HUM/105 WORLD MYTHOLOGY version 3

HUM/105 WORLD MYTHOLOGY version 3

(Reference only–original question, PLEASE DO NOT REPLY):Identify some people you consider real or personal heroes. What characteristics do your contemporary heroes share with their mythical counterparts?  How do they differ, if at all?

Please include one specific comparison between a contemporary hero and a traditional mythical hero.

Please respond to the following discussion question, minimum 130 words. 

A person that I consider a personal hero is Elon Musk, entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla Motors.  The mythical counterpart I will compare him to is Beowulf.  Some characteristics that he shares with his mythical counterpart are courage, proactiveness, not affraid of being different, and both fight against evil. 

Elon Musk, shares Beowulf’s courage in that he is not afraid of being different.  After selling what is now PayPal, he moved on to investing in something completely out of the norm:  Electric vehicles.  He did not settle for being a mediocre billionaire. He used his wealth to create even more wealth and did it in a very innovative way by investing in and marketing a completely new product.  Aside from being innovative he has fought current rules and regulations.  As many states have laws against direct selling of automotive vehicles, he has fought against the states and has been creative in how to sell his vehicles.  A difference is that he has not needed to slay any dragons, BUT in this case the dragon is figurative.  In this case, the dragon is global warming and Elon battles against it, whether he will survive, we do not yet know.  Grendel is the addiction to unsustainable petroleum products which create greenhouse gasses and CO2 pollution.  Grendel’s mother are the oil companies, the investors and the never ending greed.  But so far Elon has ripped Grendel’s arm (Rosenberg, D., 2006). by building the current work-in-progress grid, which is a solar-sustainable Super Charger grid.  A grid in which any Model S (the current vehicle model), can recharge it’s battery and drive from coast to coast at no cost (this can be done today).

In short, a contemporary hero does not need to slay the dragons or fight Grendel. But a contemporary hero fights for humanity and goes away from the norm to do it.

References
Rosenberg, D. (2006). World mythology: An anthology of great myths and epics (3rd ed.). Chicago, IL: McGraw Hill.