Ever notice how everyone today is a “HERO?“

Whether it’s nurses, doctors, firefighters, police, PG&E workers, public servants or just about anybody else, any time some organization runs a TV commercial it’s all about their “heroes.“ It’s not only self–congratulatory and pandering, but begs the question: if they’re doing the same jobs they did last year and weren’t heroes then, why are the heroes now?

So what is a hero? That’s someone who runs into a burning building and rescues a baby against all thoughts of personal risk. Who acts way above the call of duty. The people mentioned above are doing worthy and admirable things, of course. But they’re not heroes.

Nor are kids who show up to school, athletes who play on a team, or people who work eight hours a day and are paid well for the work. And contributing to a charity doesn’t make you heroic, much as the charity wants to make you believe.

Let’s stop calling people “heroes” who aren’t heroes. It debases the word itself, and the actions of people who are truly heroic.