the personal computer (apple, ibm, and others)
mcDonald's
coca cola
rock and roll
jazz
hollywood
statue of liberty
baseball
elvis
marilyn
next...
1) Sean Penn (America's true patriot)
2) Martin Sheen
3) Mike Farrell
4) Susan Sarandon
5) Michael Stipe
6) Kim Basinger
7) Matt Damon
8) Helen Hunt
9) David Duchovny
10) Gillian Anderson
To see many more like these visit:
http://forums.macrumors.com/archive/index.php/t-15809.html
Next: From askmen.com "Top 10 American Icons"
10)Ronald Reagan
9)Ernest Hemingway
8)Frank Sinatra
7)James Dean
6)Michael Jordan
5)Martin Luther King Jr.
4)John Wayne
3)Elvis
2)Marylin Monroe
1)John F. Kennedy
Now I want to compare these list to the "Top American Heroes."
Atlantic Magazine:
1)Abe Lincoln
2)George Washington
3)Thomas Jefferson
4)F.D.R.
5)Alexander Hamilton
6)Ben Franklin
7)John Marshall
8)MLK jr.
9)Thomas Edison
10)Woodrow Wilson
Only one more list, I promise.
From http://www.drake.edu/journalism/CenturysEnd/heroes.html
Franklin D. Roosevelt *** Jackie Robinson *** John Glenn *** Bob Dylan *** Lady Diana Spencer *** Colin Powell *** Rosa Parks *** Mother Teresa *** John F. Kennedy *** Martin Luther King, Jr.
After seeing these lists and the list in class, I am going to pose my first question. Which of these lists and figures do you agree with?
Why have past generations had icons like Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy and we are part of a generation that it represented by icons like Madonna and Kanye. An icon is a representation of something and our generation is represented Kim Basinger and David Duchovny, something about this makes me worry about our generation. We have become a generation that chooses its icons, not from character or actions, but from fame and money. Lowell Soike, a historian at the Iowa Historical Society, said "Heroism is the sacrificing of one's self for a larger good with no self-interested motives. The person has an honest impulse to do something for society without reaping the benefits for themselves. ..The word hero has really disappeared from our culture. I'm having a hard time coming up with any modern heroes." When I look at the list of icons that we made in class, I can't think of any of those people as heroes. The closest thing we came up with was Bono, who has done amazing things, but I don't think that he exactly fits the definition.
Look at the list of American Heroes. No one has made that list in decades. Historians say that our country will remain complicit in idolizing popular cultural icons until a collective struggle presents the American people with an opportunity for the emergence of a hero to step forward and provide leadership. We are living at a time of instability. Do we have any hope of a hero stepping forward to provide leadership? If so, who?
My questions to you are: Who are your "Top 10" American Icons/Heroes, which of the lists do you agree/disagree with, and do we have a hope of a hero today and who is it?
37 comments:
I think the list of heroes from askmen.com "Top 10 American Icons" is more representative of who the true modern American heroes from the last century. Like we talked about in class though, most of the icons and heroes now will not be the list in 20 years. A hero has to be able to withstand time. I think back in the days of Lincoln, to many he was not thought to be a hero, more likely the military generals were the heroes of the time. It is the same today. Madonna and Bono may be seen as icons, but in 50 years they will not be at the top of the list.
I think it's hard for a hero to make a top 10 list because the recent popular figures have not proved their "timeless" status, they haven't had an opportunity to. There are also a lot of up and coming people who have their acts together and are really determined at making this world a better place. To say that our generation is hopeless is crazily cynical. There are so many people who are always worried about the youth. What about Gordon B. Hinckley saying that the youth are the chosen generation? What about the idea that we were saved for this time for a reason? Our generation has power. We just need the rest of the people to shut up about how troubled we are, and we need a few more people to encourage and accept new ideas. The people on the top 10 lists are there because they saw the world differently. They were brave enough to do something different, and do it well. Creativity isn't dead for heavens sake!
We have lots if icons based on money and fame but they will not stand the test of time. I'm sure there were lots of people with the same attributes but they have been lost and forgotten. Only the real heroes will stand.
