Super-heroes and super-villains are the fictional recreations of our society’s dialectic between good and evil and the human condition in its entirety. As I’ve said before, all forms of art are only effective through their ability to reflect a tangible aspect of society back towards the audience. Super-heroes and super-villains hold a place within all of us exactly because of their usefulness in magnifying the fundamental aspects of good and evil, making these abstract concepts more accessible. The three most widely recognizable superheroes are Superman, Spiderman, and Batman. This triumvirate are intrinsically balanced as each of these three super-heroes represents one of the three major types of super-people.
Superman represents the first group, which is the alien super-hero/super-villain. Superman, who was born as Kal-El on the planet Krypton, arrived in Kansas and was raised by farmers and he assumed the identity of Clark Kent. A fundamental understanding of Superman is that he is NOT human. There is an implied philosophical sentiment by Superman supporters that presupposes that, if we are to take Superman as wholly good, then the human condition, even in its most optimistic proliferation, is incapable of ultimate success or ultimate “good” just as humans are incapable of doing the things Superman does. Kal-El is an alien, but he represents what we humans consider as desireable traits. He is strong, fast, and supremely moral. His superpowers are of the best ilk. He can fly, he has x-ray vision, he is faster than the speed of light, he is bulletproof, he has endless strength, and so on and so forth. All of these traits are juxtaposed with his nemesis Lex Luthor. Luthor is viewed as existing in the highest tier of humanity. He is wealthy, philanthropic, and intelligent. Moreover, Lex Luthor is the one that is human, yet he is the embodiment of what humans stereotypically consider evil. Superman does not represent what a man can become, rather he represents what we want to become, but never will. There is the implication that the human is less than perfect in his inability to become what Superman is.
Spiderman represents the second group of super-heroes/super-villains, which are those that are genetically altered human beings. As opposed to Superman, Spiderman is a human being. He is Peter Parker. In order to become Spiderman, though, Peter Parker had to be bitten by a radioactive spider whose radioactive venom significantly altered his genes, thus creating Spiderman. While Superman maintained his powers as an element of his physical construction alone, Spiderman's powers are a mixture of his physical mutations and his pre-existing intelligence. He has "spidey-senses" and he is fantastically agile and much stronger. He also has the ability to defy gravity by climbing walls and by having a supreme mastery over his body. Intellectually his powers are made more prominent as he creates a technological device that allows him to shoot a web-like substance from his wrists in the likeness of a spider. We must note, though, that there is a significant distinction between Peter Parker and Spiderman. Peter is a kind and gentle-hearted individual who keeps his identity hidden, but Spiderman is a lush for the spotlight. Spiderman is received with mixed reviews by the public as some see him as a savior, but others see him as a menace. Since Spiderman is created from a genetic mutation of the human condition, we must view Spiderman similar to Superman, though we are able to relate with the former more than the latter: Spiderman does not represent into what a man can make himself, rather he represents what we might possibly be is we were changed. Again, there is an implication that human beings are destined to fall short of the desired self since they cannot become what Spiderman is without the rarest of circumstances.
Batman represents the third group of super-heroes. These characters are human through and through and their "super"-ego (not Freudian) is entirely consistent with their humanity. Batman is neither an alien, nor have his genetics been altered in any way shape or form. Batman is the multi-billionaire Bruce Wayne, owner and operator of Wayne Enterprises. Batman is not an example of what we want to be or what the maximum human output could be if external influences are introduced, rather Batman exemplifies what a strong human will can do all on its own (and lots and lots of money). Batman captures humanity completely. Unlike Superman, there is no definitive distinction between good and evil. In reality, we do not live in a black and white world. We live in a world of infinite shades of gray. Good and evil ("in and of themselves" - : P) are illusions; the method that Batman operates on, and the method that appears most in sync with reality, is that the situation and the environment and the "before" and "after" determine what is good and what is bad, and that distinction only applies to that specific situation. Batman does not have superpowers, he uses intelligence and grit to establish himself as a super-hero. An awesome car, a trusty utility belt, a resolute mind, and complete fearlessness are Batman's powers. Even Batman's enemies do not have superpowers. They are all perversions of the human form. The Joker is a sadistic, schizophrenic, masochistic individual who is severely detached from rality. The Penguin is a deformed human, abandoned in his infancy, and looking for vindication. Two-Face was the famous politician Harvery Dent who lost the love of his life because of Batman's mistake and now vows to oppose Batman at every turn. Batman represents exactly what a normal, yet determined individual can accomplish if he grits his teeth and decides that no matter what he will perservere.
We will not all be Superman.
