maskormenace | text; filtered away from Newton Geiszler

text; filtered away from Newton Geiszler

Hero
[heer-oh]

noun, plural heroes;

1. a person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for their brave deeds and noble qualities.
2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal.

There are a great many heroic types among the imPort population, and this is probably a rather tired question, but indulge my curiosity if you would.

What is it the elevates a person from simply well-intentioned, to someone worthy of such a distinguished title?

Deeds? Bravery? Strength? Capability? Righteousness? Nobility? All of the above, or some combination thereof?

Or is it simply that there's one person in the world that believes it?

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Still trying to figure that out, myself.

Not the simplest of tasks, despite how it may seem so on the surface. I suppose we'll just have to hope for some enlightening responses.

I had people just walking up to me and telling me I was a hero before I'd even done anything.

Yes, I've heard the civilian population can be rather unceremonious with the application of that particular title when it comes to imPorts that stand out from the general population. A bit discourteous to my mind.

MAX is typing...

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MAX has stopped typing.

MAX is typing...

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MAX has stopped typing.

[ Max keeps typing and erasing, wondering how to tell Hermann that this sort of thing tended to happen to him before getting imPorted, but to what end? There's a pause as Max considers what he even wants to say. ]

I've saved people since then. Stopped a griffin a couple months back.

But I don't like people giving me a label when i havent even asked for it, much less earned it.

There are many people that would agree with you for a multitude of reasons. It is rather inexcusable to have those expectations forced upon you.

yeah

especially if it turns out you can't live up to them in the end.

Yes.

[There is a long, long pause here, like he possibly may not say anything else]

That would be extremely demoralizing.

nothing you can do except give up or keep going

It wouldn't be very heroic to give up, I imagine. But humanity is inherently flawed.

[He'd likely lean in the direction of giving up, if he's honest with himself]

i guess not

if you keep going, even if it's just out of habit, i guess in the end you'd be the hero everyone said you were. even if you don't believe it yourself.

A dangerous road to travel down, certainly.

better than then letting everyone else down or letting their deaths be in vain.

I don't know, the dissociation and potential bitterness could easily warp any remaining good intentions, depending on the severity of either. Not exactly ideal for anyone.

[ there's another long pause. ]

what do you think would happen to them after that?

I'm not a psychologist, but theoretically, they could tire of failure and letting others down, and unable to live up to expectations under those heavy pressures, quit to live in solitude. Worst-case could be some form of self-sabotage.

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