We are part of such a fickle society. "Brangelina" topped the list in class, but in a matter of years, they will be replaced with a hipper icon that defines our culture at that time. I think that we had many heroes during 9/11. We owe so much respect and patriotism to many unknown firemen and policemen who did their duty dillegently. The country was on the same page. Everyone honored them as heroes. Now, not even 10 years later, they are completely forgotten, replaced by Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. It seems we need to reevaluate a few things.
I don't actually agree with any of these list. They are either have some icons/idols in there or they have some really old school classic heroes. I think that the mechanism of being considered a hero is just like being consider a great painters , they got the attention and recognition only when they are long gone. What a cliche. People in all time tend to undervaluate the people in their time and only acknowledge their achievement when they're gone for years
The list I agree with the most would probably be the list of American Heroes that had a majority of them being presidents. As far as my top 10 goes, I imagine mine would look pretty similar to that. There hasn't been anyone recently that seems to fit the bill.
Hope for a hero in our day? Sure, but not the way it used to be. Like the book said, today we turn to our parents and grandparents for examples of heroes. They're more like everyday people. Things are pretty bad right now in the U.S., so if someone helped things to turn around I'm sure we could grant them hero status. But for the most part, I think it'll be everyday people.
I think the list of American heroes (with the presidents) was the most accurate. I like how someone said that no new heroes have made the main list in several decades. I think that a big part of this has to deal with the entertainment culture we are a part of.
It seems as if society no longer cares for visionaries or people with big plans and goals. All we want it to be satisfied now, and with very little effort. That's why people love the anti-icons in the media, because we can hear about them every day and be entertained. We can mindlessly watch what they do with no impact to us. Real heroes, like those of the past, what they did required us to think and reflect on ourselves. Their actions had great moral implications that have served to teach us lessons through the years (i.e. Honest Abe).
I like the list that includes mostly historical political figures like Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.
I can't think of an American president with the exception of Ronald Reagan that could be included in a new lest. The majority of today's political leaders have become part of the celebrity generation. They think that because the get press, they must be something special.
I fully agree with Kristin about how the reason why no one has made the list of heroes is because they haven't been able to prove that they are timeless.
Also, because it seems that most of our heroes are our leaders and we have had so many leaders that we love in one moment and hate the next.
I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that we seem to never be satisfied as a culture. We all want to have what we want, whenever we want it. We aren't willing to work for the things that we desire. Even when we have political leaders who are doing their best to work for us, we aren't happy with them unless they are doing exactly what we want them to do.
It's a lot easier to have icons because they don't represent for our core values as a society and aren't what we necessarily aspire to become.
Asking me to make a personal top ten list would take me hours so I'll just say that I agree with the list that started with Abraham Lincoln becuase the people on that list have actually done more than be entertaining. They changed society and they stood for something, icons today can't even put their own outfits together.
I think that the drake.edu list is a good list of heroes. It was this one...
Franklin D. Roosevelt *** Jackie Robinson *** John Glenn *** Bob Dylan *** Lady Diana Spencer *** Colin Powell *** Rosa Parks *** Mother Teresa *** John F. Kennedy *** Martin Luther King, Jr.
I think these people fit the hero definition well because they all accomplished something great in their field or did something self-sacrificing for the benefit of others. I was watching "Extreme Home Makeover" last night...the show can be a little cheesy, but if you don't know what it is...a team comes in and rebuilds the home of a family who really deserves it (i.e. a parent died, they made some difference in the community, etc.) The woman who received the new home because she was running a day care out of her home for practically free just so the people that needed to work could have somewhere to take their kids. She said something that I thought was really great. She talked about how by serving those around us we begin to make the changes required for making a difference in the world...she hopes that when she helps someone, they in turn will help someone else, and this is what will strengthen her community. She is a real believer in the power that one person has, and to me, she is a hero because of the things she does to help her community. While we don't seem to recognize the same kind of heroes on the list above much anymore because of our obsession with pop culture icons, I think people like this woman show that there are still people taking heroic actions everyday.
I definitely don't agree with the post that says Sean Penn is number one. Are you kidding me? He just met with Hugo Chavez today. I probably agree most with the one from askmen.com. I don't really know why America has lost heroes. We are a weird culture now that lets Britney Spears on the front page of newspapers after getting married. Some of my US heroes are Abe Lincoln, MLK Jr., Ronald Reagan, and Joseph Smith. Not to get all spiritual on you, but the hero that's going to come and change everything is the Savior.
