Batman vs. Superman

A lot of people really like Batman.

Of course it makes sense when you think about the recent success of the new Batman movies as compared to the total flop that Superman Returns was.  People can connect with Batman because, besides the fact that he's a billionaire, he is a totally normal guy without any super powers.  He wasn't bit by some radioactive spider, nor does he come from another planet.  He is simply portrayed as a man who is fed up with the degradation in his beloved city and so decides to use the talents and resources he has to fight it.  The fact that he does such a good job considering how human he is gives him a lot of credit.

It's easy to empathize with Batman as he lives a lonely life with only his butler knowing who he really is.  Sure he has friends both as Bruce Wayne and as Batman, but there is no one else who understands him as a whole person.  Batman's closest acquaintance - Commissioner Gordon - doesn't even know very much about him.  Many likewise feel that there is more to them than what their friends and acquaintances observe from the outside.  A lot of single men and women, like Batman, are also lonely because they don't have someone to share their lives with and who can understand all their intricacies.  Additionally, some like to think that there lingers a hero-in-waiting part of them deep inside just as Batman had it in him all along to rise above his socially elite status to become the selfless hero that Gotham needed.

Batman's weaknesses are pretty much the normal, everyday pressure points that people have.  He is a typical man who can get distracted at times, isn't always the smartest, nor the strongest but somehow finds a way to get the job done.  People see the same flaws in themselves and therefore look up to Batman and how he overcomes his challenges.

You see, an important difference between Batman and Superman is that essentially Superman is an alien and is therefore hard to connect with.  He may look like a normal guy, but the man can't get hurt by the normal things.  Bullets bounce off of his bare chest for crying out loud.  He is so good that he only has two weaknesses - Lois Lane and kryptonite.  With these two issues out of the picture, Superman would be absolutely perfect.  Those who choose Batman over Superman often site this as one of their main arguments.  They reason that Superman is too fictional and just plain boring because he seems so perfect.

Now let me explain a little why I have been and will be a loyal member of the Superman camp.

Superman is the most selfless superhero out there.  He comes from a planet that was destroyed and he never knew his parents.  He could have decided to be bitter and lived his life taking advantage of everybody around him because of his powers, but chose instead to use those powers to help these strangers.  Batman fights for his beloved city, while Superman protects a planet that is not his own.

Superman is a symbol of freedom and everything good.  Whenever you see that iconic "S" symbol, you may get a sense of patriotism and generally good feelings (unless you're a hater of course).  I believe that's because Superman fights for the same ideals that our founding fathers had.  He fights for those who are too weak to help themselves and he fights for the freedom to live in peace.  Of course, most super heroes have similar ideals, but Superman has always been the iconic symbol.

Superman has various references to Christ in his story.  I'm not being sacrilegious or anything, but I think the symbols are beautiful.  He was sent to earth as an only son from his father as a gift to humankind, and his powers are renewed from the light of the sun as Christ is the light of the world.

Superman doesn't decide to be a vigilante in order to help the world.  He doesn't need to make himself the scape goat for the world's problems while Batman purposefully makes the decision to become Gotham's Dark Knight.  Superman finds a way to be a symbol of good and hope while still being the hero the world needs. 

The Ravenous Wolf

Hunger is a serious issue.  I believe I don't and probably can't understand how blessed I am to have food readily available to me any time of the day.  I do understand that countless people go days (we're not talking hours, or maybe 1 day) at a time without getting something to eat and that blows my mind.  I wonder how they do it.

But, this post isn't about starving kids in Africa.  It's about the wolves among us who make their appearance at restaurants and other places where one can get food.  These people come in all shapes and sizes.  They can make their appearances finely dressed or look like they just rolled out of bed.  They often seem like average, ordinary people - people you could see yourself hanging out with.  That is, until their fangs come out when they don't get what they want.

I'm talking about the kinds of people who readily lose their temper and congenial behavior because they are hungry and something doesn't go their way.  It could be because their order got messed up.  It could be that the food wasn't as good as they had hoped.  Or it could be because they were wanting to use their Subway card at the CougarEat Subway only to be told that this particular Subway doesn't accept those cards for some reason (obviously a very hypothetical example).

This particular person seemed nice enough and very familiar with Subway while she was making her order.  She wasn't even overly particular with her order or anything.  But, when she was told that those cards have written on the back that Subway reserves the right to choose which stores accept or decline Subway cards.  She got very upset and obnoxious with the staff, then stormed off as soon as her food was paid for.

Why do people have to lose their cool in situations like this?  It wasn't like she didn't get her food.  It wasn't like her food randomly cost more than it should.  It wasn't like her food was irreparably ruined.  It was just because she couldn't get the points on her card.  The only issue here was a simple misunderstanding.  The rules were nicely and effectively communicated, but for some reason it wasn't enough.

I've worked in a number of restaurants and have dealt with the ravenous wolf and let me tell you, it can get quite ridiculous.  I've hung out with friends who have turned into the wolf and have gone on dates with girls who have flashed their canines.  I typically slowly stop hanging out with those friends and certainly make that the last date.  I believe this kind of behavior is only acceptable if someone has deliberately been wronged or if we're talking about a toddler.  Call  me naive, but I believe that people generally don't deliberately try to hurt others.  If you're still acting like a toddler, then there are some serious issues that need to be worked on.  Nobody likes to see the ravenous wolf.