Mot du Jour-Hero

Who is a greater hero...A seasoned champion or an unrated underdog who manages to pull off the unexpected?? Obviously it is a foolish and more so selfish attempt to compare greatness but I here fall victim to the temptations that human mind can barely resist, i.e. the tendency to interpret and define an abstract and vague concept. Although the event of an amateur causing an upset is definitely a more thrilling prospect from the hoi polloi perspective, one cannot help but ponder over the dilemma of hailing the worthy champion and who should be bestowed with the ‘hero’ endearment. It is probably the primitive instinct, to come out with the best, fight with your heart when one is left with no choices cornered and rather close to being down and out. When you see a rookie do that, somehow the audience connects to the achievement and personalizes him because somewhere deep down inside they are already familiarized to that position where almost invariably they have faltered. If this is how emotion decides the winner let us now give a chance to our reasons. The experienced campaigners on whom we have faith enough to endorse them with the title of favorites are present too. A series of immaculate performances given by them in the past provokes a lineage of expectations from captivated audience, which acts as an augmented encumber to the existent pressure. Their fans are waiting agog to find an opportunity to hail them. They adapt themselves to these implausible circumstances with the genius of being a professional. When these proven champions win, it is probably more of a satisfaction for the followers, merely an expectation being fulfilled by their icons, the masters. A momentary exhibition of joy accompanied by a silent exclamation is all that can be reactions to something great from the seasoned greats. Slowly, more often than not, admirers demand invariable superlative performances from their icons which they feel are bound to be delivered without any lapses. This madness is supposed to represent faith. The cool deliverances from the 'Stars' is the order of the day and reproach is their fate on account of their efforts turning to futile. Probably, this is something very clearly understood by those who have spent a fair amount of time in the hot seat, realizing their fates in the hands of the public and consequently getting detached, demoralized and vulnerable to the absence of ‘heart’ in their approach and efforts. Most of them probably had been the dawn of an era causing a turn around with epoch making performances the rule and somehow they become susceptible to being at the wrong end with time. Its probably only fair that humans chose change to be more perfect and encouraging because it is in the nature of the lesser diminutive mortals who claim themselves to be individuals. N’est-ce pas..?