Hannah Aarendt argues that people who do evil do so not because they are special in any way, but simply because they are ordinary humans put in a certain position. Millgram and Zimbardo conducted experiments where they argued for outside causes(authority and obedience) as the cause of evil, not character flaws.

While in the shower this morning, I was thinking about heroism. Does it work the same? Do people act heroically not because they are great persons, but simply because of outside forces and the specific situation they are in?