Whats does Lowen mean when he says that heroification is a "degenerative process"?

James Loewen claims heroification is a degenerative process, in which “our educational media turn flesh-and-blood individuals into pious, perfect creatures without conflicts, pain, credibility, or human interest.” In other words, he believes that we are "handicapped by history," a history which is mired in patriotism, and a history in which much of the truth about our so called heroes is suppressed.