil is impermeable—that people who do terrible things, are on the evil side of this line, and the rest of us could never cross it. But the historical inquiry and behavioral science have demonstrated the “banality of evil” —that is, under certain conditions and social pressures, ordinary people can commit acts that would otherwise be unthinkable. Some people are on the good side only because situations have never coerced or seduced them to cross over. Is it also possible that heroic acts are something that anyone can perform, given the right mind-set and conditions? Could there also be a “banality of heroism”? The banality of heroism concept suggests that we are all potential heroes waiting for a moment in life to perform a heroic deed. The decision to act heroically is a choice that many of us will be called upon to make at some point in time. And if that is correct, then we should prepare ourselves for our upcoming heroic act.  

  

3.        Heroic imagination, might be the key!

An important factor that may encourage heroic action is the stimulation of heroic imagina­tion—the capacity to imagine facing physi­cally or socially risky situations, to struggle with the hypothetical problems these situations generate, and to consider one’s actions and the consequences. By consider­ing these issues in advance, the individual becomes more prepared to act when and if a moment that calls for heroism arises. Strengthening the heroic imagination may help to make people more aware of the ethical tests embedded in complex situa­tions, while allowing the individual to have already considered, and to some degree transcended, the cost of their heroic action. Seeing one’s self as capable of the resolve necessary for heroism may be the first step toward a heroic outcome.

 

 

4.       How to nurture the heroic imagination?

 

There are several concrete steps we can take to foster the heroic imagination.

 

ü  We can start by remaining mindful, carefully and critically evaluating each situation we encounter so that we don’t gloss over an emergency requiring our action.

ü  Second, it is important not to fear inter­personal conflict, and to develop the per­sonal hardiness necessary to stand firm for principles we cherish. In fact, we shouldn’t think of difficult interactions as conflicts but rather as attempts to challenge other people to support their own principles and ideology.

ü  Third, we must remain aware of an extended time-horizon, not just the present moment. We should be engaged in the current situation, yet also be able to detach part of our analytical focus to imagine alternative future scenarios that might play out, depending on different actions or failures to act that we take in the present. In addition, we should keep part of our minds on the past, as that may help us recall values and teachings instilled in us long ago, which may inform our actions in the current situation.

ü  Fourth, we have to resist the urge to rationalize inaction and to develop justifi­cations that recast evil deeds as acceptable means to supposedly righteous ends.

ü  Finally, we must try to transcend antici­pating negative consequence associated with some forms of heroism, such as being socially ostracized. If our course is just, we must trust that others will eventually recognize the value of our heroic actions.

 

5.        How to become and remain a hero?

There will come a time in each of our lives when three paths lie ahead. To the left, we can follow the lead of others mindlessly engaged in some evil, practicing discrimination or injustice or abusing their fellows. This is the path of perpetrators of evil. To the right, we can follow the lead of those who try to ignore the evil in their midst, smilingly looking the other way. This is the path of the evil of inaction. Straight ahead, we make up our own minds to act responsibly as individuals standing up for what we believe in, to do the right thing when it is easier to do the wrong thing or nothing at all. This is the path of “ordinary heroes.”

 

There are a number of ways you can train yourself to resist unwanted influence and become hero:

Ø  Always be mindful of what is going on around you, and not going on automatic pilot and acting without critical awareness.

Ø  You can engage in critical thinking—go beyond accepting other peoples’ definitions of a situation, ask questions about what’s going on and what happens down the road if you follow the prescribed path.

Ø  You can develop the personal hardiness to be “different” or “difficult” by practicing saying no and arguing for the unpopular point of view. If the thought of interpersonal conflict scares you, think of it instead as simply challenging others to support their means and their ends.

Ø  Take nothing for granted; be a hard-headed behavioral accountant. And be willing to admit your own mistakes. Too many people continue acting immorally even after they realize they shouldn’t merely because it’s too painful to admit that they’ve done wrong. But if you can speak those most difficult words—“I made a mistake, and I’m sorry”—you’ll never have to rationalize away earlier actions.

Ø  Finally, our stalwart band of resistors insists on retaining their personal sense of identity and self-worth, on not allowing others to dehumanize them. You should always demand the respect you deserve from everyone.