A culture without heroes

Maybe it is just me, but I have noticed that we live in a society that has no heroes or venerates people who are not deserving of that honor. I personally believe heroes can come in many forms either that be reality or in fiction, just as long as they are people whom you seek to emulate. To me a great example is Samwise Gamgee from the Lord of the Rings novels. He is everything a person ought to appreciate. Loyal, courageous, friendly, and above all a good friend. I think the world would do a bit better if we were all a bit more "Sam-ish" in life.