“Why did you have to commit me?” – an act of heroism asked Print

“Why did you have to commit me?” – an act of heroism asked the hero I registered the report from the brain in my con- sciousness. The brain first sent a quick signal: “Dan- ger! Run!”, and just a moment later – “Abort. This is a grass snake the size of a pencil and you can look at it from up close”. Deliberations on the cult of heroism, which has sur- vived every era and age and keeps flourishing in the land richly fertilised by our convictions and expecta- tions, seem very interesting to me. The obvious and interrelated characteristics of heroes: a) they committed an act of heroism in the name of our values: they took action that goes beyond the capabilities of the remaining believers in the same values, b) heroes are dead / mutilated / deprived of free- dom for a long time, c) in the process of transformation into an inspiring symbol, heroes are dehumanised: a symbol does not make any mistakes, it does not pee or poop. A symbol is sacred. The non-obvious characteristics of heroes: Their function is to enhance that in the name of which they acted. Political prisoners and victims of police violence automatically take their place in the pantheon of heroes of the New Belarus Without Dictatorship. The sacralisation of the hero annihilates the ques- tion of in what name they committed the heroic act. So where is the problem? Heroes prevent reflection on the actions and values in the name of which he- roic acts are committed. Even if these values don’t need such a buttress system. Heroes are obviously necessary to raise people’s spirits, but they do not bring us closer to victory. At a certain point, normal behaviour of a normal person is construed as an Act of Heroism, absolving the rest of the people, remaining in blissful idleness, of moral responsibility. I am talking about myself and you. Is it justified then to constantly keep demanding new acts of heroism? I think not.

Print:Giclee on Fine Art Paper

Size:9 W x 12 H x 0.1 D in

Size with Frame:14.25 W x 17.25 H x 1.2 D in

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