Who are your Hero's and Inspirational characters?

[Biker]

Good thread and thoroughly good read so far. I'm wracking my brain for a suitable list of people who have inspired me too. I find myself coming up rather short or that there are just too many to list. Do I admire them for thier maverick behavior? Or should I admire them for what they've achieved?

Sir Edmund Hilary for being just a tad too focussed and climbing the worlds tallest mountain "cos it was there"?
Or Shepra Tensing for going along with him and carrying his kit? Which one's the hero?

Nelson would feature high on my list but I know virtually nothing about him except he was classed as a national hero and had the good fortune to die at his peak, rather than incontinent in his bed.

Winston Churchill for his bullheadedness and inspiring a country at it's darkest hour. The same could be said for Maggie Thatcher but Scargill might disagree. But she never really inspired me but I was proud to see her kick off the Falklands conflict and not back down like a lot of spineless politicians would have at the time.

Any war veteran for doing something most of us would be running the other way from.

My grandad for being a firefighter during the blitz and living to tell about it, but not milking his "heroism" constantly. So I suppose my grandad would be my best hero. My Dad died when I was 22 and just when I was getting to know him as an adult too. I'm now 3 years older than he ever was which is a scary thought.

I'm in awe of anyone who can play a musical instrument, it's borderline white man's magic for me as I have no musicial talent whatsoever but love listening to music.

Rocky Balboa, at least the first three films can inspire me to keep on going when giving up seems so attractive. It's just a case of deciding if the end result is worth the effort.

Lastly what Laurentius said above - "... in fact anybody who has "swum against the tide" of mundanity."

 

[Silverhill]

Threads like this really make you stop..............and think for a while.

It's really quite easy to name a hero, but to commit to text, someone who you consider an inspiration for the way in which you look or act through your own life does hold (for me at least) a huge gravitas and a great deal of thought.

My 'hero' is quite simply; Michael Collins.

Not for the purposes of any form of anti-English sentiment, for which I am neither a fan or advocate!! But for the 'long game' that he played. He knew that the circumstances into which he was lead would result in serious problems for the country in both the short, and the long term. But what he did was enable change over the longer term, which allowed the Free-Irish State to eventually become an independent nation. All of this was at the inevitable cost of his own life, and that of countless others in the subsequent troubles.

My 'inspiration' is unquestionably; my Father.

A Munster Irishman, raised by a deeply IRA sympathetic family in Cork, who joined the British Army in the late sixties in a successful and somewhat convoluted attempt to find employment in the UK (due to lack thereof in Ireland), by means of a self-imposed national service. From what I understand, it wasn't an easy move, and he didn't return home for several years for obvious reasons. Similarly, after leaving the army, the reception for an Irishman in parts of the UK were far from warm, but he still managed to marry, settle down and provide a better future in terms of upbringing and prospects for his son.

In light of all of the above, my old man's focus throughout his life; was to make a better life, not for immediate reward, but for his children and grandchildren over the longer term.

In modern times, long-term financial security is not the only way of ensuring the success of future generations..... My father taught me how to fish, how to track and hunt small game, how to 'be patient' and to take only what you needed with time, effort and care. In a way, this form of teaching is a way of securing 'the intelligent future' of the next generation. In my life 'The Long Game' is the theory behind the way I live my life; always striving to provide a better life for the long term. 'The intelligent future' is my synonym for Bushcraft.......

Apologies if it's a little 'deep'.

 

[Laurentius]

My 'inspiration' is unquestionably; my Father.

A Munster Irishman, raised by a deeply IRA sympathetic family in Cork, who joined the British Army in the late sixties in a successful and somewhat convoluted attempt to find employment in the UK (due to lack thereof in Ireland), by means of a self-imposed national service. From what I understand, it wasn't an easy move, and he didn't return home for several years for obvious reasons. Similarly, after leaving the army, the reception for an Irishman in parts of the UK were far from warm, but he still managed to marry, settle down and provide a better future in terms of upbringing and prospects for his son.

In light of all of the above, my old man's focus throughout his life; was to make a better life, not for immediate reward, but for his children and grandchildren over the longer term.

In modern times, long-term financial security is not the only way of ensuring the success of future generations..... My father taught me how to fish, how to track and hunt small game, how to 'be patient' and to take only what you needed with time, effort and care. In a way, this form of teaching is a way of securing 'the intelligent future' of the next generation. In my life 'The Long Game' is the theory behind the way I live my life; always striving to provide a better life for the long term. 'The intelligent future' is my synonym for Bushcraft.......

Apologies if it's a little 'deep'.

I guess I ought to have included my dad too, after all who introduced me to Moondog's bizarre music in the first place? He was a wierd mixture of things, he considered himself a socialist, always voted labour, but his views on women in trousers and long haired students were not exactly progressive. My love of the countryside I have to owe to him, having chosen to live in what was then a small estate surrounded by fields on all sides. My fondest memories of him are in my late teens cycling out in the country and doing photography together. In the evening we would develop the films and spend time together in the dark room.

Was he ever a hero? when he was of the age I was when we went out cycling together he was in uniform as a messenger boy for the Coventry fire brigade during the blitz. He didn't think that special, he was too young to join up and aspired to be in uniform.

He never taught me how to fish or hunt small game, that was not his scene, but he did teach me respect (and maybe perhaps awe) for nature.

