Cross about over use of the word heroic

If you were all in a room with me now I would suggest that everyone takes some time out.

jangly I'm finding it hard to understand why you feel David Walliams should achieve the same status as someone who has suffered horrendous mutliations and yet goes on to perform an outstanding act of physical endurance. Ok, so David had some discomfort while he was swimming, that's a shame and all credit to him for continuing, but let's face it, in a day or two he'll be back to full fitness, the boys who trekked to the North Pole will never have another 'normal' day in their lives.

Annobel. whatever her chronological age, I think it is too late to change her posting patterns. I do think she has become less playful lately though, and more truculent. Makes everyone less indulgent.

I think this is getting to be online bullying.

Picky! Oh, jangly, really!
Picky! Ha! Ha! That's rich, coming from you!
And no, absent wasn't insulting you. I've often felt a bit put out by some of your comments and I think a few other people have too. How about a bit of 'take'?

What would you like to know Annobel?

I live in the south east of England. I will be 70 in three weeks' time. I have two grandsons (whom I am besotted over). I like reading, gardening (sometimes), walking and riding my bike.

What else would you like to know?

I will answer later, thoughj. I paid good money for the chops I am cooking.

elegran, if only jangly had made her profile public as most of us on this thread have done, we'd know the answer to your question.

I don't think absent was being deliberately nasty either, she went out of her way to be conciliatory in her next post.

How can accusing someone of being "besotted" not be meant as an insult?

Why would I sit back and take that?

I can't believe that people are being so picky about this! Of course those soldiers were heroes. But there is room for more.

Look, if I hurt anyone, they can just come on and say so.

I have only once been deliberately nasty on this website, and that was in the aftermath of an unpleasant private message that was sent to me by the gransnetter concerned. I was sorry about it very soon afterwards and did my best to put it right.

I don't know when I have hurt anyone else.

I accept your definition of heroic, absent, and I think that's quite a common view (with 'common' there having its most innocent meaning), but I'm not comfortable with it. Perhaps I'm just being 'nice' about my definition, but although I'd call the polar-walking disabled soldiers heroes, I don't think Walliams is a hero. He's a good chap and has done something to be proud of, but it was perfectly within his capabilities (he has swum the Channel). Those soldiers did something way beyond what anyone could expect them to do. That's heroic, for me.

Jangly, you have said worse than absentgrana about many people. Stop picking a fight where no insult was intended. You are behaving like a spoilt child, and do not deserve to have people tiptoeing round you in case you are "offended". You show no sign of tiptoeing yourself.

How old are you, do tell us? Between 4 and 6 would be my estimate. Possibly between 14 and 16, that is another age when children become gratuitously stroppy.

That is not an insult. Just a realistic estimate.

But you didn't have to call me "besotted", did you? That was mildly insulting.

Yes, of course. Okay "almost all of us", rather than a total consensus. I acknowledge, not for the first time, that the man has shown courage, determination, endurance and, of course, a true sense of compassion or he wouldn't have done it in the first place. However, although full of admiration, I am not more than mildly interested. You jangly are clearly hugely excited and good for you. I know you enjoyed going to the river and seeing him – along with many other supporters, and have no doubt sponsored this extraordinary swim. By my definition, the man has been heroic; others might disagree, but generally I think there is a level of respect for his splendid achievement.

Have you never admired someone's actions without being besotted?!

The one addressed to jangly perhaps?!!

Think about it.

Which remark jangly?

Baggy Don't we all have our own unsung heroes, the people we know who have quietly gone ahead doing all kinds of splendid things in spite of or often because of pain and suffering in their own lives? People can be and are heroes without medals, appearing on television or being written about in the newspapers. Of course, going to back to the original posting, there can be lots of fuss in the media about someone who is no more heroic than my left foot, but that's just a lot of hype and nonsense that quickly becomes yesterday's news. Those who genuinely do something special, courageous, valuable and hard will be valued and remembered by those they have helped and those who know them. Hero doesn't have to be public acclaim.

Baggy, please yourself.

absentgrana, I think you know how silly that remark was.

Lots of people I know (yes, lots) have done things that "involve courage, strength of character, and endurance of physical pain and fatigue" and they are not regarded as heroes.

It is not obligatory to hero-worship famous/public figures and it somewhat irritates me that some people seem to think it is.

jangly in your besottedness, you are losing perspective. No one is trying to put down your hero – I think we all acknowledge his courage, resolution and endurance, not to mention his phenomenal charitable achievement.

Ah well, only to be expected from a nice old dear like me.