When did we forget what the word "Hero" means?

[HEyHEY]

I was reading that story on the small town doctor who charges 5 bucks a visit and they refered to him as a hero. Nice guy? Sure. Hero? Uh..... just as basic english definitions go that's incorrect. I see it all the time, for EVERY little thing someone does. It's fucking irrritating. ANd it also waters down the word's impact for people who haul tied up women off train tracks and stuff.

[cali]

1. I disagree. I think in the case of that doc, the word is heroic

yes, the word hero is often overused, but I think you picked a bad example to point that out.

[HEyHEY]

3. I don't know, I just don't see it.

[WinkyDink]

6. There are worse things to gripe about.

[HEyHEY]

8. I'm not griping

Just saying

[JVS]

5. I would say charitable or generous.

[WinkyDink]

2. A doctor charging 5 bucks only goes WAAAY beyond just "nice guy."

[JVS]

4. Oh, long ago. I remember joking about this with my first room-mate back in the 90s.

We had spent our first 4 months in the apartment allowing the place to turn into a total mess. Finally, we decided to clean it and even decorate it. As we sat there contentedly drinking beers while still being 2 years too young to buy them legally I said "How did we get to be such horrible fucking slobs?" He smirked and replied "No. We were victims of this horrible mess. But now we're heros."

[HEyHEY]

9. haha

nice

[JVS]

12. We had no TV in the house and only a VCR with a tape of pretty woman and some pornographic movies.

So we often had to sit around and entertain ourselves. One of our games was called "For the love of Allah" in which we would adlib an R&B song about the many things we would do for the love of Allah. These things would range from the mundane but unpleasant (waking up early, specific chores) all the way up to "I would smite all the infidels".

[pintobean]

7. When they started applying it to sports.

[Zephie]

10. he·ro [heer-oh] (dictionary.com)

–noun, plural -roes; for 5 also -ros.
1.
a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.
2.
a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child.
3.
the principal male character in a story, play, film, etc.
4.
Classical Mythology .
a.
a being of godlike prowess and beneficence who often came to be honored as a divinity.
b.
(in the Homeric period) a warrior-chieftain of special strength, courage, or ability.
c.
(in later antiquity) an immortal being; demigod.
5.
hero sandwich.
6.
the bread or roll used in making a hero sandwich.

I feel that 1 and 2 are appropriate here.
If you read the article you'll see a testimonial from his head nurse on the day they met: "The morning we first met, back in 1983, Dohner had been to surgery twice, prepped a broken arm, handled two emergency cases, checked on 50 patients and delivered three babies. It was not yet 10:30."

He's broken his back, had a heart attack, and has openly refused the decadency of the American healthcare industries love of money - instead focusing on bringing healthcare to those who need it. I'm sure in all his years of practice he's saved more than one life that would have been lost if it had depended on receiving their medical care through a traditional provider. I'd say that covers number 1's "noble quality" requirements.
So, as per number 2, he in fact is a hero... Because people view him that way. =)

[OneGrassRoot]

13. Well said. :)

I agree many terms are used entirely too much, and inappropriately. I don't feel that's the case in this story at all.

:hi:

[timtom]

17. I followed you over here from that other thread.

I was touched by what you said there.

I am profoundly moved by your response here.

Thank you.

[TorchTheWitch]

11. yeah, I hate that word being tossed about lightly, too

same thing with the "terrorist" label.

[JVS]

14. Real answer: when we stopped applying it to demigods and mere mortals got the name.

[JTFrog]

15. Considering the health care system you know, I can see how you might not understand the heroism

of this doctors actions.

This doctor's actions probably saved hundreds of lives. That's pretty fucking heroic when you're standing on this side of the border where thousands of people will die due to lack of access to medical care.

[mmonk]

16. Until we have our Tommy Douglas, this small town doctor is a hero.

[Angry Dragon]

18. Usually you have better posts than this

I do agree that the word "hero" is over used.
In this case I would let it slide.

[HEyHEY]

23. Really? You sure you're reading MY posts?

[Angry Dragon]

24. Yes

I even know of your engagement to your lovely fiancée

[HEyHEY]

25. Ah!

:)

[OneGrassRoot]

19. For anyone who wants to read the original article, here ya go:

Not sure if HEyHEY saw this story in this thread or not, but here are both links for those interested.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/40661756/ns/today-today_people/

And here's the thread discussing it:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x92118


Hey there, HEyHEY! :hi:

[bullwinkle428]

20. I can see why someone with access to universal HC would feel jaded

about a story like this.

[bigwillq]

21. Pretty heroic to me.

Have to disagree with you here.

[Ex Lurker]

22. also considering he's exposing himself to retaliation from insurance companies

and other doctors.

[Javaman]

26. Around the same time george w. moron* was called a "hero" after 9/11. nt

[flvegan]

27. Nice post, Snidely Whiplash.

[uppityperson]

28. Getting people healthcare can be heroic. I do agree "hero" is misused too often though

If this post is about usage of the word "hero", I agree, it is misused too often.

If it is about a doctor who makes sure those who would be unable to get healthcare can, then I'll go back over there and talk about it.

[Stevenmarc]

29. Yes the word Hero is grossly overused

It's like we've become some little league awards dinner where everyone gets a trophy so they don't feel left out.

[TexasObserver]

30. Yes, that doctor is a hero.

Perhaps you should reconsider your understanding of the term.

[lunatica]

31. A hero is someone who does something dangerous to self to save others

Example: A hero is a person who jumps into sub-zero water to save a drowning person. A hero is a soldier who puts his/her body in jeopardy in order to save a fellow soldier or his/her unit.

People being nice is wonderful, but they aren't being heroic if there is no danger involved in what they do.

[whistler162]

32. about 8 or 9 thousand years ago!

[stuntcat]

33. it needs to be used more

people need to be encouraged to be the real Heroes. Doing what's expected of us does not cut it from now on.

[Name removed]

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