I kind of feel that heroic responsibility works better in situations where small individuals have the potential to make a large difference.
For example, in the world of HPMoR, it makes sense for one person to have a sort of heroic responsibility, because a sufficiently powerful wizard can actually make waves, can actually play a keystone role in the shaping of events.
On the other hand, take an imaginary planet where all the inhabitants are of equal size, shape and intelligence and there are well over a zillion inhabitants. On this planet, it is very hard to imagine a single inhabitant to assume responsibility for the actions of all the other zillion inhabitants that are there on the planet.
Even in the examples discussed above, the minister having a lot of power is in a better position to take heroic responsibility for the functioning of the system as opposed to any of the individual nurses. I know it sounds like i’m saying heroic responsibility should be left to the heroes, but my point is more subtle than that.
The prime considerations as to whether you should take up heroic responsibility or not is the situation in front of you and the extent of your capabilities.
I kind of feel that heroic responsibility works better in situations where small individuals have the potential to make a large difference.
For example, in the world of HPMoR, it makes sense for one person to have a sort of heroic responsibility, because a sufficiently powerful wizard can actually make waves, can actually play a keystone role in the shaping of events.
On the other hand, take an imaginary planet where all the inhabitants are of equal size, shape and intelligence and there are well over a zillion inhabitants. On this planet, it is very hard to imagine a single inhabitant to assume responsibility for the actions of all the other zillion inhabitants that are there on the planet.
Even in the examples discussed above, the minister having a lot of power is in a better position to take heroic responsibility for the functioning of the system as opposed to any of the individual nurses. I know it sounds like i’m saying heroic responsibility should be left to the heroes, but my point is more subtle than that.
The prime considerations as to whether you should take up heroic responsibility or not is the situation in front of you and the extent of your capabilities.