Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.
  Jonah, 2:8.

Ok, I admit the epigraph is a little bit much! The theme of this month’s blog isn’t religious in any sense but strikes a similar chord: is it right to idolise others? What harm is there in coveting the lives of your heroes?

I think there are a few different uses of the word hero. There are others that people have a respect for in some kind of moral sense. Marie Curie is a hero of mine for her selfless dedication to radiation research. There are others that inspire people to do something for themselves. Mahatma Gandhi is a hero of mine for demonstrating the power of non-violent protest. And there are those that people aspire to become. Bruce Springsteen is a hero of mine, he is so cool. I wish I was just like him.

Of course, the borders of these definitions are quite smudged. Moral respect can also be inspirational and aspirational etc. So what makes the difference?

For me, it has to do with action over being. It isn’t the person who should be admired and put on a pedestal but what they do. Lauding others as an entity is damaging to both self-esteem and the collective. It makes assumptions about character, it idealises the subject and it creates tiers of self-worth. Our motivation should be to do the better thing rather than to be the better person. There are no better people, we are all equals.

In this respect, I have given up idols and challenge myself with possibilities rather than personalities. In a world where we occupy ourselves with bettering what we do instead of how we’re perceived, there can be hope of steadfast love.

This month's favourites:
   Bright Eyes, Noise Floor (Rarities: 1998-2005)
   Françoise Mallet-Joris, House of Lies
   Biutiful (2010)