The idea of heroes is far from the minds of most people these days, with so many non-heroic deeds going on around them. They know that those who steal money are able to walk away with impunity; a man who ordered the murder of a judge had his punishment cut by half; the killers of a human rights activist remain free; a well-connected company that submerged a huge tract of land under mud has yet to be punished.

The nation has been taught, for better or worse, to look to the elite for examples. History shows that the idea of heroism has become more elitist since independence in 1945, thanks to the increasingly stronger position of the state vis-a-vis the people.

Heroes range from freedom fighter Sukarno to the murdered Army generals of 1965. But it is useful to remind ourselves that National Heroes Day, which is marked every Nov. 10, is a commemoration of the famous Battle of Surabaya in 1945. In this battle, thousands of common people fought with unparalleled bravery against Dutch colonial forces.

There is nothing wrong with leaders becoming heroes. What is wrong is when the hero-worship of our leaders becomes excessive. During the 30 years of the New Order, government ministers were entitled to be buried in hero cemeteries, because they were regarded as heroes of development. Five-star Army general Soeharto was dubbed the father of development, his alleged stolen fortune notwithstanding.

Streets were named after military men and statues went up around the country. The state had the upper hand in deciding who was a hero. Under a dictatorship, the people are reduced to mere furniture.

Fortunately, heroes are born every day and they don't necessarily dance to the tune of the government. Nor do they have to be part of the powerful elite. In all societies, heroes can be found in every walk of life. They are the ones who answer the challenges in their lives, often without government assistance.

In Indonesia, there have been countless such heroes over the 61 years of our independence and six governments.

Indonesian workers who find employment overseas are heroes. With limited education and training they help governments solve the chronic unemployment problem. Most come from rural areas, and their bravery in living and working in a foreign country equals that of the Surabaya heroes.

Small traders and street vendors in big cities are heroes. They were the ones behind the country's economic resilience in the years following the 1997 financial crisis. Without them, Indonesia's economy might still be slumping today.

This makes the inhumane treatment many migrant workers and street vendors receive at the hands of unscrupulous government officials even worse. The government should learn from the Philippines how to treat these heroes.

We have no shortage of heroes. They are businesspeople who keep their businesses running despite the government's often absurd regulations; religious leaders who quietly set up interfaith networks to dampen rising tensions between believers; common people who fight pollution in their own backyards; bureaucrats who wage an unseen battle against colleagues who abuse their power.

These days heroes from elite circles have little currency. The number one and two men in the country are in apparent disharmony over a new presidential advisory body. And many leaders below President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla are less than inspiring, often because of their narrow political interests.

In many ways this is unfortunate, since the country badly needs heroes from the ranks of its leadership: true reformers, able to put the needs of the country above their own needs and those of their political party. But such leaders are not forthcoming.

True heroes don't crave popularity. They prefer to work quietly, far from the glare of the spotlight. Their happiness stems from the fact that their work benefits the country or the world community. They are the true patriots.