Hero, Villain, and Average Joe

A person who risks one’s life to save people from a burning car or building is considered as hero. A person who spends one’s life in crime and deception causing other people’s life miserable is considered as a villain. Most of the people are law abiding, non-risk taking, and looking for a peaceful and happy life; they are the Average Joe.

Hero is praised and sometimes worshiped in the news, books, and movies. The villain is despised and sometimes condemned in the news, books, and movies. But, it is how the Average Joes raise the family and seek steady employment, and what are the Average Joes’ social activities, that dominate the news, books, and movies. No one can plan when, how, or force oneself to be a hero especially on a spur of the moment. The villain requires planning, cunning, and cold-heartedness to make a living in the shady side of the law and on the suffering of the others. The Average Joe can live one’s life anyway one desires as long as they obey the laws of the land and follows the rules and regulations of social institutions.

Hero

1) In a burning car scene caused by a traffic accident or in a burning house scene caused by a faulty electrical wiring, there are always many people watching. But, only a rare few will risk their life to rush into the disaster to rescue the victim or victims. The hero can get injured or even lost one’s life, as reality has shown its merciless side,

2) In a battle field scene where bullets are flying and bombs are exploding indiscriminatingly, no soldier is safe from getting injured or killed. But, there are always a rare few who, despite the fear, will not hesitate to rush to the aide of the comrades or take up dangerous mission. Not all heroes survive the battle but their deeds will be remembered.

Jumping into a crocodile infested river to rescue a drowning stranger, to save a pedestrian from certain death from the crash of an out-of-control vehicle, etc., all these are defined as heroic acts. No sensible person will wake up in the morning and decide to perform a heroic act and every passionate person admires and envies the attention that a hero gets.

Villain

1) A robber who kills innocent people during a bank holdup is a villain,

2) A financier who embezzles hard-earned savings from innocent investors is a villain,

3) A doctor blinded by fame and fortune to perform unnecessary surgery that causes unsuspecting patient to suffer more than one should, is a villain.

A villain will soon or later find out that one’s actions change the lives of people for the worst and once exposed, will likely result in capital punishment and or incarceration. But, the villain will also come to term with the realization that one is doing one’s best under the circumstances and with the kinds of cards that one is dealt with:

1) Not everyone possesses the talent to be doctor, lawyer, scholar, scientist, write, musician, etc.;

2) Not everyone is born into a well-to-do family where one has the opportunities to fulfill one’s dreams and be what one wants to be;

3) No one wants to work in a low-paid and labor-intensive job like janitor, dish washer, house keeper, assembly-line worker, …;

4) No one wants to be locked up in a prison, bedridden due to debilitating illness, ridiculed because of low IQ, etc.

Average Joe

The man-made world is designed for the Average Joe, built, maintained, and sustained by the Average Joe who:

1) Is content to live a family live, to raise children to keep the cycle of life going,

2) Never breaks the laws of the land and always follows the rules and regulations of the social orders,

3) Works hard to earn a living and not likely to complain about the work assignments and working conditions, etc.

Schools are established to educate the Average Joes about the man-made world so that they know how to keep it going. Movies, books, and TVs are made to help Average Joes get relief from stressful routines at home and work, Government is formed to provide security and social services to the Average Joes. Hospital is staffed with medical professionals to relief Average Joes’ pains and sufferings from injury and illness. The Average Joe can expect to live a long and healthy life, to pass one’s genes, and to fulfill life’s purpose.

Representation

Everyone dreams to be a hero but only a few will be a hero. No one like a villain but someone will be a villain in spite of themselves. Most of the people are Average Joes who do not mind a peaceful, quiet, and uneventful life.

1) Heroism represents one of the better qualities of the human species but it runs contrary to Nature’s prime directive of self preservation at all cost - For a brief moment, the hero becomes selfless, forgets the earthly responsibilities, and runs toward danger to do the right thing.

2) Villain represents one of the dark side of the human species but it serves a purpose just like those seemingly destructive living things found in Nature – The villain has a family to support, love one’s to care for, and a social life just like everyone else.

3) Average Joe represents the majority of the human species. Just like in Nature, it is the soldier ants, worker bees, marching wildebeest, lion’s pride, etc., that are responsible for the survival of the species - Without the faithful Average Joes, the government will stop to function, the business transaction will stop, and civilization will not be possible.