I’d like to give you another short thinker-blog.
Have you ever wondered if the Justice League, such a stalwart defender of America, is really committed to the ideals of democracy? Since they have superpowers, doesn’t that set them above the populace?
Justice League photo credit: roadkillbuddha via photopin cc
Having such powers allows them to stand up against and above an elected government. This puts them as the judge for or against said government. Not to say governments don’t need to be stood against from time to time, even judged by its people, but in a democracy, we do this at the polls, by our involvement, by our own protest and criticism.
The problem with Justice League criticism is it comes with fire bolts and laser vision and invisible planes. (Though as a boy I wondered while watching Super Friends why Wonder Woman’s enemies didn’t just say, “Fire at the woman in the air that looks like she riding in an invisible plane. You might not see the plane, but you can see her.”)
Now I know, of course, the Justice League is fictional, and thank heaven for democracy’s sake. Heroes and heroines flying around in tights and making their own decisions as to what is for the good of society can easily degrade into what is good for them. That is why it’s best humans are limited. As power approaches supremacy, selfishness has fuller rein. If absolute power corrupts absolutely, all the more reason the Almighty needs be Incorruptibly Good.
The Tower of Babel was a warning. As humans unite in purpose, which could be a good thing, they can just as easily unite for an evil purpose, i.e. Nazis.
Sometimes it’s best we pull differently, because no matter how limitless our power becomes, our spiritual and moral compasses remain broken – Star Trek’s optimism aside. We need others to put a check on our baser tendencies. Or at least I do.
Oligarchy is the rule by a few who govern the rabble. But rabble is just what democracy seeks to hear from. I don’t think Superman and Batman want to hear from the average Joe. They don’t even listen to each other.
Sometimes our science fiction, our superhero dreams, and our fantasy worlds reveal a bit more about ourselves than we otherwise would have known… if we just give little thought.
Anyway, of the Justice League my favorite was Aquaman. He could always soak his head in the vast ocean if it got too big.
Give me some comments.
I saw this was a ‘short thinker blog’ so I figured it would apply to me….
Too funny, Michele. That’s really suppose to be a short blog, but it could be construed as a short think or a short thinker.