## Rules for the Effective Hero

* Author: u/None *
* URL: https://projectdxm.wordpress.com/2017/02/23/rules-for-the-effective-hero/
* Score: 26

* Created: 2017-02-23T14:17:04

### Post:

[Link to content](https://projectdxm.wordpress.com/2017/02/23/rules-for-the-effective-hero/)

### Comments:

> **u/hoja_nasredin** [+17]  *Dai-Gurren Brigade* (39 minutes later)
> 
> But being rational you lose the plot armor. Are the benefits you gain are worth the power of the storyteller being on your side? I don't think so. Statistical evidence that in heroes adventures where the hero does stupid shit the end result (number of loved ones severly hurt) is much better.

>> **u/DRMacIver** [+19]  (55 minutes later)
>> 
>> Alternatively, behaving sensibly increases the chances of you being in a rational!fic significantly, which tend to end up with the hero achieving some form of godhood, and thus a long run much more beneficial situation.

>>> **u/Caliburn0** [+12]  (3 hours later)
>>> 
>>> Or, you know, actually achieving a positive result, which is much better than the normal 'return to norm' way most stories end.

>>>> **u/thrawnca** [+5]  *Carbon-based biped* (5 hours later)
>>>> 
>>>> I'm reminded of The Sword of Good.

>>> **u/None** [+2]  (a day later)
>>> 
>>> I love how you're basing this off anthropic reasoning.

>> **u/Sparkwitch** [+15]  (3 hours later)
>> 
>> As I've mentioned before, this is because the stories which end "...and thus perished our hero" don't tend to get retold. Legends are evidence, yes, but they're too infected with [survivorship bias](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias) to be used as proper data.
>> 
>> Plot armor is an artifact of poor sampling methodology, not a superpower.

>>> **u/JackStargazer** [+8]  *Primordial Apologist* (4 hours later)
>>> 
>>> That [sounds familiar. ](http://lesswrong.com/lw/14h/the_hero_with_a_thousand_chances/)

>>> **u/hoja_nasredin** [+4]  *Dai-Gurren Brigade* (18 hours later)
>>> 
>>> Good point
>>> http://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/path-of-a-hero

>> **u/LeifCarrotson** [+4]  (3 hours later)
>> 
>> >(number of ~~loved~~ ones severly hurt)
>> 
>> The hero's loved ones aren't the important thing. Did Superman or Batman actually act the hero when civilians died off screen as the results of their actions or inactions? 
>> 
>> From the article:
>> 
>> > 20 Collateral damage is bad PR.
>> 
>> Collateral damage to people is tragic. Not bad PR, people *died*.  Collateral damage to property - say, a skyscraper collapsing - is probably a more expensive than the income that your mild mannered alter ego will earn in their entire lifetime.

>>> **u/None** [+2]  (23 hours later)
>>> 
>>> It is funny, because now that I think about it, a lot of heroic stories make more sense if the hero's goal isn't really to save people, but to defeat the enemy.

>> **u/None** [+1]  (11 hours later)
>> 
>> Perhaps it's best to just become a mary-sue in the name of the greater good.

> **u/Kylinger** [+15]  (11 hours later)
> 
> > Give weapons and combat training to the beautiful damsel as soon as possible. Give the same training to the cute kid.
> 
> Only do this if you want to turn yourself into the tragic backstory of a YA fantasy novel.

> **u/kaukamieli** [+3]  (15 hours later)
> 
> There is a hero list too.
> 
> http://www.worldconquer.org/evil_overlord.html

> **u/mack2028** [+3]  (a day later)
> 
> I disagree wholeheartedly with "why did you do it" being a useless question. If you know the why of something happening you can prevent it happening in the future.

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