Peter Gabriel is Not My Hero

Earlier today, there was an interesting discussion about heroes on Facebook.  I came to the realization that I have no heroes because heroes do not exist.  More than that, adults shouldn't need heroes to begin with.  They should be smart enough to realize that heroes make for great movie plots but do not actually exist in real life.

Heroes will always let you down.  Always.  That's because a hero is an ideal and not concrete reality.  Other examples of ideals that screw us up include:

• God
• Santa Claus
• manifest destiny
• Truth, Justice and the American Way
• the Roman Republic  (yes, I know the Republic ended with Augustus Caesar, but it seems to survive in some current governments such as the one in America.  The ideal lives on.)

Now, don't get me wrong.  I still admire Peter.  I'd take a bullet, blade or blunt object for him.  I am in awe of his creativity.  I also would love to shag him until one or both of us is in a chocolate-flavored coma but he's not my hero.  He's just a guy I really, really, really hope outlives me.

Am I mad at Peter for not living up to my hopes and expectations?  Nope.  I was the one dumb enough to pick heroes in the first place.

Things that Peter does that do not live up to my hero qualifications includes:

1. Getting married not just once but twice.  What -- he didn't learn his lesson the first time around that marriage sucks?
2. Betting on horse racing.  Horse racing is nothing but animal cruelty sanctioned by the filthy rich.  How does Peter not get that?  How does anyone not get that, for that matter?
3. Being, at times, kind of an idiot. 

Man, I hope Peter comes back from his around-the-world vacation soon so I can start writing some real posts instead of doing random navel-gazing.