Heroism

"The characteristic of genuine heroism is its persistency. All men have wandering impulses, fits and starts of generosity. But when you have resolved to be great, abide by yourself, and do not weakly try to reconcile yourself with the world. The heroic cannot be the common, nor the common, the heroic." -Ralph Waldo Emerson, Heroism

In his essay on Heroism (1841), Emerson maintains that true heroism is the product of balanced minds, a condition that he believed has not been present since the days of the Roman Empire. It consists, the author believed, of self-confidence and persistence and a willingness to stand up to popular opinion. For Emerson, it requires the courage to "stand up to the mob by the absolute truth of his speech and the rectitude of his behavior."