Fake Heroes

1. Heroism: Innate Acts vs. Constructed Myths

The “Autrey Factor” is ultimately, an “innate heroism” and that’s very different to societal heroes,² like Achilles, Nelson, Washington, Che Guevara, Captain Scott and even Mao Zedong, who all deliberately chose the heroic path.

Two types of heroes. The book distinguishes between innate heroism, exemplified by spontaneous, selfless acts like Wesley Autrey jumping onto subway tracks to save a stranger, and societal heroism, which is often a chosen path driven by ambition, status, or ideology. Autrey's act was instinctual, with no thought of reward or personal safety, even jeopardizing his own family's security for a stranger. This contrasts sharply with figures who actively sought glory or were elevated by society for specific roles or achievements.

Society's need for heroes. Societies create and promote heroes to embody desired values, provide inspiration, and unify people, especially during times of crisis or national uncertainty. These societal heroes, whether military leaders, politicians, or cultural figures, are often carefully selected and their narratives shaped to fit a particular mold. Their heroism is less about a single, spontaneous act and more about a constructed image that serves a collective purpose.

Motivation matters. While both types of figures may perform brave or significant deeds, their underlying motivations differ. Innate heroes act out of immediate empathy or instinct, while societal heroes often pursue a path they believe will lead to recognition, power, or the fulfillment of a grand vision. Understanding this distinction helps reveal the complex layers behind who we choose to celebrate and why.

2. The Power of Propaganda and Media in Hero Creation

The best propaganda flatters us, plays to our prejudices and turns the other side into a bogeyman.

Shaping perception. From early cinema to modern social media, media and propaganda have been powerful tools in constructing hero narratives and influencing public opinion. Early filmmakers quickly learned to manipulate reality to create compelling stories, a technique later perfected for propaganda purposes during wartime. Films like "The Battle of the Somme" or "Reach for the Sky" blended staged scenes with real footage or selectively presented facts to create desired impressions of heroism and national character.

Creating celebrity. The rise of film also inadvertently created modern celebrity, turning actors and public figures into larger-than-life icons onto whom audiences projected their desires. This phenomenon extends beyond entertainment, as media attention can elevate individuals to heroic status, sometimes overnight, as seen with Wesley Autrey becoming the "Subway Superman." This media-driven fame can be fleeting and often transforms the individual into a commodity.

Controlling the narrative. Propaganda works by simplifying complex realities, highlighting favorable aspects, and demonizing opponents. It leverages emotional responses and cognitive biases, like "alief," to make audiences believe what they see, even when it's a manufactured reality. This power allows for the deliberate creation of national heroes and the suppression of inconvenient truths, shaping collective memory for generations.

3. The Hero's Journey: A Narrative Blueprint for Myth-Making

The American writer Joseph Campbell used the term monomyth (hero’s journey) to describe this archetype in his hugely influential 1949 book The Hero with a Thousand Faces...

Universal narrative structure. The monomyth, or hero's journey, is a fundamental storytelling pattern found across cultures and time, describing a protagonist's departure from the ordinary world, facing trials and transformations, and returning with new wisdom or power. This structure resonates deeply with human experience, mirroring challenges and growth in our own lives, from daily commutes to major life changes.

Applying the archetype. This narrative blueprint is not limited to ancient myths or fiction; it is consciously or unconsciously applied to real-life figures to shape their public perception and legacy.

• Wesley Autrey's subway rescue can be mapped onto the monomyth cycle, from his ordinary life to facing death and returning transformed by fame.
• Political figures use this structure to frame their personal stories and campaigns, presenting themselves as protagonists overcoming obstacles for the collective good.
• Even historical accounts, particularly national histories, often frame key figures and events within this heroic arc, simplifying complex realities into compelling narratives.

Shaping collective memory. By fitting individuals into the monomyth mold, their stories become more relatable, memorable, and inspiring, solidifying their place in collective memory. This narrative power can elevate figures to iconic status, making them seem larger than life and reinforcing the idea of a predetermined heroic destiny, even when their actual lives were far more complex and contradictory.

4. Uncomfortable Truths Are Edited Out of Hero Legends

This is the life of Jack Kennedy with all the bad bits cut out.

Selective storytelling. Hero narratives, particularly those constructed by societies or individuals seeking to control their image, often involve the deliberate omission or downplaying of negative or inconvenient truths. This selective editing creates a polished, idealized version of the person, free from flaws that might tarnish their heroic image. The goal is to present a figure worthy of admiration and emulation, even if it means sacrificing accuracy.

Examples of hidden flaws:

• John F. Kennedy's chronic illnesses, extensive drug use, and numerous affairs were carefully concealed to maintain his image of youthful vigor and moral uprightness.
• Douglas Bader's racism, bullying behavior, and questionable tactical decisions were overlooked in favor of his image as a defiant, legless flying ace.
• Coco Chanel's deep antisemitism, collaboration with Nazis, and ruthless business practices are often glossed over in favor of her status as a fashion icon.

Protecting the myth. The decision to edit out uncomfortable truths is driven by various factors, including protecting the individual's legacy, maintaining public faith in institutions or national narratives, and avoiding scandal. This process highlights that many celebrated heroes are not simply figures who performed great deeds, but carefully curated brands whose imperfections have been deliberately airbrushed from history.

