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Today I want to ask the simplest of questions: who is your hero?
It’s a bit embarrassing, but my hero was always my dad. Honestly. But people you might actually know? Well, I grew up as a teenager being really fascinated with Eric Cantona. Not just the fact he was an incredible football player, but the way he was: pretentious, aloof, insane. I loved that.
What about you guys and girls? Any heroes growing up? Any heroes now?
Paul Keating.
Love him or hate him, he was awesome, and we need more politicians like that around on all sides.
And although I didn’t agree with him, at least he stood by what he said and had balls to say exactly what he thought. Not like our current PM. I think John Howard was Australia best Prime Minister.
I’d strongly disagree with you there.
While there have been some decent Conservative leaders in Australia, John Howard is likely the second worst ever, beaten only by Downer.
“It’s a bit embarrassing, but my hero was always my dad. Honestly.” Thats nothing to be embarrased about. It means you had a good parent!
I wouldn’t really call him my hero, but Carl Sagan helps me when i’m stressed. He really has a good way of making the simple irritations in life meaningless.
+1 for Sagan (although your dad has a special spot in my heart too. I miss the big bear)
Sagan was a poet who happened to love looking up.
I’ve never really had any heroes as such. When I was growing up it was always kind of the hero of whatever book I was reading at the time was my hero. But now I find instead of a single hero, almost every person I connect with is my hero. I learn so much and get so much inspiration from my day-to-day contact with people.
Wow…reading back that, it sounds kind of sappy. 😛
It’s true though.
Ooh, good call. Gilly is pretty fantastic.
If we’re going sportspeople then Roger Federer is the number one guy that I *admire*, but I don’t think his actions affect the way I live my life or anything.
I could watch highlights of Gilly all day. And also two people from TV i love the work of are Shaun Micallef and Jon Stewart. Both smart, funny as hell and highly underrated by popular media.
I’m not sure I’ve ever had a hero or someone I’ve looked up to.
Honestly I’m not sure I could even say my dad, he chose booze over his family (Although I still did spend heaps of time with him, and he was never actually a bad father, just an idiot)… I miss him terribly now that he’s passed, but not because he was my hero.
I was also very anti social growing up, I didn’t watch sport (still don’t), and my favourite pass times were movies and video games.
If I had to pick someone that I looked up to I’d probably have to say Luke Skywalker….
Definitely my Nonno (grandfather)
If I can be a man half as decent as him, I’d be happy. Even my mum said he only ever yelled at them once when they were growing up. He still gets out and works now. He is really sick and had to go to hospital and all he kept saying was how he wrecked Easter for everybody. My Nonna is also really sick and he still looks after her.
I named my son’s middle name after him, even though it’s quite Italian.
Thinking about it a bit more, I would say that I do try my best to emulate my Grandfather, so that probably does make him my hero.
When I was younger I was just scared of him, but as I grew older I learnt just how amazing he is. He believes that life needs to be an even balance between family, community, work, sports, and religion and has definitely followed this path:
– He has 7 children who all still form a close knit family and get together on every family occasion (Christmas, Easter, Father’s/Mother’s day, brithdays, etc).
– He was a first grade rugby league player up until he lost a leg in an accident his late 20s. Yet he would still go swimming at the beach at 6am every day until his 80s
– He spent many years as national president of the St Vincent de Paul society, and club president of the football club he used to play for.
– Even now, in his mid-80s, he goes out to visit the refugees in the Villawood detention centre every week, and handles religious education classes for school kids.
He’s not perfect – nobody is – but he has the conviction to try and make a difference to the world. If I can be half the man he is by the time I reach my 80s, I think I’ll have succeeded in life.
Julian Lage, cause he’s sooo damn good and sooo damn young.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHMOyKiuB08&feature=relmfu
And of course Chris Thile
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZibZ-sB5YJA
If you’re into music in any way click those links, seriously!
Well, I’d have to say my father as well, because basically he was the one that inspired me to have an interest in software engineering and computers from a really young age. Though, to be honest, I’ve never bought into the whole “hero” thing. There have just been people whose views and achievements have strongly influenced various aspects of my life and perceptions of reality.
I would have agreed with you if he turned out to be Superman. But I ain’t having no Sleepyman as my hero.
Eric Cantona? Really Mark? Better stay away from you then or you might spontaneously kick me in the chest.
I thought Saturday was your birthday, cause of the meat and all xD But instead HAPPY BIRTHDAY STRANGE!
I rule do I not?!
In an efpost ad sorta way….it did make me Lol thou :p
Ayrton Senna was my childhood hero, and then he died
Steve Irwin was then my adulthood hero because of his enthusiasm and passion, and then he died
I am now scared to idolise anyone
The heroes of my childhood were Optimus Prime and Batman. Both fictional characters. But as I’ve grown up, I’ve found many modern day heroes that I look up to.
Christopher Hitchens, for his passion, his mind and his dogged determination to fight for the ideals that he held dear. Neil degrasse Tyson, also. I think he is a counterpoint to Hitchens in that he sees his role as an educator, not a combatant, but still brings that same passion and energy to any conversation he is a part of. One of his inspirational quotes is something that I try to live by:
“I am driven by two main philosophies, know more about the world than I knew yesterday. And lessen the suffering of others. You’d be surprised how fat that gets you,” – Neil degrasse Tyson.
Also, Stephen King and Matthew Reilly. Without going on a dual-writer binge in high school, I never would have started writing myself. Matthew Reilly especially. Something he said to me when I met him in graduation year also stuck with me; “Don’t ever call yourself an aspiring writer. You are a writer.”
It’s those human beings that restore my faith in the human race that I tend to look up to.
It tends to change, but at the moment it’s comedian Rob Delaney. Very funny bloke who has an awesome outlook on life, and very intelligent in spite of his silliness.
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