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Heroes are Ordinary People whose social action is Extra-Ordinary/ who ACT when others are passive, who give up EGO-centrism for SOCIO-centrism.
Philip Zimbardo
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote highlights that true heroes are regular individuals who take significant actions for social good, prioritizing community over self.

In this quote, Philip Zimbardo emphasizes that heroism is not limited to the extraordinary or superhuman but is found in regular people who choose to act decisively when most remain indifferent. By advocating for a shift from ego-centrism to socio-centrism, Zimbardo suggests that true bravery lies in selflessness and the willingness to engage in actions that benefit society.

Themes

HeroismSocial ActionSelflessnessCommunityCourage

In practice

Example use cases

During a speech on community service, one might use this quote to inspire volunteerism.

More from Philip Zimbardo

Before I knew that a man could kill a man, because it happens all the time. Now I know that even the person with whom you've shared food, or whom you've slept, even he can kill you with no trouble. The closest neighbor can kill you with his teeth: that is what I have Learned since the genocide, and my eyes no longer gaze the same on the face of the world.
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Boys' brains are being digitally rewired for change, novelty, excitement and constant arousal. That means they're totally out of sync in traditional classes, which are analog, static, interactively passive.
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Evil is knowing better, but willingly doing worse.
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Time perspective is one of the most powerful influences on all of human behavior. We're trying to show how people become biased to being exclusively past-, present- or future-oriented.
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Many cults start off with high ideals that get corrupted by leaders or their board of advisors who become power-hungry and dominate and control members' lives. No group with high ideals starts off as a 'cult'; they become one when their errant ways are exposed.
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Bullies may be the perpetrators of evil, but it is the evil of passivity of all those who know what is happening and never intervene that perpetuates such abuse.
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