22. Claim: The best way to understand the character of a society is to examine the character of the men and women that the society chooses as its heroes or its role models. Reason: Heroes and role models reveal a society's highest ideals.
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Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim and the reason on which that claim is based.
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Stating that the best way to understand the character of a society is to examine the character of the men and women whom the society chooses as its heroes or its role models, the speaker asserts that a few iconic figures a society cherishes can reliably reflect what the society really is. In some sense, it is undeniable that several celebrities reveal the otherwise hidden impulses and ideals of a society. However, as much as they work as a reliable indicator of some aspects of a society, they might also mislead us in knowing the true reality of the society.
Of course, few would disagree that a few excellent individuals a society is worshipping somehow show the present state of the public’s mental world. Especially, if we want to figure out the desires and passions of the mass public, it seems almost inevitable to rely on the list of individuals who are beloved by many members of a society. Recent frenzy on successful entrepreneurs in the Internet-related industries, for example, suggests that the central aim of the society has shifted into secular, individualistic success through innovative ideas. Heroes of the 1960’s represented the typical state of people of that age while new types of heroes in our time imply that our age is driven by the differed passions represented by the new heroes.
Then, are heroes or heroines a society places on their own shrine consistently reflecting the actual state of the society? My answer is definitely no. When it comes to objective, real patterns of living, the life of those celebrities might be misleading. Although many salary men are actually paying great respect to such business moguls as Warren Buffet or Steve Jobs, their real life does not necessarily resemble with that of their role models. While youngsters have their own idols, it does not mean that their everyday life is similar to that of the media stars. Maybe, the celebrities are not the reliable gauge of the actual life of most aspirants but simply an illusory refuge in which members of a society can gain a false comfort and escapism.
In addition,
One may say that heroes and heroines a society worships reliably reveal the important characteristics of it. In some sense, it is true that some aspects of hidden impulses of people in a society are reflected in several figures they cherish in their everyday lives. However, it is also true that a few exceptional have little to do with the actual state and situation of the ordinary people and thus may mislead the true picture of the society itself.
Of course, few would disagree that one of the important gauges to measure the character of a society is the character of the men and women whom the society chooses as its role models. Especially, when it comes to the secular purpose and ideals of life among the general public, a list of individuals that incorporates and ranks successful figures in a society tends to accompany with the present state of social desires. Even in Korea, many young people readily choose several world-renowned business moguls such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, or Warren Buffet as their ultimate role models; despite several opposing interpretations, worshipping these economic tycoons seems to reflect one of the important changes in Korean Society—from ideological idealism to success-first pragmatism. In this way, heroes and heroines somehow reveal the trends of a society.------
The speaker claims that the character of a society's heroes and heroines ('heroes' hereafter) reflects the character of that society. I tend to disagree. In my observation a society chooses as its heroes not people who mirror the society but rather people whose character society's members wish they could emulate but cannot--for want of character. Nevertheless, I concede that one particular type of hero----the sociopolitical hero--by definition mirrors the character of the society whose causes the hero champions.
First consider the sports hero, whom in my observation society chooses not merely by virtue of athletic prowess. Some accomplished athletes we consider heroes because they have overcome significant obstacles to achieve their goals. For example, Lance Arm-strong was not the first Tour de France cycling champion from the U.S.; yet he was the first to overcome a life-threatening illness to win the race. Other accomplished athletes we consider heroes because they give back to the society which lionize them. As Mohammed Ali fought not just for boxing rifles but also for racial equality, so baseball hero Mark McGuire fights now for disadvantaged children, while basketball hero Magic Johnson fights for AIDS research and awareness. Yet, do the character traits and resulting charitable efforts of sports heroes reflect similar traits and efforts among our society at large? No; they simply reveal that we admire these traits and efforts in other people, and wish we could emulate them but for our own personal failings.
Next consider the military hero, who gains heroic stature by way of courage in battle, or by otherwise facing certain defeat and emerging victorious. Former presidential hopeful John McCain, whom even his political opponents laud as a war hero for having not only endured years of torture as a prisoner of war but also for continuing to serve his country afterwards. Do his patriotism and mettle reveal our society's true character? Certainly not. They reveal only that we admire his courage, fortitude, and strength.
On the other hand, consider a third type of hero: the champion of social causes who inspires and incites society to meaningful political and social change. Such luminaries as India's Mahatma Gandhi, America's Martin Luther King, South Africa's Nelson Mandela, and Poland's Lech Lawesa come immediately to mind. This unique brand of hero does reflect, and indeed must reflect, the character of the hero's society. After all, it is the function of the social champion to call attention to the character of society, which having viewed its reflection in the hero is incited to act bravely-in accordance with its collective character.
In sum, I agree with the speaker's claim only with respect to champions of society's social causes. Otherwise, what society deems heroic reflects instead a basic, and universal, human need for paragons--to whom we can refer as metaphors for the sorts of virtues that for lack of character we cannot ourselves reflect.