WHO ARE THE GOOD GUYS?
Posted by Tim Bryce on February 8, 2013
BRYCE ON SOCIETY
– Have they all ridden off into the sunset?
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It used to be you knew who the good guys were. In the movies, there were western heroes like Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, The Lone Ranger, and Zorro (I would include Hoot Gibson, Tom Mix and Hopalong Cassidy, but I don’t believe too many people would know who they were). There was also Tarzan, spaceman Flash Gordon, and comic book heroes like the Shadow, the Green Hornet, Superman, Batman, etc. We also used to admire our athletes like Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Johnny Unitas, Bart Starr, all of which were gifted athletes who represented their sport and team admirably. We also followed explorers like Charles Lindbergh, Admiral Byrd, and the Mercury astronauts, not to mention men in the military such as Audie Murphy, Billy Mitchell, Eddie Rickenbacker, Sergeant York, and Chuck Yeager. Even Indiana Jones, which was introduced 32 years ago, is from a bygone generation.
Whether they were fictitious or not, these were all people who were admired. They also made handy role models for others to emulate, particularly our youth. They defined what was good, and were people with unshakable integrity. They were people who could be trusted and, frankly, you wanted to shake their hand. More importantly, you wanted to be them. There is no doubt, many of them were carefully managed by a studio and agents, and their public comments were well scripted, but their public persona remained above reproach.
I’m not too sure who our heroes are anymore. None receive the publicity our heroes of yesteryear received. The heroes emerging from Hollywood today are portrayed as flawed individuals. Through some twist of fate, they all have an unsettling dark side whereby they can either turn to good or evil. Our athletes have become mercenaries who are as loyal as the highest bidder. Perhaps the closest thing we have to heroes are our military troops, police, firefighters, and EMT personnel, but we think of them more as faceless professionals, as opposed to bearing any identity.
Maybe our heroes are nothing more than those people on reality television who sing and dance, or maybe they are the latest generation of cartoon characters, such as “SpongeBob SquarePants.” If this is true, it is rather shallow thinking. I also hope they are not the “gansta” rap artists or street gangs.
No, I’m not too sure who the good guys are anymore. All of my childhood heroes, such as Johnny Weissmuller, Clayton Moore and Buster Crabbe, are long gone. I am certainly not suggesting we go back to these characters of yesteryear, but I am wondering why we are not promoting new characters based on the same virtues and nobility. It would seem there is a premeditated attempt to do away with not only such characters, but the ethics associated with them, such as honesty, integrity, honor, and bravery. These are all admirable traits, but I no longer see them being portrayed in a positive light. The “good guys” serve an important function in our society, namely “morality.” Let’s just hope the good guys haven’t all riden off into the sunset.
Keep the Faith!
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Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
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Tim Bryce said
A C.V. of Lansing, Michigan wrote…
“I think you’re right, they have all ridden into the sunset. I just watched the movie “The Contender” and it’s pathetic how “flawed” the “heroine” was – yet she clearly was the heroine in Hollywood’s eyes. It was so awful. I blogged about it. She also was stridently anti-Christian – a proud atheist and part of her speech was “Her church” was THE GOVERNMENT. I kid you not! She even implied she was her OWN church!
sigh…”
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Dustin Tarditi said
Pop culture has us celebrating hedonism and “me first” behavior… Hollywood is all about “gritty reboots” of classic stories or characters and elevates the “troubled/reluctant hero,” focusing on the dark side of human nature as something to be wrestled with… I think it’s less a struggle if you have a moral compass and faith system to help govern your actions and conduct with each other.
We need more Flash Gordon and less Jason Bourne… more Roy Rogers and less “mean street cops with nothing left to lose.”
Boy, do I miss John Wayne right now…
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Tim Bryce said
An S.C. of Holiday wrote…
“I am a part of that generation that watched Gene Kelly, Fred Astair and Ginger Rogers sing and dance. I used to leave the movie theater singing as I walked home, now I leave the theater, in fear someone is following me, and I go home and lock the door.
How can we teach our young what is right and wrong when some of the names of well known people who dance on tables in the bars, go free even if they are caught shoplifting, and instead of being given long jail sentences, they have their lip pumped, given a leading role in a movie, paid an unbelievable sum of money for doing nothing.
Yes I remember what you just wrote about. Everything then, was geared to what is right and wrong. Now, things are so different that most of the time I do not even recognize TV hosts, as they all seem to turn back the clock with a face lift.
Crazy world these days but I live with the memories of the Good Old Days that the kids today will never know unless those like you and me tell them.”
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Tim Bryce said
A B.W. of Macon, Georgia wrote…
“From the time I was 7 until I turned 17 I worked part time at a Drive in movie
I got to see all the movies and I agree that the heroes have gone. The media has changed from presenting what could be and should be to reality. We no longer see heroes who have high ideas and morality. And I think I know why. Bad news sells, good news does not. It is almost as if we are afraid to get tears in our eyes anymore from seeing good things that touch our hearts. We have more glitter and pomp but no real life good things. Some of the kids movies still have the good little guys, but as the kids age the characters in the movies seem to be of today’s world, not the world we want it to be. In short we have stopped creating dreams of good. Today the dreams are of selfishness and power. The golden rule has changed from treating others as you would have them treat you: to he who has the gold make the rules.
Without bragging, I try to be one of the good guys, and sometimes I succeed. I will pass on this recent story: As you know, my world is model aircraft and aviation in general. I started volunteering at the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, GA. last September. I man the WWII (Hangar 3) building information desk. I really don’t sit behind the desk because it is on a raised platform and my wheelchair will not take me there, so I spend my time on the floor moving around and talking to folks. Last November, I noticed a grandfather sitting on one of the benches while waiting for his grandson who was quoting information about several of the planes on display. As I struck up a conversation with the old man, he told me that he was losing touch with his grandson (12) who loved airplanes and the only time they really got together was when they came to the museum. I gave the man my card, on the back of which is a message on how to obtain a free model airplane kit. (Something I have been seeding out for over 30 years)
The man’s wife sent me the email requesting the kits about mid November and I sent the kit out the next day. About two weeks later I got a nice email from the lady telling me that her husband and grandson had the best of time building and flying that little model plane. Of course that made my day. Yesterday, I got an email from the grandson, These were the words he wrote.
“Mr. ___, my grandfather passed away on January the 28th. I wanted to write and thank you for the model airplane kits. It was the best times I ever spent with my grandfather.
Thanks “
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Tim Bryce said
A U.V. of Largo, Florida wrote…
“Ah! the heroes of my youth. What’s missing is that people don’t have any of the traits any more. Who’s to teach them? The Rap stars??”
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Tim Bryce said
A J.D. of Dunedin, Florida wrote…
“In today’s information age, too many diversions to notice who our good guys are. I vote for our Soldiers, Sailors, Marine, and Airman in harm’s way trying to give those in less fortunate situations both secure and free.”
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