Episode 31: Heroes in the Time of COVID

We're baaack! We've been hearing a lot about heroes in the news lately and it's got us thinking. The word's being used to describe doctors, nurses, paramedics, delivery people, truck drivers, and grocery store workers-- all the people who are keeping our society going through the COVID-19 pandemic. But what do we really mean when we call someone a hero? Do our heroes today resemble the heroes of myth? Or are we using the label "hero" to escape societal responsibilities?

Join Darrin and Alison for this special pandemic issue of MythTake. Guest appearance by our new feline production manager!

 

Links:

Mattel Commemorates the Heroes of the Pandemic With New Line of Action Figures (Adweek)

America's Heroism Trap (Slate)

Healthcare Workers Deserve More than Hero Memes (Passage)

I’m An NHS Doctor. I Don’t Want To Be A Hero – I Want To Do My Job Without The Risks (Huffington Post)

Calling Healthcare Workers "Heroes" Sets Them Up to be Sacrificed (GQ)

'Hero' Rings Hollow (LA Times)

 

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This week’s theme music: “Super Hero” by King Louie’s Missing Monuments from the album “Live at WFMU” (2011). Used under Creative Commons license and available from Free Music Archive.