Why We Need Superheroes

WARNING: Non-comic book fans, turn away now.

 

Superheroes have always been a part of our culture and folklore, and have (arguably) been around since the first humans began to draw on cave walls or write on parchments. What drives us to create such stories of extraordinary courage and extra-human possibilities? Likewise, what drives us to hear these stories? Superheroes play a much larger part in our lives than people think, or would like to think. They speak for truth, justice and the higher cause. Superheroes protect the balance of good and evil necessary for the way of life (more literally than people want to believe). One of the best known examples of this influence is the ancient Hindu mythology. Stories of gods, goddesses and great heroes governed the lives of our ancestors. One could measure their lives by comparing it to that of a hero or heroine; and each person could depend upon the great heroes to protect them and their way of life. 

 

The comic book heroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, and Sentry among others make up the modern day heroes who are often compared to the league of gods and demigods that would reside in great palaces. Now, I do know that to some people, perhaps, any sort of philosophical reflection might seem, for any discussion of superheroes- an unwelcome meddling; like when the neighbors complain at a happening party, or when a humorless friend corrects your grammar while you're telling a joke. But the philosophical and the comic-book writers aren't necessarily working at cross-purposes here. 

 

The "Truth" and the "Fact"

 

You may be surprised, in fact, at a comparison between the "fictitious" story of a superheroes and the story of a modern day prophet. Each prophet is somehow set apart from the rest of mankind, either by possessing some 'ultra-cool' abilities or some divine knowledge that would otherwise be unattainable to any other human being. Superheroes are no different - except for one crucial detail- stories of prophets are credited to be "true" from beginning to end and superhero stories are often thought to be just creative stories of kiddish adventure serving as nothing more than entertainment for children and young adults. Now, before you crush your computer screen with your super-strength, humor me for a few sentences. Even though super-hero stories aren't factual, most of them are true. Confused? Hindu myths and legends illustrate the distance between what is true and what is factual. To the Hindus, the factual existence of any god or hero was immaterial, or irrelevant. All that mattered was that each story, to them, was true. Ravana may never have kidnapped Sita or Kansha may never have tried to kill Krishna in infancy but the stories told through generations spoke the lessons of life and reflected the values of the Hindus as a society. The stories were true to the lives of the Hindus and vital in the functioning of their society. We have modeled our religion and culture based on these 'superheroes' and continue to abide by them.

 

Superheroes can Tell Us a Lot about Ourselves 

 

Superheroes give people everywhere something to believe in and some great ideas to defend. Two great things that are vital to our lives. If you're a die-hard fan of comics like I am, then at one point or another you've probably contemplated some of the deeper themes and meanings behind the superficial "adolescent fantasies" that superhero characters and their environments are often said to represent. Perhaps you've wondered what it would actually be like to be one. 

 

Now, Batman and Joker's story is very well known (I use the Batman-Joker reference here because I am a huge Batman fan, but my favorite hero is 'Nightcrawlerí). Now, recognizing Batman's similar views of destruction and rebirth, the Joker is stunned by Batman's commitment to fight chaos. The Joker is unable to understand how a man, who having the same experiences in life, believes otherwise? 

 

Like Batman and the Joker, this experience of trying to catch a glimpse of secret knowledge binds everyone of us, though neither of them is, nor are we quite sure how the world 'really is'. While we have different hopes regarding the nature of that world behind the appearances, they have only one. Our world of cops and robbers, practical jokes and cemeteries doesn't exist for them. For us, this world beneath the appearances must be wrestled into existence by recognizing the effect of one's choices of our shared future. Yet, for all of the shared pain, joy, tragedies, and comedies that the heroes (and villains) have experienced, they do not  and cannot  know what it's like to be in one another's shoes. Batman's phenomenal experience and situation in the world is wholly his own; the Joker's experience and situation in the world is wholly his own; and each is unable to experience the world in any other way. Yet, both Batman and the Joker are committed to this absurd yet serious task of seeing the world as it truly is. 

 

Like a hunter who commemorates each kill with a tally mark carved into his own body, we need to continue our relationship with those fights or the ideas with which we struggle. For it is in the struggle that we gain recognition as something apart from the world of appearance. A society without superheroes is a society without hope, where the human condition inflicts despair and misery alone. Without anybody to model our behavior after, we will only continue to behave as selfishly as we can. We have been brought up to think that an educated man who believes in miracles is not a realist. We have been brought up to believe in demons and possessions, our place in the Universe and the It's place in Creation. We believed there was a rabbit on the moon. We bought it all. Still do. These days, we believe in everything; We just don't feel a part of it anymore. Our loss of faith has to do with the continual reminder, on a day-to-day basis, that we are insignificant, and that the imminent possibility of the loss of our lives and even our souls probably don't matter much. 

 

So why do we need superheroes? Because we are lost without them.