For whatever reason people are drawn to them, superheroes symbolize different things to different people. For example, I just saw X-Men: The Last Stand tonite. There are many subtle themes disguised in the fight for mutant rights. The theme of using one's powers for good or bad is one. Or knowing how much we are capable of doing, the sacrifice we must make to make the world right. It's like in Spiderman (can you tell I'm a superhero fan?), "With great power comes great responsibilty!" as said by Peter Parker's uncle. HOw very true. And as for the ultimate mission given to Superman (I love the promos for Superman Returns recycled from the original by Marlon Brando):
Jor-El: Even though you've been raised as a human being you're not one of them. They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you... my only son
(To change the meaning of the above to what it now means to me personally, replace "Kal-El" with the obvious choice...wink wink...if you're following the theme of this blog so far, you probably know already where I'm going with this).
At any rate, I've posed this question from time to time (guess my goal in making these posts short has gone down the tubes): "Hypothetically and without thinking about your lack of desire to have superpowers, if you could have a superpower what would it be?" To be invisible? To have unearthly strength? To have xray vision? To fly? Before posting this, superficially I thought I would want to fly. The view of landscapes and places I could visit is unfathomable! Then I thought more as I wrote this and felt, the greatest power is to be able to influence the world to do good, to be good to one another and helping others to do the same (like paying it forward in a sense). And then it hit me as it did a few days ago, I could start an online ministry of sorts. I wouldn't know what to do since I'm new and perhaps am not even using the term or concept correctly. But what a way to reach others during a time where most people get lost often times literally for hours online! IN just coming across this site, I could help someone like me who once was "fallen" and wishes to fly...
Which brings me back to my fascination with flying...My aunt thought most people would want to fly. I pondered that deeply and voiced that perhaps our longing to fly is a longing to be back to our "real" home...where we were conceived only in abstract terms by a greater superhero. We are just a bunch of fallen angels trying to earn back our wings...Or at least that's my secular opinion. Don't get all fanatical on me to those out there who disagree ;)
In light of this topic, I would like to do more research about the origins of superheroes and the psychologcal and perhaps spiritual influnces they may have. (Darn, I should have stayed a psychology major)!
