Exploring Modern Heroism Based on ‘Mutual Beneficence’

Heroes and heroic actions represent the pinnacle of human life. The most noble action that a human can perform is heroism, and throughout history, humanity has bestowed the title of hero upon those who lived such extraordinary lives and then praised them from within that categorization. Traditionally, when discussing heroes, there has always been an archetype of a hero, with a dichotomy of ‘I’ or ‘We’ versus an opposing ‘other’ as an enemy that should be eliminated — whether it be a person or a system. However, in modern times, the archetype of the hero based on sacrifice and opposing forces is undergoing a transformation. This change is due to the recognition of individuals who are acclaimed as heroes without having to inflict harm upon an opponent. If the essential reason why heroes have been praised in human history was for ‘saving’ someone or something, then the heroes of contemporary society are becoming more closely aligned with the essence of preservation or symbiosis, breaking away from the incidental attributes of destruction or violence, even more so than in the past. In conclusion, heroes are generally conceptualized as positive and pro-social phenomena, and the destructive aspects of heroism, and even its madness, have been largely ignored. Based on the philosophical concept of mutual beneficence (sangsaeng, 相生) in Daesoon Thought, this study will examine the destructive attributes of heroes and then reevaluate the characteristics of heroes from the perspective of saving others.