Superman represents the first group, which is the alien super-hero/super-villain. Superman, who was born as Kal-El on the planet Krypton, arrived in Kansas and was raised by farmers and he assumed the identity of Clark Kent. A fundamental understanding of Superman is that he is NOT human. There is an implied philosophical sentiment by Superman supporters that presupposes that, if we are to take Superman as wholly good, then the human condition, even in its most optimistic proliferation, is incapable of ultimate success or ultimate “good” just as humans are incapable of doing the things Superman does. Kal-El is an alien, but he represents what we humans consider as desireable traits. He is strong, fast, and supremely moral. His superpowers are of the best ilk. He can fly, he has x-ray vision, he is faster than the speed of light, he is bulletproof, he has endless strength, and so on and so forth. All of these traits are juxtaposed with his nemesis Lex Luthor. Luthor is viewed as existing in the highest tier of humanity. He is wealthy, philanthropic, and intelligent. Moreover, Lex Luthor is the one that is human, yet he is the embodiment of what humans stereotypically consider evil. Superman does not represent what a man can become, rather he represents what we want to become, but never will. There is the implication that the human is less than perfect in his inability to become what Superman is.
Spiderman represents the second group of super-heroes/super-villains, which are those that are genetically altered human beings. As opposed to Superman, Spiderman is a human being. He is Peter Parker. In order to become Spiderman, though, Peter Parker had to be bitten by a radioactive spider whose radioactive venom significantly altered his genes, thus creating Spiderman. While Superman maintained his powers as an element of his physical construction alone, Spiderman's powers are a mixture of his physical mutations and his pre-existing intelligence. He has "spidey-senses" and he is fantastically agile and much stronger. He also has the ability to defy gravity by climbing walls and by having a supreme mastery over his body. Intellectually his powers are made more prominent as he creates a technological device that allows him to shoot a web-like substance from his wrists in the likeness of a spider. We must note, though, that there is a significant distinction between Peter Parker and Spiderman. Peter is a kind and gentle-hearted individual who keeps his identity hidden, but Spiderman is a lush for the spotlight. Spiderman is received with mixed reviews by the public as some see him as a savior, but others see him as a menace. Since Spiderman is created from a genetic mutation of the human condition, we must view Spiderman similar to Superman, though we are able to relate with the former more than the latter: Spiderman does not represent into what a man can make himself, rather he represents what we might possibly be is we were changed. Again, there is an implication that human beings are destined to fall short of the desired self since they cannot become what Spiderman is without the rarest of circumstances.
Batman represents the third group of super-heroes. These characters are human through and through and their "super"-ego (not Freudian) is entirely consistent with their humanity. Batman is neither an alien, nor have his genetics been altered in any way shape or form. Batman is the multi-billionaire Bruce Wayne, owner and operator of Wayne Enterprises. Batman is not an example of what we want to be or what the maximum human output could be if external influences are introduced, rather Batman exemplifies what a strong human will can do all on its own (and lots and lots of money). Batman captures humanity completely. Unlike Superman, there is no definitive distinction between good and evil. In reality, we do not live in a black and white world. We live in a world of infinite shades of gray. Good and evil ("in and of themselves" - : P) are illusions; the method that Batman operates on, and the method that appears most in sync with reality, is that the situation and the environment and the "before" and "after" determine what is good and what is bad, and that distinction only applies to that specific situation. Batman does not have superpowers, he uses intelligence and grit to establish himself as a super-hero. An awesome car, a trusty utility belt, a resolute mind, and complete fearlessness are Batman's powers. Even Batman's enemies do not have superpowers. They are all perversions of the human form. The Joker is a sadistic, schizophrenic, masochistic individual who is severely detached from rality. The Penguin is a deformed human, abandoned in his infancy, and looking for vindication. Two-Face was the famous politician Harvery Dent who lost the love of his life because of Batman's mistake and now vows to oppose Batman at every turn. Batman represents exactly what a normal, yet determined individual can accomplish if he grits his teeth and decides that no matter what he will perservere.
We will not all be Superman.
We will not all be Spiderman.
We will not all be Batman.
The thing is this:
We don't have what we need to become Superman.
We don't have what we need to become Spiderman. (Sorry Sam)
But we have exactly everything we will ever need to become Batman: determination and perserverance.
I am the Bat!
The thing is this:
We don't have what we need to become Superman.
We don't have what we need to become Spiderman. (Sorry Sam)
But we have exactly everything we will ever need to become Batman: determination and perserverance.
I am the Bat!
1 comment:
Andrew, you do what you can, what you have to do, and keep believing that you are an important person with value and a purpose in life.
You are super. You have what you need to be human, whole, and a valuable part of the human race.
I never wished for a knight in shining armor. I know that we are going to find who and what we need, not what we want!
You go! You are a good man. You have purpose and value.
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