The true everyday heroes some might think are video games, televisions, toys, or anything else that can keep kids or themselves distracted. However, our culture would have us believe that firemen, police officers, doctors, teachers, veterans and individuals who currently serve in the military are our everyday heroes. Our culture puts these individuals on pedestals, which many of them deserve, but they are human like everyone else.
In Rescue Me, the true colors of heroes (men) are shown. According to the article by Heather Havnlesky the firemen in Rescue Me are depicted as the “modern guy’s guy,” teasing and hazing one another, one-upping each other, telling stories of sexual conquest, and much more. Noting that if a woman is given a problem, she’ll get started on it right away, a man, on the other hand, will act like he’s working on it, but will really sit around “in his dirty underwear eating dill pickles straight out of the jar like he always does.” This is seen in the main character, Tommy who according to the author can never thoroughly sort through his problems and doesn’t reflect on his life. “He’s in a perpetual state of confused paralysis” (Havnlesky, 2010).
Our culture is viewing our everyday heroes as men, acting as gods being untouchable, who can do no wrong, but Rescue Me turns these gods into mortals and shows how men are only human after all. The question we should ask ourselves is whether or not our everyday heroes are truly everyday heroes? In the article by Damien Cave, which delightfully informs the readers on the forbidden thoughts surrounding 9/11, many individuals (none of which appear to be our everyday heroes) reveal their forbidden thoughts on this touchy subject. One man admits, “I sort of felt, hey, they finally caught up to us. All the dirt the U.S. has thrown finally came back around to kick us hard where it hurts” (Cave, 2002). Another person admitted, “So basically I used the day off as an excuse to get a hotel room with my boyfriend. But the truth is I was scared and devastated by the events and it felt right to spend it with someone I loved” (Cave, 2002). These individuals, along with many others had the courage, or just didn’t care about sharing their forbidden thoughts about 9/11. What would our society have to say if our everyday heroes opened up, and told the public how they truly felt about 9/11? Would they still be considered heroes or would they just be thanked for saving lives? Would our forbidden thoughts really be forbidden thoughts anymore? If our everyday heroes were able to share how they truly felt about 9/11 then maybe we would feel OK about opening up and revealing the ways we truly feel.
"What would our society have to say if our everyday heroes opened up, and told the public how they truly felt about 9/11? Would they still be considered heroes or would they just be thanked for saving lives? Would our forbidden thoughts really be forbidden thoughts anymore? If our everyday heroes were able to share how they truly felt about 9/11 then maybe we would feel OK about opening up and revealing the ways we truly feel."
ReplyDeleteYES. I meant to say something along those lines, but forgot-- but I wouldn't have said it as well anyway. Yes yes yes.
I wonder if such a collection of thoughts exists somewhere. The episodes that follow Lou's attempts to write poetry to express his feelings are very interesting. As shown on the computer screen briefly, his poetry is not very good. Part of the problem may be that, generally speaking, men called to be firefighters are not usually of an artistic temperament, or even a terribly expressive one. (a stereotype, perhaps, and certainly not one without exceptions)
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