Who were your (generation's) heroes?

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I was having a discussion about this yesterday.. and maybe it's different in the UK than in the US - also maybe I just have a horrible memory ..

The generation before mine seemes to have had some iconic heroes - JFK, MLK, Neil Armstrong, Hank Aaron maybe ...

I can't think of a single one for my generation (late 70s early 80s). Who did (the collective) you look up to/ aspire to be like when you were 12-18?

And is media overexposure the cause? When you only had three TV channels that all reported the same news, your icons were chosen for you perhaps.

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:26 (twenty-one years ago)

michael sodding jackson

― paranoia is the hipster's disease (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I aspired to be Felicity Kendal.

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Mark E. Smith

― What did you do in the war, Dadaismus? (Dada), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't think I ever had a hero around this time in my life, I would've been 12-18 from the year 1985-1991.

I don't see how only having 3 channels means you have to rely on TV to provide you your heroes. If anything it's probably worse now there are 100+ channels.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually i think I may have misinterpreted your final comment, I'll get back on this..

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Yoda. Kermit the Frog. I am not kidding.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:36 (twenty-one years ago)

GI JOE

― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Daley Thompson and Arthur Scargill.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Chris, I think that's so damn serious, it's scary. I mean, OTM.

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:39 (twenty-one years ago)

My generation didn't have heroes. :-(

― Kissing Time At The Pleasure Unit (kate), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Bob Geldof.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I haven't got any heroes. They're all useless.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:45 (twenty-one years ago)

> Yoda. Kermit the Frog. I am not kidding.

same thing nearly 8)

jim henson's certainly one of my heroes.
geldof too (xpost)

― koogs (koogs), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:45 (twenty-one years ago)

There was nothing that could stop Roadblock, Snake Eyes...etc. Well maybe Stormshadow.

― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:46 (twenty-one years ago)

So where have all the great individuals got to? I suppose they're all in the Pop and Hollywood world these days.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Mr. Hezekiah Ramsbotham Morrison - founder of the supermarket chain currently bringing good Northern working class values to Southern softies everywhere

― What did you do in the war, Dadaismus? (Dada), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:46 (twenty-one years ago)

which would tie in slightly with your last comment about TV, but in another way, more news and exposure is being allocated to pop/movie stars?

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, yeah .. And I've had this theory going for awhile that kids today aren't going to share the same pop references the way that my generation did - because there are so many more of them.. Everyone my age knows all of the Brady Bunch & Gilligan's Island trivia and recite the Operation and Connect Four commercials.. But with 80 channels, every kid has a different experience. (Not sure if that's good or bad, actually.)

Obviously, this is off the cuff, so I'm sure some smartass will tell me why it's complete bullshit.

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 22 October 2004 11:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm not too sure that the pop references are going to be so different across the board, in the end it's TV and they have to target a particular audience to keep viewing figures which means it's going to be pretty similar content, or repeated?

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 22 October 2004 12:04 (twenty-one years ago)

haha the twenty year olds in 2014 are going to be "Remember the Teletubbies?" "Yes. There's 300 websites about them."

Dave's point was illustrated to me when I went down to Australia, and found that pretty much everyone my age had a fondness for the only things shown at tea time on the national channel when they were little. Dr Who, Battle of the Planets, and The Goodies (! and indeed ?)

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 22 October 2004 12:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Michael Jordon was one of mine.
Not that I was there at the time but the producers of 91-93 hardcore seem pretty heroic to me now, what with how far they pushed things forward.
Probably my biggest 'boy's own' type heroes are the guys who went and shuveled bits of rubble back onto the core of Chernoble's B reactor, the day after it blew up to stop it releasiong so much radioactivity. They new they would dye from it but did it anyway

― lukey (Lukey G), Friday, 22 October 2004 12:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Michael Jordon was one of mine

I've always been curious about things like this. How? Why? What about his ability to jump higher and turn himself into a walking advertisement made him your hero? I'm sorry if I seem a little antagonistic, I just don't understand, and would like to.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 22 October 2004 12:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Mikhail Gorbachev?

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 22 October 2004 12:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Ferris Bueller and Mike Seaver should not be forgotten.

― domino, Friday, 22 October 2004 12:50 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.forat.com/pictures/mpc/1%20Forat%20Clients%20folder/Bushwick%20Bill%20Geto%20Boys2.jpg

― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Friday, 22 October 2004 12:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Wonderwoman and Ghandi.

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 22 October 2004 12:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Gandhi

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 22 October 2004 13:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Superman (RIP)

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Friday, 22 October 2004 13:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Optimus Prime, Fido Dido, The Galaxy Rangers and Rainbow Brite.

