When we hear about a heroic act, self-sacrifice, we often wonder how we would act in this situation ourselves. And often the word "feat" is used to denote a situation out of the ordinary, and the behavior of an individual in its conditions. What is it?
What is a feat?
In the dictionary, this word denotes a heroic deed, which can be done only by showing selflessness, courage, overcoming your fear and stepping over yourself. Sometimes the reason for a feat is love - for children, a representative of the opposite, for the homeland, for people in general.
In different eras, a feat meant different actions. For example, the ancient hero Hercules destroyed various monsters, performed the most incredible actions. But can it really be called a feat now cleaning the stable, stealing the belt from the queen of the Amazons or golden apples in the Garden of Eden? Moreover, he did these acts only by order of his king. But, of course, he overcame obstacles, endangered, saved people's lives. Without superhuman abilities, enormous strength, he could not do this. Therefore, to the question of what a feat is, we can safely say that this is an act of a not quite ordinary person.
Heroes are different
If in the ancient world heroes became exclusively by birthright (as a rule, they were people with divine origin), then in modern society every person can become one. Extraordinary behavior, caused by the pursuit of a higher goal, is inherent in everyone. But just what can be considered such a goal for which it is not a pity to give one's life? In any culture, in all ages, this was considered the salvation of human life. Especially if the danger looms over the weaker - a child, a cripple, an elderly person.
But feats also differ depending on external circumstances. After all, if a person steps over himself in order to save a large number of other people, then this is undoubtedly a feat. If during the war a fighter tries to take the lives of as many enemies as possible with his death, then this is also a feat, but of a different nature.
Feat of the people: what is it?
If everything is clear with the feat of an individual, then what should be understood by the heroism of an entire people? In a few words, this is a mass phenomenon in an extraordinary situation, most often during military operations. For example, take the Great Patriotic War, when representatives of different nations thought not only about themselves and their families, but also about civilians who defended the rear. Undoubtedly, during the years of the struggle for their freedom, the independence of the nation, the heroes were not only on the battlefield. Common people (women, old people, children) supplied the army with food, treated and sheltered the wounded, hid the persecuted from the enemy army, took upon themselveshousehold chores, morally supported the fighters. And thanks to this, they managed to win a great victory in a difficult war. Therefore, it is difficult to give an unambiguous answer to the question of what a feat is. Cases vary.
Feats of modernity
What can be considered heroism today, when peace reigns on Earth to a greater extent, and bloody wars, fortunately, have remained in history? Even in our time there are great feats. Employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations every day, performing their professional duties, save human lives. How many stories can be heard about how a neighbor, friend, or just a passerby carried a child from a burning house in his arms? Isn't the hero a KamAZ driver who deliberately turned off the bridge to avoid a collision with a school bus?
So what is a feat, who is a hero? One can unequivocally answer that they are not born, but become. But the psychology of heroism has not yet been fully studied. After all, no one can recreate in laboratory conditions a situation where there is a real threat to human life. But still, heroism can be physical (when a person’s life or he alth is at risk), moral (when a person goes against generally accepted norms and rules) and vital (when a person overcomes his own phobias, shortcomings, addictions).
