Problem
In 1927, Charles A. Lindbergh electrified both America and the world itself by his incredible feat of flying solo across the Atlantic Ocean in the light and fragile airplane named the Spirit of St. Louis. It was a milestone in Aviation and it demonstrated the navigational skills, physical stamina and intense mental concentration. It is hard to convey the dangers of this flight in modern times. Lindbergh had no modern day navigational instruments or beacons. He had only a compass, the stars, and dead reckoning. If he miscalculated any part of his trip, he would run out of gas and he would have been lost at sea.
The Transatlantic flight took 34 hours. Not only did Lindbergh lay the foundation for the future development of aviation, he was automatically elevated to hero status. Lindbergh became not only the most famous person of his time, he was hailed a hero of heroes. Everybody equaled the trait of bravery with Lindbergh.
In the 1930s, we see the same type of hero worship with Amelia Earhart, another pioneer that set many aviation records. For a time, she was the most famous American woman.
The 1920s was an era of heroes. Everybody found heroes in every category. Sports stars like Babe Ruth and even high profile criminals like "Bonnie and Clyde" were held up with admiration and fascination.
Baseball slugger, Babe Ruth was the first sports star that earned a yearly paycheck higher than what the U.S. president brought in. When a reporter asked Ruth, "you play a child's game and the President runs an entire nation....how can you justify such income?" Ruth merely answered back, "Well, I had a better year than the president."
Why do people look for and up to such people? Why do we create celebrities from people that accomplish incredible feats or some sort of notoriety. What was it about the 1920s that produced so many heroes? Why do we seek out heroes and do we need them? Do we need them today? Your opinion.