Hero or Villain? - Daniel Maher

     It's fairly easy to look at someone and conclude whether they are a hero or not. Are they brave, courageous, and keep fighting in the face of fear, or do are they cowardly, selfish, and uncaring? Hero's and villains both posses unique characteristics that define whether they are indeed, a hero or a villain, but is it really so simple? A good example of this is O.J. Simpson, who was an NFL running back looked up to by so many young and aspiring athletes. Seen as a hero to many, in 2007, Simpson was convicted on charges of armed robbery and kidnapping and as a result, spent 9 years in prison. He is also famous for the potential murder of his ex-wife and her close friend, but the jury is still out on that one. Simpson is a prime example of someone who played hero, but presented his true colors as a villain, yet people still look up to him. Simpson might not fit the characteristics of a hero, but from some's perspective, he still is because of what he accomplished on the football field.  

    Determining whether someone is a hero or villain can often be decided by one's perspective of them. While neither may posses or show characteristics of a hero or villain, they could still be one to some. Politics provides a good example here. Some may see Joe Biden as a hero, but others view him as the villain. The same could be said for Donald Trump. It's difficult then, to determine whether or not someone truly possesses a hero trait, when half of the country views them as a villain. This is of course just one example. But there are, of course, other instances where people are viewed widely as hero's. Right now, health care workers and first responders are widely viewed as hero's, possessing the courage and bravery to put their lives on the line in order to help others. They truly possess the characteristics of the hero. There are also others who are widely regarded as villains by most of society. This could include people such as Adolf Hitler or Amber Heard. But if you take a deeper look, people such as Hitler can still be seen as hero's to few in society today. Neo-Nazi's still practice Hitler's form of government a see him as a hero, despite him possessing the true characteristics or a villain. 

    One's perspective of a person can also determined by how they are portrayed by society. Michael Jackson to this day faces serious suspicion of child molestation and rape, but very few people view Jackson as a villain, simply because society has not exploited this story like it had with O.J. Simpson's alleged murder. Another perspective that may influence one's perspective are their religious beliefs, way of life, or former experiences. To put it in short, hero's and villains are merely perspectives. While one person may view someone as a hero because of what they have done and how it reflects with their prior experiences, that same person can be looked down upon and hated as a villain by another. So in the end, there may not a set in stone definition of what makes someone a hero or a villain, but simply how they are viewed by individuals.