 

[wattsy]

voltaire - hardly anyone knows about him or what he did but his works are absolute genius one of the most enlightened writers of his day.
toni kurz - mounaineer who died on the eiger in 1936
joe simpson - wrote toucking the void about his experiences on the siula grande

 

[swyn]

My hero(ine) coz she is still very much alive. Ellen Macarthur. An inspiration to all!

I know that Earnest Shakleton has been mentioned but I think Frank Worsley is high on my list too for getting them to South Georgia.
Swyn.

 

[Rebel]

and in another way er silvia saint ;-D

Silvia Saint? :yikes: What heroic and inspirational things has she done?

 

[Barn Owl]

Quite simply those who've given their lives and those who serve the masses here at home and abroad trying to let them live in the way they're accustomed.

And there's very few of them what you'd call 'management' I can assure you.

 

[spiritwalker]

Silvia Saint? :yikes: What heroic and inspirational things has she done?

different type of bushcraft :-D

whats funny though is noone has said who is she lol

 

[British Red]

My hero(ine) coz she is still very much alive. Ellen Macarthur.

She gives a great hug too

Lovely lass in person

 

[Miyagi]

different type of bushcraft :-D

whats funny though is noone has said who is she lol

Ok, who is she?

Some of the lads at work were talking about how she can put things away, I take it she's a snooker player?

 

[TaTanka]

So many choices when I search may brain. So many people I admire, here we have the downside of being a history major.

Leonidas
Boudica
Aristotle
Lief Ericson
Thomas Paine
Thomas Jefferson
John Adams
Alexander Hamilton
Andrew Jackson
Jim Bridger
Daniel Morgan
William T. Sherman
Nicola Tesla
H.P. Lovecraft
William Blake
Edgar Allen Poe
Ray Bradbury
My Father

These are people who's stories give me inspiration even if a few of them were sorta nutty.

 

[Retired Member southey]

William James Coker (RM) 1906-1990 my Grandfather served in the Commandos from there inception during the second world war.

Lt Cdr R (Rod) V Frederiksen (RNFAA) my uncle.
1947-2009
both very much heros of mine.

Sgt N F Southey (RAF) my wife she puts up with me which should be an inspiration to us all.

And our twins, they teach me new things every day.

 

[Miyagi]

William James Coker (RM) 1906-1990 my Grandfather served in the Commandos from there inception during the second world war.

Lt Cdr R (Rod) V Frederiksen (RNFAA) my uncle.
1947-2009
both very much heros of mine.

Sgt N F Southey (RAF) my wife she puts up with me which should be an inspiration to us all.

And our twins, they teach me new things every day.

Is there any chance that she could tell us how?

She should be "Sainted" (Canonised) mate - despite the fact the Brylcreem boys n girls clock off at 1630 and do drill akin to that of the brownies.

(We all know that the RAF Colour Squadron can do drill - but that's all they do cos they have to prepare for the Tattoo in Embra).

Oh, I'm a twin - you're in for soooooooooo much double trouble.

 

[Rabbitsmacker]

this is such a good thread!
well,
got to be those serving in the forces past and present that have given their all, and especially those that never made it back to explain what it's like to make that final sacrafice.
as you can tell by my little piccy thing...Robert Plant, a local lad done good!!! lived down the road from him until a few years back, and seen him about and to be honest, he changed my way of thinking. i'd always had a deep dislike for where i grew up in kidderminster, and thought no good could come of it, but he and others all over the world prove all the time, it's not where the person is from that makes the difference, its the person. but his music brought me and some good friends together and to be honest, i think he's smashing! lol
Micheal shumacher, at his prime, now, i don't condone his behaviour most of the time, but he has got to be the smartest racing driver of all time, and so ruthless and tenacious.

my partner for enduring an awful pregnancy, and producing me such a fine son.

my son. for being himself, and for nothing more. (even if we've endured 20 months of 4 times a night wake ups until this very week!)

 

[Gaoler]

Noel Wass.
He was my next door neighbor when i was a young lad and was the biggest hearted gentlest man I have ever known. He showed me how to release my imagination.

Jackie Chan.
The drive and discipline to reach and achieve, and have fun on the way, is a very worth while lesson learned.

Ray Mears.
He has quantified what I learned growing up in the country and presents it beautifully and has made cool the "old outdoor" stuff so my sons want to learn it and we have real quality time together.

Jeremy Clarkson.
The lanky, overweight, chain smoking, opinionated journalist who has managed to have some great adventures in every type of transport possible whilst recording his fun and games to keep us all entertained.

Ruth Goodman.
Another who teaches the "old fashioned" ways of life and makes it entertaining.

Terry Pratchett
For his insights into human nature loosely wrapped up as fantasy fiction and delivered through the Discworld novels.

My Wife.
She is amazing.

Nuff said.

 

[FerlasDave]

Lars monsen and Dick proenekee. They both enjoy the outdoors and know how to live comfortably, and their expeditions are truely inspirational.

 

[rommy]

I met with Charles Green, the cook on the Shackleton expedition. He gave a lantern slide presentation at our village school about 1960. I was in awe of his accounts and have often thought about what they went through when the going has been tough for me.

One of our true heroes, a bit about him here:

http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica fact file/History/biography/green_charles.htm Regards, Geoff.

 

[_mark_]

Dick Proenekee!!

 

[dorkingbushcraft]

my dad,grandad and great grandad.
for their views on things, skills etc. ive learned from.

a man named G.Bedson.
who wrote a great book "the notorious poacher"

jebidiha.
an old guy down the boot sale who used to be trapper etc.

 

[Nonsuch]

Winston Churchill

NS