The appeal comes from the fact that he is an alien, which in a world where the current political discussion involves refugees, is extremely relevant. He was created by two Jews during the late 1930's and the following years brought a large number of immigrants to America.
I don't see how the era a character was created in has anything to do with whether he is a compelling character or not. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was first published in 1818, yet both Victor Frankenstein and the monster are both infinitely more compelling characters than Superman.
Superman deals with a very human conflict: "With all this power, what should I do?"
But its what he does with it that's totally not believable. History has shown time and time again when someone attains absolute power over those around them that they do not do the right thing. History is replete with tyrants, dictators, kings and emperors who bring death, destruction and war to those they rule.
"Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."- Lord John Dalberg-Acton.
Superman may represent what we all like to THINK we would do if we had such power, but history shows that very rarely that is what we actually end up doing with it. And its that fact that makes Supermans behavior hard to swallow for me.
We all have the potential for great evil in this world, but also the potential for compassion and generosity; both traits Kal-El has in spades. He represents an ideal to strive towards, rather than a complete withdrawal front the world around you
Agreed, as you just said human nature is conflicted. We are constantly torn in our lives between doing the right thing or the wrong things. But Superman represents one without ever having to deal with the other within himself. Very few people are innately purely good the way Superman is. And that's what puts me off about him.
For all intents an purposes Batman is legally insane and in no way shape or form should his example be followed. Trying to actively distance yourself from any and all relationship with other humans is not healthy.
Batman was infinitely more relatable as a child, because I too, lost my parents; what better way for a child to deal with that than watching a costumed superhero deal with the same thing. However, had I dealt with my problems the way Bruce Wayne did, I wouldn't be typing this right now, I would be out hurting people (for justice) or in prison or more than likely dead
Again, here I agree with you. But I never said Batman was an example to follow, I said he was a compelling character with very real human issues and conflicts that people can relate to, and you especially can relate to on a very personal level. So while you were intelligent enough to know this is a fictional character and not an example to follow, you did understand him, you did relate to him.
By far Superman would be the more ideal example to follow and if that's what his purpose is then great. As I said, in the 1980's Hulk Hogan played out the very same ideals and children all over the world idolized him for it. So clearly that formula works. I just said it isn't compelling, you literally have to be a child for it to have any weight.
When we grow up and see for ourselves how the world really is and how little of that ideology is in the real world it becomes harder and harder to relate to characters that are infinitely good, or even infinitely evil. Real people are shades of grey and so the most compelling characters in literature usually are to.
Superman offered a brighter future to me as a child and does to this day.
So did Luke Skywalker, but Luke is way more relatable and compelling because he starts off as the everyman. Hes based on mythological motifs that have been around for thousands of years. We can follow his journey and he deals with very real human issues over the course of his journey. He has elements of good and evil in him. He does the right thing, but he has it in him to do the wrong thing as well. And its the struggle that we can relate to. Hes a deep and complex character that we learn, as he does, that hes part of a much bigger story with much bigger consequences and implications than he ever thought.
Superman also does the right thing, but he seems to do it for no other reason than that's the way he was written to be. I don't say Superman doesn't offer a brighter future. I say his reasons for doing so aren't compelling. Basically hes written in such a way as to say, don't worry about why he always saves the day and does the right thing, just know that he will. Again, great for a child, but tough for me to swallow.
P.S. - One more conflict than Kal-El has to deal with endlessly: "You can't save everyone. You can't be everywhere, every minute, but you can hear them all."
Ahh yes, but can we not also hear them all to? Do we not just have to turn on CNN or MSNBC to see and hear the suffering going on all over the world?
And how many of us actually do anything about it? We watch, we say "wow that's terrible" and then we return to our lives and go about our business. That is the harsh truth of the world we live in. And I am just as guilty as the rest.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" - Edmund Burke
