Violence has always been a central part of
comic book superheroes, and Superman is no exception. It is ironic knowing
Superman’s stance on not using force to achieve means to an end but betrays
that philosophy on a daily basis.
“But he uses force
to fight those who would do harm!”
Yes,
and I would agree that he is justified in doing so. Now we have established
that there is “good” violence and “bad” violence. Superman does not condone
killing innocents for fun, but would end the life of another to save hundreds
(although his moral code would make it an absolute last resort). For example in
the recent Superman movie he ended the life of General Zod to save a family
So Superman uses “good” violence to end
“bad” violence. Who decides what’s good and what’s bad? Just like how we
describe something “good” or “bad” is dependent on our moral codes as a
society. Superman was raised on American/Western farmer values. Justice, Honor,
Liberty, these are all things he stands for. The problem is when “good”
violence isn’t enough. When maintaining peace no longer works and you start
drifting towards that “bad” spectrum. What is the point of locking up all these
villains if they just escape and wreck more havoc? We have been down this road,
they always end up escaping! Those atrocities created by those escapees are now
on Superman’s hands. Many of the villains in this universe have made Stalin
look like a schoolyard bully? I’m sure most have earned a justified death
sentence. That’s when his morals come in, and many hold the same thing. Killing
is wrong.
Superman and those who hold the same ideal
can make their armchair philosophy all they want, but when that family in The
Man of Steel almost went from being a solid to a liquid Kal-el did what had to
be done. As I ponder more and more about Superman I reach the same conclusion
that the authors of Superman and Philosophy do. Superman is an enforcer of
good. If you know God is watching you and your actions could lend you in hell
or heaven are you doing good because it’s the right thing or is it because you
don’t want to suffer for all eternity? In this case Superman doesn’t come
knocking at your door. In Nietzsche’s eyes Superman was only partially the Übermensch.
Superman uses his strength to prove his morals (morals that Nietzsche would
call the “slave” morals) right and shut out anything else otherwise. He is the
enforcer of the morals we humans call “good,” and is ready to cast out any that
are deemed “bad.” In many ways Superman is not just a god amongst men, but
God’s watchful eye.
Previous
installments can be found:
http://cophilosophy.blogspot.com/2015/11/nicholas-fulford-8-tr-superman-god_28.html
Contained useful information: Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture
Series : Superman and Philosophy : What Would the Man of Steel Do by Irwin, William, White, Mark D.
MY generation's Superman, George Reeves, saved the biggest act of violence for himself - he took his own life. Bugt I don't recall ever questioning S'man's rectitude, since we'd all been indoctrinated into the unflagging virtue of "Truth, Justice, and the American Way." It was a naive, sanctimonious era in our history.
ReplyDeleteChristopher Reeve didn't do so well himself, violence-wise.
I'm not sure the Nietzschean Superman "proves" anything about his values, to anyone's satisfaction but his own. The best superpower of all, I still say, is compassion and empathy.