5. Status and Power Protect Fake Heroes from Scrutiny

Her fame also blinkered the world from her truly abhorrent views on women and their rights over their bodies.

Immunity through influence. Individuals with high status, wealth, or power are often shielded from the scrutiny and consequences that ordinary people face for similar actions. Their position grants them a degree of immunity, allowing them to engage in questionable or harmful behavior with reduced risk of accountability. This protection is often facilitated by institutions and individuals who benefit from their association with the powerful figure.

Examples of protection:

• Coco Chanel's connections to British aristocracy and her status as a fashion icon likely helped her avoid prosecution for collaboration with the Nazis.
• Jimmy Savile's celebrity status, charitable work, and connections within the BBC, hospitals, and even the Royal Family allowed him to commit horrific abuses in plain sight for decades.
• The British Royal Family, despite historical instances of tyranny, incompetence, and personal failings, maintains its status and avoids significant scrutiny due to tradition, media deference, and its symbolic role.

Complicity of institutions. Institutions like the media, political establishments, and even religious organizations can become complicit in protecting powerful figures by downplaying scandals, ignoring evidence, or prioritizing reputation over truth. This dynamic reveals that heroism and villainy are not always clear-cut, and that societal structures can enable deeply flawed individuals to maintain an image of virtue while avoiding consequences.

6. Heroic Failure Often Outshines Quiet Competence

My homeland’s centuries old love affair with heroic failure is in truth a symptom of that very British disease known as exceptionalism.

The romance of the doomed. In some cultures, particularly Britain, there is a peculiar tendency to celebrate spectacular failures, especially those involving self-sacrifice or noble but ultimately futile endeavors, more than quiet competence or successful but less dramatic achievements. This romanticization of failure often elevates individuals to iconic status, immortalized in memorials, poems, and popular narratives.

Examples of celebrated failures:

• Captain Scott and his team are revered for their tragic, ill-fated attempt on the South Pole, despite questionable planning and being beaten by a more competent rival.
• Sir John Franklin's disastrous Arctic expedition, which ended in cannibalism, is remembered with statues and memorials, while the man who discovered his fate, John Rae, was initially ridiculed.
• Lord Nelson's death at the moment of victory cemented his legendary status, arguably more than the victory itself.
• The Charge of the Light Brigade, a military blunder, became the subject of famous poetry celebrating the soldiers' bravery despite the pointless loss of life.

Obscuring competence. This focus on heroic failure often overshadows the achievements of those who succeeded through careful planning, adaptation, and learning from others, particularly indigenous experts. Figures like John Rae, who survived and succeeded in the Arctic by adopting Inuit methods, or Roald Amundsen, who won the race to the South Pole through meticulous preparation, are often less celebrated in popular narratives than their doomed counterparts.

7. The "Lone Genius" Myth Ignores Collaboration and Overlooked Contributors

The enduring romance of the Renaissance and resonance of towering figures like da Vinci himself helped spawn the idea of the “singular genius”, meaning that subsequently the role of others was reduced to a mere mention in the footnotes or even edited out altogether.

Collaboration is key. Many of history's greatest artistic and scientific achievements, often attributed to a single "lone genius," were in fact the result of extensive collaboration and built upon the work of numerous predecessors. Workshops in the Renaissance, scientific laboratories, and modern creative studios all rely on teams of skilled individuals contributing ideas and labor.

Examples of collaboration and overlooked contributors:

• Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci relied on assistants and apprentices in their workshops, whose contributions are often forgotten.
• Andy Warhol's "Factory" explicitly mass-produced art with the help of collaborators like Gerard Malanga, though Warhol took primary credit and the financial rewards.
• Thomas Edison's numerous patents were often the result of work by his team at Menlo Park, like William Dickson who developed the movie camera.
• Many scientific breakthroughs, from the lightbulb (numerous inventors before Edison) to DNA structure (Rosalind Franklin's crucial work), involved multiple researchers, but credit is often consolidated under one or two famous names.

The Matilda Effect. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced for women in science and art, whose contributions have been systematically overlooked, downplayed, or attributed to male colleagues throughout history. Figures like Alice Ball (leprosy treatment), Lise Meitner (nuclear fission), and Marie Maynard Daly (cholesterol link) are examples of women whose pioneering work was initially credited to men or simply faded into obscurity.

8. Cults of Personality Turn Flawed Figures into Saints and Icons

In death Che went on to have an extraordinary afterlife, inspiring fashion, politics and murals across South America.

Posthumous elevation. Death, particularly a premature or dramatic one, can transform individuals into icons, saints, or martyrs, elevating them beyond their human flaws and complexities. This process often involves the creation of a cult of personality, where followers project idealized qualities onto the deceased figure, turning them into symbols that serve various purposes.

Examples of cults:

• Rudolph Valentino's sudden death led to mass hysteria and a lasting cult of the "Latin lover," fueled by studio publicity.
• Che Guevara's execution cemented his image as a romantic revolutionary icon, his face becoming a global symbol despite his authoritarian actions and Stalinist views.
• Mother Teresa was elevated to a living saint and later canonized, her image of selfless devotion overshadowing criticisms of her methods and beliefs.
• John F. Kennedy's assassination transformed him into a liberal martyr
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Last updated: May 13, 2025