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Abstract

In The Hero With a Thousand Faces and other related works, Joseph Campbell indicated that the heroic myth is an ageless myth that has universal applications to all cultures. The several ways that the concept of heroism is understood in America are explored in this article. Typically in America, heroism is associated with "the great man" who distinguishes himself by being valorous on the battlefield, but the author holds that everyone faces heroic opportunities. The life of a hero can be likened to a journey—the journey of individuation—that has three major phases: the calling, the encounter with death, and the return to a community. Heroes maintain contact with their environment while reflexing with their unconscious. Given the current malaise that characterizes much of the public service, the concept of heroism can be a particularly powerful way for federal workers to understand and relate to their work.

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The Relevance of the Heroic Myths to Public Servants

Abstract

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References