I used to teach a first-year course in critical thinking. Prior to that, the course was known as “Justice and the Good Society.” In my mind, the two concepts are merged, because it seems to me a good society depends on critical thinking ability. But that’s not my main point.
When I taught “Critical Thinking Seminar,” I included a unit based on superheroes. I thought it might be a way to make the material a little more engaging to the young men in the class, because if they were like me, they were likely to share my interest in superheroes from comic books, television, and films. Fortunately, I found his topic appealed to many young women as well. You may make of that what you will. I also found that while our society has a universal awareness of superhero lore, the philosophical concepts behind superhero motivation are not necessarily discussed.
Why would a “Superman” act on behalf of others, especially those he could easily dominate? Why should the strong defend the weak in the first place? Does great power really come with great responsibility? If so, what does this mean? The moral questions are worth discussing. The Bible warns that much shall be required of persons who have been given much. It seems unlikely to me, and to Superman’s parents, that a gift of “powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men” is given without a reason, and this kind of power is certainly not intended for selfish gain. The best superheroes try to use their abilities to help others, not themselves, and they tend to abhor killing, even in the name of doing “good.”
Our discussions of super powers, secret identities, justice versus retribution, wisdom versus immediate gratification, and choices between duty and personal desires inevitably led to discussions about us – people without hypothetical super powers, just trying to live a good life. I liked to point out that having a college degree is a “super power,” because less than 7% of the world has a college degree. This fun fact was an eye-opener for many who had never thought of their education as a “super power.” Yet, it is, and what we choose to do with our education matters. If education is only about making “the big bucks” for ourselves, it seems to me we have missed the point.
There are many other super powers to consider. We tend to call them privileges. Now, I’m not necessarily talking about “white privilege,” although that’s one form of gift, or legacy, if you will. And I certainly have benefitted from being a heterosexual white male over the years. There are many kinds of privilege – wealth, health, physical attributes, intellect, charisma, gender, nationality, community or family support, and so on. Our legacy even includes those who have built all the things we take for granted – inventions, technology, infrastructure, laws, rights, governments, and other organizations. These had to start somewhere, and we owe our predecessors an enormous debt for the opportunity to build upon our inheritance. Speaking of predecessors, Newton’s observation about standing on the shoulders of giants comes to mind. Each advance makes the next possible, but as we know, possible does not mean inevitable. All it takes is for one to forget their position is based on privilege and the hard work of the past could be washed away. The work is ongoing. And while it doesn’t take superheroes, we at least must be heroic enough to acknowledge that what we have received is in many ways a gift. It is up to us to use that gift responsibly.
MurrayWorks 