Top ten american heroes. The real American heroes are hard to find, but they are out there. One person in American politics that I look up to tremendously is Congressman Ron Paul. Unfortunately, he gets cast as a radical looney, but he is an absolute stud in my eyes.
I think the list from askmen.com is comprised the most accurate reflection of modern heros. However, I don't think that a true modern hero list can be complied because it takes time to prove hero status.
Hero lists that stand out the most to me contain historical figures, these are the true heroes, whose actions have stood the test of time. I think that if we were to name modern heroes they would be people close to us who have influenced us personally, such as family members or friends whose character we want to emulate.
I liked the askmen "Top 10" as well. It captured some people whose status has endured many decades and is a balanced list, not just political figures or entertainers. It has people who made changes, gave there lives, and inspired. We are a fickle society that has fed on the likes of The Simpsons and other forms of biting satire - it's cool to hate the President, not trust the government and illegally download music (Not that I don't do it). I think people look to entertainers for their voice, like a populist movement. Only they don't realize most of them do it for money, fame and attention. There are many great men today (and woman), and there are many heroes that go unnoticed. The world just notices the media darlings. There are heroes out there, but they might never be appreciated. MLK Jr. caught the world's attention then, but I'm not sure the world would have noticed as much today.
I really like both the "askmen" list of icons and "Top American Heroes" list. It is interesting to see that not many women make the top 10 lists. Personally when I think "hero" men come to mind, but I definitely think there are many women heroes (heroine) out there. Maybe society places masculine traits with "hero." When I think icon, neither gender is more prevalent.
i think that there is a reason that the words icon and hero are similar but not the same. we need to remember that this IS a difference.
and as far as future heros, i smell a second coming. who better to save us all then the savior himself.
Askmen,com list would be mine, though atlantic magazine comes close. I think it takes years to become a hero, sometimes you don't become a hero until after your gone and the impact if your actions have really shown the test of time.
I agree with the Atlantic Magazine list of Heros. As to who will be the next Hero? That is a hard question, I feel like all the freedom Americans have experienced has led to the development of very diverse views in the people. These diverse views will inhibit a nation wide Hero. If someone does come forward he will only be a hero for some and for me? I am hoping this person will be Barrack Obama....
i most agree with the askmen.com list, because those are actually icons, as opposed to the list above it with B-list actors who serve no purpose.
i can't come up with 10 off of the top of my head, but MLK, JFK, Reagan, Lincoln are on my heroes list and Britney and The Beatles are on my icons list.
the hope of a hero today will be whoever gets us out of this financial mess.
I agree most with the Atlantic Magazine. I really don't admire most celebrities. I prefer to go back to the roots of our country, and pick people who truly made a difference.
I do think we should start worrying about who the next generation of icons are. They are getting worse and worse. Paris Hilton, an icon of today, really hasn't done much to be admired for. It doesn't take much to be famous these days.
I don't know which of those I feel I agree with....I will give my top ten (in no particular order)
Michael Jordan
Michael Phelps
Martin Luther King Jr.
JFK
Eleanor Roosevelt
Joseph Smith
Kerri Strug
Lance Armstrong
The "Miracle Team"
....I can't figure out my last one...
If I had to pick one of the lists, I'd go with the last one.
Franklin D. Roosevelt *** Jackie Robinson *** John Glenn *** Bob Dylan *** Lady Diana Spencer *** Colin Powell *** Rosa Parks *** Mother Teresa *** John F. Kennedy *** Martin Luther King, Jr.
I really can't come up with alist right now. It'd take me an eternity to narrow it down to ten.
I think that the most accurate list is the "Top 10 heroes." These people have all done something to change the world. No one has made this list in a long time, because they have not done anything to deserve it. They also have not gained this timelessness that the others have. Most people do become heroes after they die. We do not appreciate all they have done while they are still alive, probably because we have not witnessed the full results of their actions.