― B.A.R.M.S. (Barima), Friday, 22 October 2004 13:03 (twenty-one years ago)

xpost
Andrew
I found him heroic for I guess the oposite reasons that you listed above. To deal with the advertising issue firstly, a. that is an argument that can be leveled at any sportsmen b. he recieved only 24 million dollars in wages up to his last year at the bulls (of course a huge amount of money, but signifigantly less than many of his far less talented peers).
I guess he was a hero of mine essentually because of his work ethic, he was a prodigiously talented jumper, but worked every summer on improving parts of his game that he felt were lacking. See his eventual mastery of the fade away.
Dispite his ability to take on other teams single handed at times (there is video of him being 5 man marked andstill making the shot) he was truly a team player, lifting them at times, and shaaring glory and responsibility with all.
He was an incredibly hard worker in other respects as well, he scored 33 points ( a lot) while running a fever of 103 and a terrible flue (97 playoffs i think)
He said fuck the expectations and followed his baseball dream even though everyone said it was a bad idea, then returned to the NBA a more complete player than ever

― lukey (Lukey G), Friday, 22 October 2004 13:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Leonardo.

Michaelangelo.

Raphael.

Donatello.

Optius Prime.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Friday, 22 October 2004 18:59 (twenty-one years ago)

He-man.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Friday, 22 October 2004 18:59 (twenty-one years ago)

The Real Ghostbusters.

And Bob Ross.

― Adam Bruneau (oliver8bit), Friday, 22 October 2004 19:28 (twenty-one years ago)

animaniacs

mario and luigi

― kephm (kephm), Friday, 22 October 2004 19:31 (twenty-one years ago)

sports figures and other rich people

― Loose Translation: Sexy Dancer (sexyDancer), Friday, 22 October 2004 19:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I aspired to be Felicity Kendal.

-- Rumpy Pumpkin (the24hrsleepe...), October 22nd, 2004 8:32 AM. (rumpypumpkin) (later)

okay, i've heard felicty kendal mentioned in black adder--who is she o ukers?

my heroes were willie stargell and probably the protagonist of whatever geeky sci-fi novel i was reading at the time.

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Friday, 22 October 2004 21:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Mentioned in Black Adder? That was pushing the anachronistic boat out a bit, wasn't it? Are you sure you don't mean The Young Ones?

FK - cutesy, sexy-like-a-cuddly-toy, Rear Of The Year 70s/80s sitcom actress (who did many serious things in the theatre, but who cares?) currently starring in sub-Midsomer Murders (not my words, ladies and gentlemen, but the words of my cautiously pro-John Nettles missus) mimsy whodunndatden Rosemary & Thyme. Mark S to thread!

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 22 October 2004 21:54 (twenty-one years ago)

"Oh, Tom!"

http://216.99.207.150/images/felicitykendal/goodlife6.jpg

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 22 October 2004 21:58 (twenty-one years ago)

hmmm--could be the young ones, though i've seen more of black adder. yeah, that would be anachronistic, i reckon.

so: felicty kendal = uk teri garr? (which is a good thing)

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Friday, 22 October 2004 22:01 (twenty-one years ago)

You're never going to believe this, but I almost said "think Brit Teri Garr, with all that entails".

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 22 October 2004 22:07 (twenty-one years ago)

oh teri garr! if only i were 25 years older!

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Friday, 22 October 2004 22:24 (twenty-one years ago)

john waters

― dan (dan), Friday, 22 October 2004 22:27 (twenty-one years ago)

thirteen years pass...

For some reason I just remembered Fido Dido, the 7Up mascot, who my cousins and I went through a phase of learning to draw very accurately when we were kids. Whatever happened to Fido Dido? He was a cool dude

― FREEZE! FYI! (dog latin), Friday, 1 December 2017 14:06 (eight years ago)

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1987-10-19/lifestyle/0150330117_1_fido-dido-susan-rose

this revive led to me reading the above 1987 newspaper article, and this part has blown my mind:

Fido Dido (pronounced FI-doe DEE-doe)

― soref, Friday, 1 December 2017 15:28 (eight years ago)

Fido is for Fido.
Fido is against no one.
Fido is Youth.
Fido has no age.
Fido sees everything.
Fido judges nothing.
Fido is Innocent.
Fido is Powerful.
Fido comes from the past.
Fido is the future.
This credo, Rose said, is what makes Fido special. He's more than just a funny face, he's a pop philosopher espousing a ''cartoon living'' philosophy -- that is, ''the ability to handle any situation with a sense of humor.''

― soref, Friday, 1 December 2017 15:31 (eight years ago)

Hmmph good luck around here bucko

― moyesery loves kompany (darraghmac), Friday, 1 December 2017 16:33 (eight years ago)

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