Superheroes = Mirrors of Society's Values?



A few shared my hero passion, but had never thought
about who their favorite was before.

There is more to the question of which superhero is your favorite than may first meet the eye.
 

It’s true: the qualities of your favorite hero are some of the qualities you value the most. That’s why he or she is your favorite. Besides role models, even when picking friends, we prefer the company of those whose personalities most resemble our own! 



Few students, like Meri Shipman, were very knowledgeable and
eager to share their opinions.

So, when I asked Winthrop students in my video hero poll who their favorite heroes were, I asked them, “Why?” What they said was interesting. Some liked Batman because he makes heroes out of others and inspires us to be heroes too. Others liked Captain America because of his now infamous virtue, or just because he fights for the good old red, white, and blue.

Also, nearly everybody answered a superhero, when all I demanded was a hero! This is partly because superheroes possess such a strong hyperbole of anybody’s favorite qualities. If I look up to my boss or my students for their determination, how much more I will look up to the fictional blind superhero, Daredevil, for his! This is why we love superheroes. You can find even more interesting facts like this in my informational video superhero reflection here, or by reading his article by Nick Orsinki on our modern obsession with costumed avengers.

People can be very passionate about their heroes,
and some had many reasons for loving them.

So heroes, even the fictional kind, help us more than we realize until we step back to notice just how much we appreciate all the help. My list of heroes goes on for about the size of your body from head to toe, and if you ever have the time to think about how many people you look up to or who inspire you, you may find your list is even longer. Notice that those strong character traits you admire like possibly endurance or charisma are shared among many of them.



For an insightful professional blog post on how the superior conscience of the incorruptible figure, the superhero, can influence us, click here.

For a clever and psychological diagnosis on the superhero in all of us and how we are captivated by the powers of the superhero, click here.

Feel free to comment who your favorite superhero/hero is!