Modern Day Heroes

People say "chivalry is dead", that we don't live in the age of heroes anymore. Gone are the days when people would rise up against injustice and oppression, break forth the shackles of the old and redundant to fight for all that is right. However, I sternly disagree with this sentiment and why should I not?

I see the heroes of our postmodern society every single day. I see their brave actions and the strength in their voice as they change the world a little at a time. Today we'll talk about the real heroes of our time.

The Public Transport Justicier: Public transport is that one part of our lives that is ever constant but never gets any less painful. On public transports, we can observe an amalgamation of people from all walks of life, too busy to maintain common courtesy. And then there's the presence of the evil Sith Lords known as "bus conductors". Their reign of tyranny remains strong in every bus ride. Humanity shudders with horror as they do the unthinkable – ask for the bus fare.

Thankfully, we have our public transport justiciers. You can find them in every bus ride, arguing at the top of their voices. If they had to argue for one hour to reduce the bus fare by a sizeable amount of 2 taka, they will. Because they know it's not just about the fare, it's about fighting for what's right. And if that causes the annoyance of everyone on the bus then so be it. That's a price they are willing to pay.

The Social Media Philosophers: I know everyone puts ancient Greece philosophers on a pedestal but let's ask ourselves this question: do they come close to that one person who got 1000+ likes on his Facebook post reminding everyone of the problems we face on an everyday basis? I think not. Our modern day philosophers have embraced the new with wide open arms. Everyone knows what Facebook is really for. It is to preach your idealistic views that even you don't follow. And our social media pundits have vowed to do just that. With scathing words and innovative analogies they're changing our society as we know it one post as a time. Each status they post is longer than the one before, and these pundits have sacrificed their personal lives by dedicating their time to fight the anomalies of our society. Name one pop culture protagonist that has done that. I'll wait.

PHOTO: DARSHAN CHAKMA

The Conveyers of Wisdom: When Gandalf used to come out of nowhere to help out our heroes of Middle-earth, no one would bat an eye. However I feel like the Gandalfs of our time do not get the same level of appreciation. These heroes come from all walks of life. They drop in your life like a paratrooper from the sky. Instead of being armed with a ballistic weapon, they are armed with years of wisdom and a strong sense of civic duty. They will stop you from whatever you are doing and impart their wisdom whether you want it or not. From telling you how to cross the road to comments about your appearance, the level of concern these people have for lives that have nothing to do with them is astounding. They will go out of their way to tell you what they think is right and wrong and to me, that's beautiful.

The Rickshaw-puller Vigilantes: Most of us would shrug off a rickshaw-puller asking for a ridiculous fare with a hint of annoyance and not much more. But these modern day heroes go a step beyond. They start an argument with these perpetrators, who dare ask for a high fare, in their loudest voice in the middle of the road. With every strong word they spew, you will see them becoming stronger and holier. They transcend above us mere mortals with every argument they have. Some of them are a step above. They get on the rickshaw without fixing a fare and when it is time to pay up, they lash out at whatever fare that rickshaw-puller asks for. What would we do without these beautiful servicemen of society?

Nuren Iftekhar is your local stray cat in disguise; he interacts with people for food and hates bright light. He got Hufflepuff 3 times straight in Pottermore so no walking around that one. Send him obscure memes at n.iftekhar18@gmail.com