Myths and Heroes

Extract

[...] First of all, myths and heroes are as old as humans. Everyone has heard about the creation of the world by gods, or how Hercules, who was half-human, accomplished his twelve impossible tasks. This shows us the values of being strong, brave and patient. Modern heroes also play an important role for children, such as Superman or the X-Men, whose mission is to save the world. It is more a form of entertainment than a religious message, but it still works. [...]

[...] A person who comes in a poor area when nobody expected him and who starts helping people with food, housing and jobs, and who takes care of the children, this is a social hero. And a lot of people SHOULD do that too. To sum up, heroes are popular because they are more than us. Those who existed in our lives must not be forgotten, and those who come from the distant past became legendary. Our modern world terribly needs them . [...]

[...] These myths and heroes are directed to children, to educate them. When they grow up, some of them may decide to become heroes themselves, to follow the same path. We may have seen this in the Kick-Ass film series. Although the story is still fictional, it shows a teenager like in real life, who loves comics and who plans to fight criminals in his city. At first, he is mocked by people who see him on the web and he is often beaten by his enemies, but he quickly learns fighting techniques and becomes stronger and more popular. [...]