Is heroism a form of madness? A British teenager has been killed fighting on the frontline in Ukraine. Some wonder if this kind of self-sacrifice is noble, or simply crazy.
The 18-year-old who died for Ukraine
Is heroism a form of madness? A British teenager has been killed fighting on the frontline in Ukraine. Some wonder if this kind of self-sacrifice is noble, or simply crazy.
"In peace, sons bury their fathers; in war, fathers bury their sons." These words, written almost 2,500 years ago by Greek historian HerodotusAn Ancient Greek historian and geographer., are a reminder that even the ancient heroes knew that war was hell.
Today, it is the death of a young British man who travelled to fight in UkraineA country in Eastern Europe. It was invaded by Russia in February 2022. that serves to exemplify what Herodotus already knew.
James Wilton was just 18 years old when he was killed by a Russian droneA small flying machine. strike. It was his very first mission on the Ukrainian frontline. He is one of more than 15 British volunteers who have now given their lives for Ukraine.1
Most of these volunteers say they joined up because they wanted to stand up for the Ukrainians against their bullying neighbour.2
Little wonder their friends and families think of them as heroes. But in a way, the idea of being a hero is swimming against the current.
Most of the history of warfare consists in trying to eliminate the element of heroism. In the Bronze AgeThe time between 2,000BC to 700BC when people used bronze to make items rather than stones. , many wars would be settled by a duel between two "champions" nominated by each side. Whichever nation had the finest individual fighters would triumph.
Even then, the line between heroism and madness was not a clear one. The term "berserker" developed in GermanicLinked to Germany or the Indo-European language family that includes German, Dutch and English. societies to describe those who would work themselves into such a frenzy they no longer felt fear or pain.3
However, in subsequent centuries, this gave way to war defined by military drills and formations, designed to make soldiers fight as groups rather than as individuals.
In the last few decades, there was even an idea that the individual role in war could almost be eliminated. French philosopher Jean BaudrillardA French sociologist and philosopher (1929 - 2007) argued that modern war seems to take place entirely on the TV, with no actual human lives on the line.
In removing almost all the risk of war, this also stripped away the very last of its heroism.
These days, however, war is not so easily controlled. Drone warfare is turning battlefields into slaughterhouses.
On the one hand, this shifts warfare back towards individual heroes. On the other hand, it means heroism is not enough to survive - perhaps a little bit of madness is needed as well.
Is heroism a form of madness?
Yes: Heroism means putting oneself in lethal danger for the benefit of other people. If we think of madness as acting against one's self-interest then it seems clear heroism is crazy.
No: Most of us feel we want to live for something more than ourselves. In this sense acts of heroism are a means of making our lives greater and more valuable than they might otherwise be. They are deeply rational.
Or... Heroism may be mad, but that does not make it any less admirable. Perhaps we might say heroism is madness plus nobility.
Herodotus - An Ancient Greek historian and geographer.
Ukraine - A country in Eastern Europe. It was invaded by Russia in February 2022.
Drone - A small flying machine.
Bronze Age - The time between 2,000BC to 700BC when people used bronze to make items rather than stones.
Germanic - Linked to Germany or the Indo-European language family that includes German, Dutch and English.
Jean Baudrillard - A French sociologist and philosopher (1929 - 2007)
The 18-year-old who died for Ukraine

Glossary
Herodotus - An Ancient Greek historian and geographer.
Ukraine - A country in Eastern Europe. It was invaded by Russia in February 2022.
Drone - A small flying machine.
Bronze Age - The time between 2,000BC to 700BC when people used bronze to make items rather than stones.
Germanic - Linked to Germany or the Indo-European language family that includes German, Dutch and English.
Jean Baudrillard - A French sociologist and philosopher (1929 - 2007)