There are all kinds of heroes in my mind. For example Kanye West may be a fashion icon, but in no way is he my hero, the guy has done nothing to help me besides maybe wearing some fresh kicks. I agree with the last list of Heroes poested and i believe that most of society would too. Honestly is Bono a Hero, i doubt it, hes a huge pop icon but not a hero! It takes decades to become a Hero, Bono is not old enough to make the list of ultimate Heroes, notice the names on that lost they are all people who lived along time ago. So if Bono makes the list in 200 years from now, then hes a Hero. Can he stand the test of time?
askmen's list to me is the most accurate representation of icons. I can't understand the list that has Sean Penn as number one though. The heroes list was also good, including name like JFK and Lincoln this list sounds similar to our list created in class.
askmen's list to me is the most accurate representation of icons. I can't understand the list that has Sean Penn as number one though. The heroes list was also good, including name like JFK and Lincoln this list sounds similar to our list created in class.
I think the obvious answer is the one with David Duchovy. have you seen I Want to Believe? a masterpiece.
Just kidding. "Top 10 American Icons" wins. LIncoln and Washington versus Sean Penn and Susan Suerandon. I mean, "colors" and "stepmom" where awesome movies, but i think they are trumped by "the revolutionary war" and "freeing the slaves."
this post is genius. very good research and well organized. my top 10 would be difficult to list, not because i hqve too many, but because i haven't ever thought about 10. i've maybe thought about 1 or 2. actors would fall into this category, so would political leaders, hot rod car guys from the 50s and 60s, artists, and musicians. my life is influenced by nostalgia of the old days, and much of who i look to are from that era.
Heroes and icons are so vast and diverse, who is to say someone isn't a great icon? It's a personal experience between the individual and the icon. One man's trash is another man's treasure, amirite?
I most agree with the Atlantic Magazine list:
1)Abe Lincoln
2)George Washington
3)Thomas Jefferson[Photo]
4)F.D.R.
5)Alexander Hamilton
6)Ben Franklin
7)John Marshall
8)MLK jr.
9)Thomas Edison
10)Woodrow Wilson
My own list would look very similar, but would also include James Madison (main architect of the U.S. Constitution) and Joseph Smith (I like truth).
I feel like there are heroes today. People do heroic things all the time. Even GWB, who now has the lowest president's approval ratings since Truman, was once seen by most of the country as a hero in how he handled the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. In the days just following the 9/11 attacks, W's approval ratings were in the upper 80s! Would we call him a hero today? Probably not, but most of the men on the list above probably did not make the generally-accepted heroes list until after their death.
I agree that there haven't really been any icons which can be regarded as heroes in the past couple of decades. My list of heroes includes people like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, Martin Luther King Jr. but definately not David Duchovny or especially not Martin Sheen. I think it sometimes depends on who you are asking about who their heroe is. It still is disconcerning how our generation doesn't seem to have anyone noteworthy to look to for leadership and as an example
I don't 100% agree with any of the lists, but i think there are different icons for different groups. (ie: for me Tony Hawk, Kelly Slater and Johnny Mosely might be included on a list for people like me). But I would put:
Reagan, Sienfeld, Kennedy, John Wayne, Micheal Jordan, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Madonna
on my list (not necessarily people i adore, but people who shaped the way culture is now)
I think it's tough to say who the true heroes out there are, especially in election season, because of all the ulterior motives.
A list of heros are obviously different for every person. Especially for those who have different beliefs or value systems. A hero is somone who is a hero for a large majority of people, however your top ten may be different from everyone else's.
I don't think there is any real comparison between the lists. Honestly, people cannot be legends if they are still alive.
John F. Kennedy became a wondrous legend because he died. If we had a full tenure of presidency from him, we might blame him more for his mistakes (as is, we blame his Vice President Johnson for his mistakes, and assume that Kennedy would have fixed them had he lived).
But I think that's part of the problem. If you are still alive, and you are a 'hero' you have to have staunch opponents. If you are dead, everyone can agree with you (or say that you would agree with them).
That's a problem with heroes.
I like those lists... they are pretty much all enclusive when it comes to the different catagories of american heros... i think i could only name a few (neil armstrong,jackie robinson, and cap'n geech and the shrimp shack shooters... okay the last one is ia joke, but can you name the movie?) to make the lists better.
I also think we need not worry about our "icons of our generation". The fact of the matter is, the ones of the older catagories span decades. Heroic Icons don't come around every day, year, or even decade. They stand out because they are great and much better than society.
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