Romance writers use the word HERO differently. The heroes in our books are hot and manly and they take good care of their women. But while that's sexy as hell, does that really make them heroes? Now obviously the romance industry uses the term differently and that's fine. But in real life I don't think we should demean the word.
I've been feeling prickly on this subject for a while now. Society throws around the word hero with reckless abandon, flinging it to emotion junkies like gold coins. It's gotten so bad makers of pills for erectile dysfunction now call their pills "Hero Tabs".
Really? A man is a hero now if he can get an erection? Seriously?
Aside from being ridiculous, this wholesale misuse of the term is demeaning to our real heroes. The police, firefighters, and soldiers who risk life and limb to keep us safe on a daily basis are heroes.
People who do extraordinary things, despite great risk to themselves because it's the right thing to do are heroes.
Men who take a little pill so they can have sex are NOT heroes.
It's a small thing in the grand scheme...I realize that...but words mean things. And we get into all sorts of trouble when we allow ourselves to be emotionally manipulated by their creative use. This means something coming from a woman who regularly manipulates her readers' emotions through the creative use of words. #:0) But that's fiction. I'm talking real life.
So, here's to all the REAL heroes. May they always and forever enjoy the high regard and special consideration they so richly deserve! There's nothing more impressive than a real act of heroism. And no-one so special as the person who commits it!
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