Tiger Woods has been pegged as a “Fallen Hero”. Really? A Hero? And where exactly did he fall from?

We all know by now that he had a moment of indiscretion. Maybe it was more than a moment, who knows. What we do know is that things got out of hand. Tiger had a lapse of judgement. A wreckless wrongdoing. So what.

Not that adultery is something to be taken lightly – many more than two people wind up getting hurt and this is often a serious, tasteless, selfish act. But are we really that shocked? Are we taking his misdeed too seriously? Are we finding the latest tabloid dirt a little too delicious?

Celebrities have almost made cheating a part of their repertoire. You know — famous, rich guy has affair with unknown woman; tabloids find out; public sides with the victimized wife; condemned man apologizes; life goes on — or it doesn’t.

More than a few Hollywood protégés have made a name for themselves this way. Hollywood stars who cheat. Yawn. Athletes are no exception either, and Tiger is just the latest in what will surely be a much longer list. But are their transgressions really worthy of this much attention? I mean, it’s not like they’re politicians or even the most powerful leader of the free world. Oh wait, it’s happened there too. My point is, people cheat every day. That certainly doesn’t make it right, but why do we put people like Tiger up on a pedestal, calling him a fallen hero, when he’s just a guy who plays golf.

Heroes are people who honor the human spirit. They are people of strength, conviction, morals. They serve others and often put their own needs second. They make a difference in the world far beyond anything that an actor, athlete or politician does simply by showing up.

Heroes are not about who they are, they are about what they do. They are the men and women in Iraq whose sacrifices keep us safe, teachers who mold the minds of our children, firefighters who risk their lives for others, countless volunteers and charities who are day-by-day making this world a little better, a dad who works three jobs to support his family in a tough economy, a mother in a developing country who stands up for her rights as a female, even if it means enduring physical pain and abuse. Aren’t they the real stars? The ones we should look up to? The type of people we want to introduce our children to?

So Tiger, while your actions are disappointing, perhaps this is an opportunity for us to think about true heroes who are more worthy of our applause and attention.

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robm

Our society--so fond of deifying athletes, celebrities, and politicians--is overdue for the call to account you've offered here.

Excellent post!

Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 12:04pm EST