Royal Bank Letter
Published
by RoyalBankof Canada
Where
ALL
HEROES Gone?
Americans
havereserved
a central
place
fornoble
conduct
intheir
collective
self-image.
They
have
concentrated
on individual
greatness
todefine
their
greatness
asa nation.
eterH. Gibbon
isa
With
this
record
inmind,
itistobehoped
forall
Inanageo
f
our
sakes
that
Dr.
Gibbon
is
being
a
bit
alarmist.
For
research
fellow
at
disenchantment,
oldHarvard
University’s
theendoftheheroic
tradition
would
meantheendof
good
things,
too.
Ifthere
isnoadmiration
fashioned
heroism
seems
Graduate
School
of a lotofother
of
greatness,
no
representative
figures
thatordinary
Education
who
travels
tobeontheropes;
atthe
people
would
want
to
emulate,
we
could
betaking
a
around
theUnited
States
same
time,
unsungtalking
aboutthecurrent U-turn
ontheroadtocivilization.
Trueheroes
and
lack
ofrespect
forheroism
in heroines
(the
qualification
"true"
isnecessary
because
heroes
areeverywhere.
hiscountry.
He points
out there
havebeena lotof phoney
ones)
havealways
Maybe
it’s
time
toswitch
thewaytothebetterment
ofthehuman
condithatNewYorkCity’s
Hallof shown
from
public
toprivate
Heroism
andprogress
(again,
trueprogress
of
FameforGreatAmericans tion.
attracts
only
a
fraction
of
the
the
moral
and
not
the
illusive
material
kind)
go
hand
heroism.
Beginning
in
number
ofvisitors
whoflock inhand.
thehome..,
annually
toCleveland’s
Rock
A lossofinterest
inheroes
andheroines
would
be
newunder
thesun,forhistory
shows
that
andRollHailof Fame.He something
beings
havealways
felta needforparagons
to
says
that
inanageofinstanthuman
upto.Why?Because
they
show
therest
ofusthat
butoften
ill-prepared
communication,
people
are look
members
of ourspecies
canbebetter
thanwe ever
being
given
theimpression
that
"sleaze
iseverywhere,
thought
they
could
be.
Heroism
symbolizes
thesoarthat
nothing
issacred,
that
nooneisnoble,
andthat
ofhumankind.
there
arenoheroes."
Hereaches
backtotheancient ingpotential
Dr.Gibbon
suggests
thatthescepticism
thathas
Roman
poetHorace
forwords
todescribe
thisstate
of
affairs:
"Nil
Admirari"
- nothing
toadmire.
ledtothedecline
ofadmiration
intheUnited
States
is
connected
to
religious
scepticism.
With
the
spread
of
Though
Gibbon
focusses
onthesituation
in the
people
have
come
tofeel
that
they
aresufU.S.,
what
happens
there
inthis
regard
isaI1toolikely secularism,
untothemselves
andhavenoneed
ofa higher
to happen
elsewhere.
Americans
aretheleading ficient
A loss
ofreligious
faith
implies
a loss
offaith
trend-setters
intheglobal
society.
Theyproduce
the power.
in
anyone
greater
than
oneself,
including
heroes
and
movies,
television
shows,
videos,
CDsandwebsites
thatareseenandheard
morethananyothers
bythe heroines.
hascomemodernism,
international
public.
Thepublicity
mills
ofHollywood Alongwithsecularism
andNewYorkturnoutthestars
whosetexamples
for a cultural
movement
thatthumbs
itsnoseatstrucgoodor illamongimpressionable
youngpeople ture,
form,
andconvention.
Tomodernists,
onework
ofartorartist
isasgood
asthenext.
Through
reductio
around
theworld.
thatwould
puta gangsta
rap"song"
on
SoifAmerica
really
isgiving
uponheroism,
other adabsurdum,
sonata.
In themodernist
societies
canbeexpected
toactaccordingly.
Thefad- a parwitha Beethoven
theoldstandards
ofwhatisgoodandbad
ingofpublic
heroism
intheU.S.
isespecially
disturb-mind-set,
inginthelight
ofitsnational
mythology.
Asthe donotapply.
world’s
mostheroically-minded
nationality,
p
’Mytrade
of journalism
is sodden
these
dayswith
Diluted
byexcess
whoseemincapable
ofadmiring
others
Those
"old"
standards,
which
obtained
forthousandspractitioners
Inhismemoir,
former
presidential
press
ofyears,
were
predicated
onexcellence.
They
gavethe oranything.’
andABCsenior
newseditor
Pierre
Salinger
rankandfileof humanity
something
toaimforby secretary
’Noreporter
canbefamous
unless
theyhave
identifying
whatwasbest.
The"old"
values
system writes,
brought
someone
down.’
