So, we’ve agreed that anyone has the capacity to act heroically. We’ve defined a heroic action:
- Action must be in response to others’ needs and/or in defense of a principle
- There has to be an element of risk and/or personal sacrifice involved
- The action must be taken without the expectation of reward
And we’ve figured out why we don’t act heroically:
- We’re waiting for someone else to do it.
- We’re not giving ourselves permission to do it.
We now need to analyze what prompts a hero to act. In has nothing to do with the preservation or promotion of self. It has everything to do with the sacrifice of self in service to others. Heroism involves a setting aside of the personal agenda (and instinct for preservation and survival) in order to focus on others. In our age of convenience at all costs and the demand for instant gratification, that’s asking a lot. It’s asking for people to overlook their differences and focus on the one thing that we have in common. Our humanity. It’s also asking us to consider others’ interests, and comfort, as more important than our own.
Why do heroes act? The short answer: Because they recognize that someone needs help and they realize that it’s within their power to provide it.