Guitar Hero for Sale

In our society today, individuals such as movie stars, rock stars, rappers, and athletes are referred to as heroes. These people are everywhere one looks, in commercials, on televisions, in glossy magazines, and in video games. Take for example, the popular video game Guitar Hero. Players manipulate a play guitar along with animated characters with the end result of being famous and thus a hero. Children and adults love the particular game. Children see their sports or media heroes enjoying fame and fortune, big mansions and fancy cars. Heroes, in my opinion, are not in the limelight, but have the positive attributes of taking responsibility for their actions, keeping their commitments, protecting others, being kind and caring, and giving to others when there is a need. Because we are confused with whom our real heroes are, this has hurt our society greatly and we have become idol worshipers.

The Merriam-Webster collegiate dictionary states, heroes are persons that show great courage, for example, to rush into a burning building to save lives. In addition, they risk and sacrifice there own lives, as well. They have noble qualities, such as compassion, generosity, strength, humility, forgiveness, peacefulness, respect and loyalty. In this day and time, our heroes are hip-hop entertainers who call women derogatory names. The real heroes have a tendency to speak encouraging words to inspire and empower you to do your best. The so-called heroes wear their pants down around their knees showing their behinds. What image is this portraying to our children? It’s certainly not showing the young men how to dress decent and respectfully. The majority of young people look up to these characters and place them on pedestals. They imitate their ways and patterned themselves after them. Therefore, these characters lack the attributes real heroes have, for example, godly morals and values.

From my experience, and how I was raised, helping and blessing people is a part of being a hero. For example, my mother always fed the hobos and homeless. She prepared food and packed lunches for them to take on their journey. She gave them clothes when they needed clothing. This action of helping and feeding the hungry shows heroism.

Because we glorify and idolize these characters by putting them on the cover of newspapers, magazines and billboards, the real heroes are forgotten or go unnoticed. Real heroes are just ordinary people that speak peace, love and forgiveness, for example, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a man of love and humility who showed us how to fight without violence. Another example of heroism is those individuals that save lives and rescue people from the rushing flood waters. What about the policemen who protect us from criminals that break the law. Actions such as saving human beings from danger, protecting us from evil and speaking words of encouragement and wisdom into our lives should influence and shape this society. Unfortunately, it has not.

The real heroes with real values do not stand a chance of influencing society against the so-called heroes of today. With so much collective attention spent on rich and famous actors, singers, and athletes, our children are to be a generation of false idol worshippers. They are inspired not by courage, generosity, and strength, but by demeaning our young men who show their underwear and naked butts.