Notion bac: Myths and heroes

Myths and Heroes

I am going to talk about the notion Myths and Heroes. First, I would like to give two definitions for this notion: A Myth can be defined as a legend telling a story that sometimes cannot be verified. This is a well-known tale that everybody knows about, like the Myth of the Loch Ness or the one about the existense of mermaids. There are two type of heroes nowdays. On the one hand, there are imaginary heroes with superpowers and who are in charge of saving people in danger, like the Avengers. On the other hand, there are real people who can have a role to play to change the world's history. In order to illustrate this notion I will try to answer the question: What is the role of the media in the making of heroes? To answer the question, I have chosen 3 documents seen in class. I would first like to concentrate on the making of a hero for IT and then I will move on the making of a hero for the people. Finally I will take a look at the unmaking of a sportman hero.

The making of a hero for IT

I’m going to talk about Steve Jobs and how media use his image to make him a hero . As Oprah, he went through difficult times. He had nothing to succeed but he managed to revolutionize the IT World. He developed mobile phones and computers and create Apple one of the most important company in the world. We can say that he managed to make it to the top and a lot of money after having lived difficults times. He became one of the biggest fortunes of the world. He is a source of admiration and success in the eyes of the whole world. It can be see on the « The books of Jobs », where The Economist Magazine is showing Steve Jobs on their cover. Jobs has an halo like a Saint, he is olding the ipad as if it was the old testament. He is represented as Moses and the tablets of stone (The 10 commandments) and Job s creations are described in religious terms. Today his inventions continue to inspire scientists and to accompany millions of users. In the Steve Jobs situation, the media help him becoming more and more known. They wanted to show what kind of people can be the hero of everyday. Steve Jobs become a model because the media advocates the success as a way to make a lot of money and to be famous worldwide.

The making of a hero for the world

Then I am going to talk about Nelson Mandela who is considered by many to be the father of South Africa. In his life, Mandela always fought for those who were disadvantaged by the system of racial segregation. Mandela always wanted a equitable society between white and black people. Mandela became a civil rights leader, leading many against the Apartheid government wich became a armed struggle. He was arrested and imprisoned in 1962 ans served 27 years in prison. In 1994, Madiba became the first ever black president of South Africa. In his autobiography called «Long Walk to freedom », we can see the difficult journey of Mandela and all the obstacles he had to overcome for freedom. Nelson Mandela as the perfect image the media needed to try to make a world better and for all people to leave in peace. He is the black guy that fought peacefully  for the equality and for freedom. He is the embodiment of the free man that want a new way of leaving.

The unmaking of a sportman hero

I will now talk about Oscar Pistorius. He was born in 1986 in South Africa and get amputated when he was eleven months old. At the age of 17 he won a gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Athens. He was nicknamed: the blade runner for his artificial legs. He was considered as a hero for every South African people. He was not an ordinary hero, he became the typical case of victory through suffering. Oscar Pistorious was victim of he circonstances but he achived something he want to. The media helped him to become famous world wide for his achievement. As we saw on the nike advert, Pistorious became a icon of the brand. The slogan « Just Do It », showed that he refuses to be conquered by his disabilities. In the 2012 London Olympic Games he made history by becoming the first double amputee to run in Olympic Games. However, in 2013, Pistorius was accused of murdering his girlfriend. Even if was a dangerously volatile man, with changing of mood and mental disorder. He takes ages to glory but seconds to loose it, his carreer cut short after his scandal. The public idolized them, major brands had spent indecent sums of money to have them and the media was sharing a beautifull image. But one day he crossed the frontier between good and bad. On the document « Man Superman Gunman », the editorial team decided to show Pistorious as a violent man and not as a hero like before. He was just a products of the society, a made hero for people. But then the media and most journalist changed their mind and « was he a hero or not ? ».

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