AndNewYorker
writer
held
outreasonable
rewards
forsuccessful
efforts
to [sic]
comments,
’Thereporter
usedto gain
beamong
thebestinone’s
calling.
Entertainment
was AdamGopnik
bydining
with
hissubjects;
nowhegains
status
a metaphor
forthewaythings
worked
inevery
aspect status
by
dining
on
them.’"
ofsociety.
Performers
were
admired
notonlyfortheir
talent,
butforthework
they
putintodeveloping
that
Tun~ing
updirt
talent
toa state
ofexcellence.
surrounding
heroism
might
beattributed
Inthenewwired
popular
culture,
excellence
has Themalaise
to
the
media’s
obsession
with
the
up-to-date,
asif
beenmoreorlessabandoned.
It’sa simple
matter
of
that
hashappened
inthepast
isofanyimporsupply
anddemand.
Themorethedemand
forenter- nothing
Butthatdoes
notaccount
forthefactthat
the
ispumped
upforcommercial
purposes,
the tance.
"Withouttainment
heroes
of
former
times
are
also
being
"brought
down."
lower
the
standards.
Television’s
hundred~plus-channel
emulation
we
"Thomas
Jefferson
isnowthought
ofasthepresident
cannot
sustain
a continual
flow
ofexcellent
sink
into universe
mistress
andMozart
as thecareless
material.
Infact
itdoes
notproduce
much
that
iseven withtheslave
meaninglessness,
genius
wholiked
totalk
dirty,"
asDr.Gibbon
observes.
very
good.
ormediocrity,A byproduct
thespell
ofniladmirari,
revisionist
historians
ofthisformofmassproduction
is Under
fornothing
great instant
thefacts
tosuit
their
political
orcultural
points
andapparently
effortless
stardom,
andthe twist
andbiographers
sometimes
treat
their
suborexcellent
can
be wealth
thatgoes
along
withit.A performer
nolonger ofview,
jects
as
blood
enemies.
The
latter
are
well
aware
that
needs
to
be
first-class
to
win
a
following
among
a
pubdone
without
it."
biographies
thatturnupdirtabout
a prominent
perlicwhose
tastes
have
been
diluted
byexcess.
son,
however
irrelevant
that
dirt
might
be,
sell
better
Bycapitalizing
onthecommercial
possibilities
of
Francis
than
those
thatstick
tothepoint
ofwhythatperson
thecheap
thrill,
popular
culture
paysmoreattention
Beaumont toglitz
writing
about
inthefirst
place.
thanmerit
andtotrash
than
things
ofvalue. wasworth
Alloftheabove
applies
toCanada
aswell
That
might
beallright
butforthefact
that
merit
and
as
the
United
States.
With
the
majority
of
its
value
havebeenthoroughly
confused
withglitz
and
population
sitting
across
the
border
trash.
Theneteffect
isthatpersons
whoare"famous
--o
.........
close
range
oftheAmerican
,
forbeing
famous"
areheld
inthesame
respect
asgen~ within
.
media,
Canada
isin bedwithan
uineheroes
andheroines.
elephant
not only economi,
Dining
onsubjects
Muchoftheblame
forthisrests
withthenewsand
public
affairs
media,
which
havebecome
moreand
more
like
theentertainment
media
intheir
race
forratings
andcirculation.
Because
scandal
sells
big-time,
themedia
nowhasten
totell
ustheworst
about
everybodyandeverything.
Theycertainly
showustheworst
about
thehuman
race
asa whole,
concentrating
oncrime,
conflict,
and
perfidy.
Bydoing
so,theymaketheworld
outtobe
a more
cynical
andignoble
place
than
itactually
is.
AsDr.Gibbon
isquick
tonote,
today’s
journalists
arenotresponsible
forthesituations
they
cover:
"They
didnotinvent
celebrity
worship
andgossip.
Nordid
theycreate
leaders
whomisbehave
andletusdown."
Atthesametime,
they"are
notinnocent,
andthey
know
it...
Roger
Rosenblatt,
a veteran
oftheWashington
Post,
Time,
LifeandNewYorkTimes
Magazine,
says,
Sir
Alexander
Mackenzie
While
thatmayseema sorry
commentary
on the
cally,
butattitudinally.
Canadian
youths
wear
thesame
ofCanadians,
thefactisthattheyhave
styles
ofclothes
andlisten
tothesamekind
ofmusic priorities
beenmorelikely
tofindheroes
among
hockey
astheir
U.S.counterparts.
There
islittle
tochoose always
players
than
ofanyother
people.
Andthere
isnothing
between
American
andCanadian
young,
professionals
really
wrong
with
their
preference:
hockey
atitsbest
is
intheir
range
ofenthusiasms
andtastes.
