So, I've recently acquired some super-person powers. I just woke up with them, no apparent reason. They're nothing as interesting as I'd like; I can fly, shoot laser beams out of my fingers, and that seems to be it. The flying is fun, and the laser beams are useful for killing insects.
The problem is what to do with them. Or, rather, avoiding doing anything with them. I want to be a writer, and I've even had a column published in a men's magazine (Stuff magazine, I was 16, it went on for about a year). I think I have good prospects.
But this doesn't seem to be what the world wants me to do. My family, particularly my grandmother, is bugging me about becoming a superhero. "Rachie, when are you going to go out and start saving the world? Don't you want to make your family proud of you?" (It was bad enough when she wanted me to go to medical school.) They seem to think that I'm somehow obligated to go out and fight crime and hurt bad guys. Even my career counselor just sighed and told me to get fitted for a spandex outfit with a cape.
Most of my friends, on the other hand, want me to become a supervillian. They're mostly Goth-y or anarchist types who think "society's fucked up, mang," and they're drooling over the fact that their best buddy has powers that will bring down civilization.
I don't want to do either. I don't want to become a superhero. I don't think I'd enjoy it, and I don't have the right "let's go out and defeat CRIME!" mindset; I don't like all that fighting and action, and I've never been good at it.
On the other hand, I don't want to be a supervillian. I don't really have a grudge against society or the world, and I don't want to hurt it.
But both groups do make good points.
Superheroes, what do you think? Am I morally obligated to go out and fight crime to protect the rest of humanity, even if I don't want to?
Supervillians, what do you think? Am I morally obligated to destroy what my friend Gail calls "a corrupt and uncaring technocratic society," even if I don't want to?
July 15 2005, 06:22:57 UTC 6 years ago
If none of these apply to you, forget the costume, ignore your family, and keep using the lasers to swat bugs.
And if you can fly, think of the money you could save on Airfare. You can get to Hawaii for cheap now.
July 15 2005, 06:48:52 UTC 6 years ago
They're your powers, do with them as you like.
[FWIW I'm sure you can find some way to help that doesn't involve dressing in spandex and jumping into the line of fire.]