No more heroes any more sang the Stranglers back in 77. And 30 years on, we seem to live in an age when heroes seem more dead than ever; an age of cynicism and individualism, where the role models we do have spend most of their time getting drunk and being generally obnoxious.
Is it any wonder our world is so selfish and self centred.
But then, occasionally, a good, old fashioned hero comes along that captures the imagination. Captain Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger III, who ditched US Airlines Flight 1549 safely into New York's Hudson River fits that bill perfectly.
57 years old, and looking like someone from WW2 Bomber Command, Sullenberger is an unlikely hero in our age of superficial achievement where appearances are everything. But his real heroism and true achievement has hit a nerve, as the press coverage...and his 100,000 Facebook fans show.
Maybe it's a sign of things to come in Obama's new age of hope, but let's seek out and celebrate real heroism...and dump empty 'celebrity' in the gutter, where most of adherents seem to enjoy lying.
As Hugh goes on to sing Something Better Change. And for our own well bring it needs to.
PS - Burnel & Greenfield: were they not an awesome combination!