Itfollows
that
ifrespect
forheroism
iswaning
in a game
thatbrings
outqualities
that
people
arebound
theU.S.,
thesamething
willoccur
inCanada,
only toadmiredashandquick
thinking,
physical
courage,
a certain
artistry,
andthat
ineffable
charactermore
so.Canadians
have
more
tolose
outoftheir
cul- stamina,
called
"class."
turefromthistrend,
since
heroes
andheroines
are istic
scarcer
inrelation
totheir
population.
Canadians
have
neverglorified
heroism
to theextent
thatthe Death
ofthelocal
hero
There
was
a
time
wheneveryCanadian
boycould
Americans
do.
rhyme
offnames
likeSylApps,
Gordie
Howe,
Maurice
Richard
andJeanB~liveau.
Themostadmirable
thing
A Canadian
tradition?
"Thegrandest
It haslongbeenlamented
thatCanadians
growup about
such
menwastheir
character.
Ofthelast-named
GuyLafleur
saidinhisyounger
days:
"1maynot ofheroic
knowing
moreaboutfamous
Americans
thanabout hero,
deeds
player
JeanBéliveau
was,butsomeday arethose
thefamous
people
- orpeople
deserving
of fame- bethehockey
which
tobethemanheis."
Brilliant
asthey
wereby areperformed
whohaveoccupied
their
ownterritory.
A generation
of I hope
theold-time
hockey
idols
wereteamplayCanadian
youngsters
could
identify
Davey
Crockett
as themselves,
within
lls four
w
"king
ofthewild
frontier"
without
having
a clue
about ers.
Theteam
played
inthespirit
ofoneforallandall a
explorers
liketheLeMoyne
brothers,
Samuel
Hearne forone;
ifoneofthem
stood
above
therest,
somuch ofdomestic
privacy."
andSirAlexander
Mackenzie
whoperformed
similar thebetter
forthem
all.
Lately,
with
thefrenetic
sports
media
asa cheering
exploits
ontheCanadian
frontier.
Asifthelackofrecognition
ofCanadian
heroes section,
wehave
entered
into
theeraoftheindividualJean
Paul
Richter
superstar.
Teams
built
around
a single
player
are
werenotenough,
Canadians
tendtoknock
theheroes istic
theydo recognize.
People
whoknowof SirJohnA. vulnerable.
Ifthegreat
manrefuses
toplaywhenhe
Macdonald
atallarelikely
tomakejokes
about
his doesnotgetthemoney
hedemands,
hesentences
his
andfanstoa losing
season.
Analready
heavy
drinking,
andnever
mindhisincredible
accom- teammates
player
recently
didjust
that.
plishment
insetting
Canada
ontheroadtonation-high-priced
Hockey
is
only
one
of
the
sports
that
hasdeteriohood.
Knocking
heroes,
itseems,
isalmost
a Canadian
intoa gameofspending
money.
Inthemoneytradition.
Years
agoevery
Anglo
Canadian
knewabout rated
theWorld
WarI flying
aceBilly
Bishop.
A revisionist
spending
game,
players
gotothehighest
bidder,
and
toa particular
teamorcity.
The
National
FilmBoarddocu-drama
a fewyearsago shownoattachment
depicted
Bishop
asa fraud
whofaked
hisvictories. identification
withtheir
fanswhich
oncemadethem
SirArthur
Currie
wasanother
revered
figure
in local
heroes
hasfaded
outofsight.
WorldWar1 as commander
of theCanadian
Corps,
hailed
asthefinest
military
formation
among
the From
JoeLouis
toMikeTyson
thenotion
that"itmatters
notwhether
Allies.
Inthe1920s
Currie
wasaccused
of Meanwhile,
wasting
thelives
ofhissoldiers
forhis youwinorlose
buthowyouplaythegame"
hasapparbeentossed
outthewindow.
"Show
me a graownglory.
He fought
andwona ently
loser
andI’ll
showyoua perennial
loser,"
O.J.
libel
suitagainst
thenewspa-cious
perthathadprinted
the Simpson
oncesaid.
charges.
Notlongago,
Winning
is everything
because
winning
means
fortheplayers
andowners.
"I
a spokesperson
for moreandmoremoney
respect
bythefigures
onmycontract,"
one
Mount
RoyalCemeterymeasure
star
declared
ina fair
reflection
oftheprevailinMontreal
listed
all baseball
inprosports.
thefamous
people
who ingmentality
Athletes
areheroes
andheroines
amongthe
wereburied
there.
She
whoregard
themas thekindof menand
namedseveralhockey young,
wantto be whentheygrowup.A
players,
andSirArthur womentheywould
childwhoemulated
someof theproplayers
these
Currie
- last.
theywereexposed
tobetter
role
moddays
might
goontobeguilty
ofalltheseven
deadly tionofwhether
emulate
themanyway.
Maybe
not;but
sins.
(For
therecord,
these
arepride,
greed,
lust,
anger,els,theywould
thefact
remains
that
there
isnoshortage
ofauthentic
gluttony,
envy,
andsloth.)
andheroines
around.
