Where are the heroes?

As I was sitting around talking with some friends at a fundraiser today, I saw the MO Gubernatorial Debate. After it was over, we were talking and it really drove home what bothers me with the majority of politics and power in today's world. Why is it that people always feel like they are choosing the lesser of two evils? I know that there is no such thing as a perfect person, but why always so much negativity? I have thought a lot about it, but have come up with no real answers.

I have wondered if it has really always been like this, and if not, what is it about modern society that is so different? Could it be that the media is just so widespread that it's easier to see someone's flaws? In some ways that makes sense. It takes hours for a story to be spread across the nation, and nearly everyone has access to the information that is being spread. Perhaps the people are no different, just that we can see their flaws so much more accurately now than before.

I still cannot help but feel that we are lacking in heroes today. Even outside of the world of politics, it just seems that there are so few people that stand out in my mind as mainstream heroes. Of course there are people who make an impact: our parents, teachers, rescue workers, etc. But where are the Lincolns and the Franklins... the JFKs and the MLKs? Has our world become so big that we cannot single out individual people who actually shape our society? Is it simply that we have lost our illusions about people? Could it be that we are so cynical that we have lost our ability to see another as a true hero?

Somehow I think that deep down people still want heroes. I don't know why none seem to move our society like they used to. Some people use a Hollywood as an explanation. We don't need real heroes when we can so easily create our own. Of course the reverse could just as easily be said. Are we more drawn to false heroes because there are no real ones?

I could, and probably will at some point continue at length with heroes in general, but for now, back to politics, it kills me that I so often feel like I am casting my vote against someone rather than for someone. I can't help but feel that this very idea is against the ideals of our political structure and yet I feel that there is often no choice. Why is it so hard for a politician to come to the forefront that people can get behind?

I sometimes wonder if it's the ambition factor. In today's world, you have to be such an impressive fundraiser that almost no one just gets into any high level politics as their civic duty. If I had my choice, I would like to have a lot less career politicians. I would like to see more people involved in their government. Rather than the higher positions being given to those who can rally the most money to their cause, I would like to see them more spread amongst a variety of individuals. The majority of politicians are lawyers. How different would things be if there were more academics? While this is just one example, I think that there would be a severe impact on the way our country was run.

Well, enough of my ranting for tonight. I hope that in some of your elections, you are able to fully stand behind your candidate, and not support them simply because they are a little better than the other guy.