On September 19-20, Flint witnessed the convention of heroes and heroes-in-training for the third Hero Round Table at The Whiting, which featured a lineup of speakers who inspired everyday people to become extraordinary. Here’s a few gems MCM picked up when we visited.

In classic mythology, a hero was “a warrior-chieftain of special strength, courage or ability,” a demigod whose deeds stood above those of mere mortals. Modernity sees heroes as comic-book figures, with powers or freakish gifts used to save the world. But are heroes relegated only to stories? Are we, the common man, doomed to an ordinary existence, following the crowd and staying safe in the middle ground?