Theyaresimply
notas
FromthedaysofJoeLouis
to thedaysofMike heroes
well-recognized
as
they
rightly
ought
to
be.
Tyson,
theemphasis
insports
heroism
hasshifted
Theheroic
figures
of thenewagehavebetter
from
character
toperformance.
Ina perversion
ofthe
todothan
appear
onEntertainment
Tonight,
and
oldsaying
quoted
above,
itmatters
notwhatkindof things
areunlikely
tobewritten
upinPeople.
Nor,
like
the
human
being
anathlete
is;itmatters
howwellheor they
old-style
war
heroes,
are
they
likely
to
be
found
fightsheplays
thegame,
meaning
howmanyticket-buyers
ingbattles
against
a national
enemy.
heorshecandraw.
Rather
their
battles
areagainst
man’s
inhumanity
toman,against
injustice,
disease
andhungerandfor
Fighting
anonymous
battles
the
most
part
they
are
waged
anonymously.
The
newNotthat
thegreat
athletes
ofthepastcould
notperheroes
andheroines
willbefound
innon-govern~
formaswellasthose
today,
given
thetraining
and style
agencies
inthetrouble~spots
oftheworld,
in
available
tothem.
Butit wascharactermental
"Every
man equipment
run-down
neighbourhoods
giving
aid
to
the
helpless
above
all
that
made
men
like
Joe
Louis
beloved
among
isa hero
and
andhomeless,
inschoolrooms
andcommunity
centres
ownpeople
andpeople
around
theworld.
anoracle
to their
their
best
tosteer
underprivileged
youngsters
in
Sport
isa peaceful
- well,
comparatively
peaceful
- doing
somebody,
and
direction.
Theywill
befound
- astrue
substitute
forwar,theanvil
uponwhich
heroism
has a constructive
tothat
person,beenhammered
andheroines
haveeverbeenfound
- leading
outoverthecenturies.
Canada
has heroes
whatever
hesays haditsshare
lives
of
self~sacrifice.
ofheroes
fromtwoworld
warsandthe
hasenchancedKorean
warinwhich
Canadians
fought
against
aggresTurning
offthetrash
sion;
they
are
ill-remembered
today.
value."
ofthetraditional
concept
ofheroWhile
turning
their
backs
onthetraditional
type
of Theabandonment
ism
is
not
altogether
a
bad
thing.
There
has
always
- thegood
guytype
- theyouth
ofthesixties
and
Ralph
Waldo hero
seventies
gravitated
towards
thebadboys.
Forthe beenan element
of exaggeration
in themaking
of
Emerson most
forpublic
worship.
part,
rock
stars
donotmake
healthy
role
models.idols
Instead
oflooking
atthestatues
ofthekings
and
Partly
outofthejoyofshocking
their
parents,
young
thegenerals,
presidents
andprime
ministers
people
placed
themona pedestal
nonetheless. queens,
Theicons
ofpopculture
havea heavy
influence
on ofthepast,
weshould
belooking
atthose
unknown
whose
effigies
adorn
ourcenotaphs.
Thegenfashions
andbehaviour
among
thegeneral
populacesoldiers
memorialized
instatuary
merely
lived
totake
the
duetothewell-established
factthathumans
arean erals
forwhatthetroops
under
themsuffered
towin
imitative
species.
Ifpeople
donotimitate
good
exam- credit
victories.
Likethose
nameless
campaigners
for
ples,
theywillimitate
badones.
Theproblem
isnot their
mostoftheheroes
andheroines
throughout
thatthere
isnothing
toadmire,
butthatpeople
are freedom,
havebeen
oftheunsung
kind.
liable
toadmire
thewrong
persons
andthings.
Inhis history
maycontinue
to produce
shabby
role
1998
novel
A ManinFull,
that
marvellous
social
observer Themedia
models,
but
there
is
no
reason
for
independent~
TomWolfe
points
outthatthefashion
forbaggy
pants
among
boys
originated
inprison.
"Injail minded
people
togoalong
with
them.
Ina free
society,
they
don’t
provide
belts,"
onechar- thewaytogetridoftrash
issimply
nottosubscribe
to
acter
explains,
"andsoifyour it,
sothat
itisnolonger
soprofitable
toitspurveyors.
pants
aretoobigyoujustlet
Iftheageofthepublic
herohascometoanend,
thenwemustlookforthekindofheroism
thatiswon
them
ride
low."
When
jailbirds
of publicity.
Andifparents
find
becomerole modelsfor witha minimum
youth,
it isindeed
timeto thattheir
children
havenowholesome
rolemodels,
to become
those
rolemodels
startworrying
aboutwhat thentheymuststrive
theworld
iscoming
to. themselves.
Theattraction
of
"grunge"
toteenagers
raises
theques-