> Mind you, calling someone a hero cost you next to nothing in utility so I think the choice is a no brainier.

People who express their homosexuality in Russia face repercussions. Someone who opposes racism such as black face in The Netherlands gets repercussions. Someone who leaks a video of war crimes faces repercussions. Expressing your support for these people likely has repercussions as well. They might not be opaque, but think about something as being put on a list (hello Tor Tails) or being bullied as two examples of repercussions.

I mean, murder is just one. There's one thing worse than murdering me, btw. Murdering my offspring, my child. In North Korea they got that one covered. Your whole family will suffer if/when you (attempted to) fled/flee. In our more civilized societies the repercussions are (much) less severe, but I don't believe there are none.

I was assuming OP is not from Russia where stakes of corruption are higher and the price for heroism is death.

If there wasn't a risk of a high price to be paid by the heroic individual, it wouldn't be very heroic.

Also a friendly reminder that, for instance, Edward Snowden is hiding in Russia of all places from a possible death penalty.

Capital punishment for an ultimataly selfless act, motivated by his moral code and love for a country that very much would like to see him gone for good.

I'm getting flashbacks to numerous "Vulcans Vs Humans" debates I had with friends in my halcyon days...

Vulcans are not real, we have no proof such a society could survive.

>In which society would you like you and your children to live in, the one where heroes are acknowledged or the one they are dismissed as dumb and irrational?

I would like to live in the former, but you have to face reality: we do not live in such a society, we live in one where heroes like him will only be murdered, and no one will really care as it'll be forgotten quickly.

Sergei Magnitsky brought light to Russia corruption and paid with his life. But because of his sacrifice, the United States, UK, Canada, and others implemented the Magnitsky Act which allows for the sanctioning of individuals involved in human rights abuses. It shuts the sanctioned individuals out of banking systems and prevents their entry to the country with a ratified Magnitsky Act. More and more countries are implementing their own version of this law.

People who expose corruption don't always live to see the day their efforts make a difference. But the bad guys don't always win either.