Death of Heroes

Heroes live among us. Some in capes and some not. Here we are talking of them who wear a crown or a cape. Recognised heroes -kings, ministers, players, idols, actors, influencers, entrepreneurs -to those people look upon as someone to change the world. People who are like Sisyphus, always rolling it to the top. People follow them as Gods, individuals as living religions.

These people, who here are termed as 'heroes', or more specifically models -they go ways for people who look up to them. People follow everything about them -their diet, their relationships, their vacations, everything comes in between common man's lips and page 3. But Abraham Lincoln once said that the true parameter of checking a man's character was giving him power. Power to do things, change things. Most of our heroes have/had money -so they are inferred to be successful. But are they really successful? Believe it or not, you look up to them because you think that they are successful, because you aspire to be them.

But ability will never catch up with the demand for it. Have you ever felt that heroes may also have heroes; who they look up to and strive? When one day you will catch up with your hero, you will search for a new hero, a degree superior. To be honest, you'll not need to search for him, he will crash down to you, as you proceed more to the level of your previous hero. You ain't ever going to stop striving, and the day you stop, your fame, your power is not going to multiply exponentially once again. Learn that, as you grow older, your aspirations are going to come down and one day you're eventually going to die. So dream big and die as a 'hero', you'll be remembered by some.

The Catharsis:

But do all heroes die the same? Do not some (or most of them) die in pain, agony and with hatred of a million minds brewing in the saltiest tears as they fall? They do -Hitler, Gaddafi, Ram Rahim -were they not heroes before they fell? If only Hitler did not hate the Jews, or if Ram Rahim did not rape? 

But catharsis happens, one heck of a mistake and it all goes up in smokes. But if they were common men like us, would they be pulled down so much, for one statement or one action? Homophobics, rapists, xenophobics walk with us today, but we don't condemn them. Every man has an opinion,  but heroes cannot have a negative opinion about things that are deemed progressive. So they die. Every second. In fear, in darkness, by being heroes, not being themselves.

By: Mainak Das