Stop Deluding Yourself, There Are No Heroes
By Paul David
News broke that another hero had fallen from grace on Feb. 15. The night before, Oscar Pistorius, the South African double amputee who ran in the Olympic men's 400-meter finals, shot through his bathroom door, killing his girlfriend, 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp.
Pistorius became the poster boy for overcoming adversity in the 2012 Olympic Games. Not only had he become one of the fastest men in the world in his distance despite having both his legs amputated at the knee, but he also had been told four years earlier that his carbon fiber prosthetics that allowed him to compete gave him an "unfair advantage." After fighting with the Olympic committee, Pistorius was finally allowed to compete in 2012.
Pistorius' story was heartwarming; he was an underdog in every sense.
However, most heartwarming stories of underdogs and champions crumble once we discover the truth: they're human. Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon occurance.
Michael Phelps was a god among men when he took home eight gold medals in Beijing. Breaking records at every turn, Phelps seemed unstoppable. Then, before the London Olympics, Phelps was caught smoking marijuana. This, combined with comments that he had not trained as hard for London, led many to say that Phelps had copped out, winning only six gold medals in the next games.
Manti Te'o saw a similar shift from respect to ridicule. He finished his last season with the University of Notre Dame as one of the best linebackers in college football, even coming close to the Heisman Trophy. Once the story broke that he had been catfished, he became a laughingstock. While it's likely he will still be a first-round draft pick, he may never be removed from the effects of the scandal.
These three figures share a storyline oddly similar to all those who at one time receive the unanimous praise of the public.
We like to believe that our heroes are infallible, that they will never fall or betray us, but continue to impress us until they take their leave. I am here to say we must stop deluding ourselves.
The fact of the matter is that no star is perfect. These individuals are usually famous for a particular set of skills in which they excel, but that does not mean they are role models. Strong morals and a stable personal life aren't required to excel in other ways. We must realize that the reason they became famous often was not their unwavering morality. We must not confuse great talent with great morals. In the end, our heroes are just as human as the rest of us.