Thread by @sunnshiiny

Here is a lesson in human behaviour.

Humans are multifaceted and complex beings. No human being can be summed up by one action, behaviour or assertion.

To judge the character of our fellow human beings we must take a panoramic view of their life’s behaviour and beliefs.

https://twitter.com/joycelabriola/status/1350494626361163777

Many individuals who have been awarded hero status have characteristics and behaviour that is unsavoury upon closer examination.

MLKjr cheated on his wife. But he’s considered a hero because of what he did for civil rights.

Heroes are not perfect human beings.

Being human means heroes have warts and scars too.

By no means am I suggesting we overlook Orr’s endorsement of Trump. That behaviour is reprehensible and unforgivable.

But Orr’s hockey achievements are not related to his political beliefs. The two are separate in substance and merit.

To write someone’s achievements off because of one statement is unusual. Many of us put all judgement in one incident.

As a hockey player, Orr was exceptional. His record still stands and his achievements are not any different after his political statements.

It’s us who need to ask why we assign hero status in all areas of human expression and leadership for one area of exceptional talent.

All people are flawed. The greatest leaders all have deficits and faults. Whether an exceptional achievement is indicative of hero status requires closer examination of the whole person.

Scoring hockey goals has no bearing on the moral character of a human being.

Just like baking tasty cookies has no bearing on the quality of parenting.

While it’s beneficial and enjoyable for those who appreciate physical achievements, it says nothing about beliefs and values. Those are the items we use to judge character: beliefs, values & behaviour.

It’s absurd to treat someone who has physical prowess and exceptional talents as character leaders to emulate in all areas of life.

This belief in hero worship is the insidious influence left over from the 19th century & based on the Great Man Theory.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_man…

The Great Man Theory is at the foundation of colonial and imperialist beliefs & the current direction Alberta’s new curriculum is being pointed. It’s NOT random.

This belief & theory is what is used to define J.A. Macdonald as a Great Man. The focus is only on his achievements.

The victims of Macdonald’s racist policies; First Nations forced into apartheid, & the defrauding Métis of land title and political power is forgotten. Those people weren’t “Great Men.” So their experiences are devalued & ignored. Only Great men deserve mention in history.

These are the underlying beliefs and assumptions that define hero worship.

Patriarchal imperialist recognition for land acquisitions and advancements of the privileged wealth class. No one else matters.

That’s what you are participating in when you assign hero status to a hockey player. Or a politician, or any individual. Just because they once did something good.

Good character is earned over time. Not in one act or the same action repeatedly.

Everyday people perform heroic tasks everyday. But we don’t celebrate those achievements. Because in the grand scheme of things, their efforts do NOT matter. They don’t rank as Great Men. They are just commoners and expected to perform well.

It’s only those that advance the patriarchal, male dominated wealthy hierarchy whose achievements are worthy of hero status.

Some how this replaced character development and principles that actually are the measure of character.

Pretty much it was a concerted effort to ignore the everyday heroes in favour of those of the privileged class to make advancements for “all” of humanity.

I often wonder how advanced civilization would be if we had different beliefs and valued all humans.

This phenomenon is what is meant when the phrase “the victors write history” means.

How few real heroes have had their achievements recorded. Only the plunderers, rulers, and privileged thought to take note of their achievements. Why would they allow commoners a history?

For example, the US often asserts itself as the longest continuous democracy globally. That isn’t quite accurate. The Six Nations or Iroquois Confederacy was the longest on record.

pbs.org/native-america…

The US designed their constitution after the Six Nations “Great League of Peace” that put an end to centuries of fighting between tribes.

In fact the House of Congress is shaped in a circle to promote cooperation, rather than reps facing each other in hostility like England.

But the Six Nations rarely receive credit for demonstrating that a commitment to collective cooperation can be done for at least 700 years without collapse into violence and chaos.

Apparently the leaders, some women, were not “Great Men” material.

This is the hubris and arrogance of the American Fathers of the US Republic. They did give nominal credit to Six Nations, but took credit for “true” democracy. So therefore the US is the oldest true democracy. Not the oldest democracy.

See how that works? It’s only the privileged who gain credit for exceptional achievement. And then they are provided the stamp of approval for their character merely because they accomplished one or two noteworthy accomplishments.

Heroes are people who dedicate their lives to helping others, making sure everyone they govern is safe, secure and has their needs met. People like nurses & physicians during a pandemic, truck drivers who drive in difficult circumstances. Grocery clerks who load shelves daily.

Those people are real heroes for the beneficial tasks they perform. Many demonstrate exceptional behaviour shaped by integrity, honesty, reliability, consistency, tenacity in difficult conditions and they do it their entire lives.

Hockey is a great sport. Both my kids play. My husband, and both brothers. My male cousins and I even played on a girls hockey team way back when.

But that didn’t make me or any of the people I know heroes. Not because exceptional skills weren’t evident.

But because hockey is a game, not life.

Character can be acquired while playing sports. But every accomplished sport player is not the epitome of good character.

Hockey players are promoted as “Great Men.” They are NOT. But they are still talented athletes.