Thy Will Be Done: A Superman Essay
Must there be a Superman? Is Superman a model of mediocrity? An impenetrable masculinity, detrimental to society? Superman, the last Boy Scout, is the first model of the superheroic. If the old model of the superhero is ineffectual and detrimental, would a new heroic ideal be any less dangerous? Or is the solution far more complex?
Why is Superman so detrimental to society? After all of the lives that he has touched, after saving the world countless times, how can Superman be that bad for us? The answer is twofold: Superman represents "wholeness" and martyrdom. The concept of "Superman" is a very sterile one. There are no elements of his psyche that are battling for dominance or control. Superman is the ideal of "Truth, Justice and the American Way." He in many ways presents a distorted ideal, and a god that we cannot aspire to become. This "wholeness" is an unrealistic portrayal of humanity. Superman represents not only an idyllic whole person, but he also represents the personification of Christian values. Like Jesus, he is an otherworldly power sent form the heavens to save society from itself. Superman is the martyr for humanity.
Nietzsche believed that "[to say that] martyrs prove anything about truth of a matter is so far from the truth that I would deny that any martyr ever had anything whatsoever to do with the truth." By becoming a martyr, Superman obscures the very ideals that he is supposed to represent. Objectivity and reason are clouded by guilt. The guilt that motivates the martyr undermines the initially perceived altruism that the hero was once thought to have. As the martyr seeks to end his struggle against sin, the guilt and burden of personal salvation becomes excessive and damaging to the society's very livelihood. The martyr is self-preservation masquerading as good deeds, but these deeds are not selfless, rather they are selfish. The masquerade that the martyr perpetuates in the name of truth is an illusion and a paradox. Moreover, the martyr's façade is so appealing that it acts as a form of dogma, indoctrinating others to the "cause." The "good" that the martyr sought to represent has now become perverted by fanaticism and lies.
Kingdom Come illustrates the effect of the martyr dilemma. In Book Four, after confronting an army of superhumans, Superman attacks the United Nations building. The martyr role that once seemed natural has become a malignancy, corrupting him and his followers - they have now become the persecutors. And Superman himself has transformed from a Christ-like martyr into a jealous totalitarian god -- a dictator. Irrational thinking and violence consume Superman, and it is only through reason and intellect that his rampage can be stopped. Ironically enough, Superman's rampage is stopped by Reverend Norman McCay, who speaks of the dangers of martyrdom:
"Of all the things you can do … all of your powers … the greatest has always been your instinctive knowledge of right and wrong … but the minute you made the Super more important than the Man … the day you decided to turn your back on mankind … the completely cost you your instinct. That took your judgement away."
Martyrdom creates an unnatural form of hegemony, which elevates an individual above society. This elevation from society causes the martyr to put his mission above his own humanity. The martyr gains a certain type of empowerment from taking on his role, but this empowerment is not divine; rather, it is self-perceived divinity, which blinds the character. It is weakness disguised as strength.
Nietzsche discusses the difficulty of perfection in the martyr, "formerly, the proof of man's higher origin, of his divinity, was found in his consciousness, in his 'spirit'. To become perfect, he was advised to draw in his sense … [to] cease all intercourse with earthly things, to shed his mortal shroud; then his essence would remain the 'pure spirit.'" Superman's own martyrdom blinds him, or as Robin mentions, "Look at him! Can't a man with telescopic vision see the world around him?". The illusion of ideals and the delusion of the mission mask the devastation that the martyr causes to himself and others. The martyr strives so hard for personal perfection and "wholeness," through introspection and self-exile, the world around him falls apart.
The martyr is unable to convert passion, rage, and self-sacrifice into reason and intellect. The individual is unable to come to grips with the opposing forces within himself, yet there is still the illusion of "wholeness" without the affirmation of difference. The martyr's quest should no longer be a heroic journey for glory, but rather a heroic journey for knowledge and self-actualization. Whereas the old hero was opposed to disorder, violence, and irrational thinking, the new hero affirms the opposing forces within himself and within his psyche.
Society does not need martyrs -- instead, it needs individuals that can understand the transformative power of rage into intellect and passion into reason. Nietzsche concurs, "I welcome all signs that a more manly, a warlike age is about to begin, an age which above all, will give honor to valor once again. For this age shall prepare the way for one yet higher, and it shall gather the strength which this higher age will need one day - this age which is to heroism into the pursuit of knowledge and wage wars for the sake of thoughts and their consequences."
The martyr's elevation from society must be deconstructed and disempowered. By refusing knowledge, the martyr's power becomes dangerous and unwieldy. The division between martyrs and society is a false dichotomy and must be dissolved, as Superman states, in the following manner:
"The problems we face still exist. We're not going to solve them for you … we're going to solve them with you … not by ruling above you … but by living among you. We will no longer impose our power upon humanity. We will earn your trust …"
The world does not need a Superman. It needs brave men and women willing to reform, not reaffirm, the status quo.