We live in a world full of heroes, but it's the villains that rule us. I say that, but first let me preface a bit so you can understand the title of my piece.
When I was a little kid, I was really into comic books. Specifically, I loved the superheroes portrayed in Detective Comics. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Captain Marvel (now known as Shazam) and so many others from the Justice League were the iconic characters that I was inspired by. As a little kid, I had a wild imagination and I aspired to be like these people that didn't even exist. They were the coolest. My favorite to this day is Batman, but the hero that I want to talk about today isn't Batman — it's the boy in blue: Superman.
If you've seen the recent Dawn of Justice movie (which, for the record, gets more hate than it deserves), then you can recall that scene where Superman lands in front the courthouse and walks in. To see him in a courtroom, at a podium, despite how anti climactic that is for a hero, is still something else entirely. I'm not sure I like how he was written in the movie, but Henry Cavill definitely manages that role well. Even in such a quiet moment, Superman is bigger than life. It's because, as is implied in the name, he isn't just a man. He's Superman.
Alright, by now you're probably thinking, "so what? Get to the point already." Here's my point. The Superman I grew up with is great because he's chosen to be incorruptible. The most well-known form of Superman is the one that doesn't kill, and that tries to always obey the law. Just think about that. He has enough power to oppose all militia and conquer the entire planet, but instead he chooses to live within the American system and put his faith in people, and in the justice system. All the while, he tries to be a symbol of hope and inspiration. He tries to teach people to be good. To me, there is no one more admirable than Superman. If I could be anyone, it would be him.
That's precisely why this world we live in is disheartening. There are many heroes in this world who embody Superman's virtues. There are the firefighters who risk their lives to save others. There are the random strangers and do-gooders who try to be helpful to anyone in need. I remember seeing a movie with a friend of mine from high school, and afterward he took note of how messy some of the theater was, and took it upon himself to gather up a lot of the trash and help clean up a bit so that life would be easier for the janitor. There are so many of these people, but they aren't famous and they aren't the ones in power. Our nation, our very world, isn't run by these beautiful people. It's run by villains.
It's easy to get people to relate to something like this when I speak while in the middle of a presidential election. Donald Trump is obviously not a hero. The guy brags about cheating on his wife, he stirs up the hatred in hundreds of thousands of people, and he only cares about himself. Hillary Clinton is obviously not a hero. She only cares about her own ambitions, power, fame, and she is quick to throw people under the bus when it suits her. Sure, we have a few exceptions. Bernie Sanders is most notable in the media right now, but his chances of victory don't seem too great. Still, my point remains. The reason Bernie is liked is because he is an exception. It is because we all inherently know and recognize that the people in power are corrupt, and that they have broken our system, our institution. This is a world full of political ideologies, warfare, selfishness, and superficiality. The famous people that we idolize aren't idolized for being heroic. People like Kendall Jenner because she's pretty. We like Drake because he talks about parties and sex, and makes a catchy song out of it. People vote this way and that, seeking not the best option, but the least bad one.
Where is the fame for our heroes who save lives? Or the people who try their best to be good to others, and who make actual, positive differences to people? How is it that we only elect career politicians, and that the people we like to keep up with the most are just attractive celebrities or people who party a lot?
It is in this world that I say we need a Superman. It is my personal feeling that for anyone growing up in this world, there really isn't a famous hero to look up to and aspire to be like. The best we get is in fiction. There aren't people in power, esteem, or fame that are like Superman. So often, people don't do the right thing, but the thing that keeps them in power. So often, people who want to do the right thing are crushed and defeated. The real heroes of this world are nameless, unknown.
In this world, we need a hero who stands out and can inspire not just the handful of people that know him or her, but can inspire millions.
Maybe it's a cultural thing where we need to spend less time thinking of superficial stuff and stop being apathetic to the likes of politics. Maybe it's just inevitable that we end up like this in a world of greed and money. Maybe it isn't possible to really change what we have now. Who knows? I'll be honest in saying that I don't.
That's why I think this world deserves a Superman.
