Superman only makes sense in the context of a worldview where good is the default setting of the universe and the job of a being of godlike power who aims to do good is to fix things when they break and thwart evil from spoiling the natural state of goodness.
Because if the universe is not good at its core then the moral responsibility of that same godlike being who wants to do good is to assume power absolutely and make the universe good by force.
And that’s not Superman.
I don’t think IRL, good is the default setting of the universe.
If you look around in your own life, I bet you will see that the majority of people you actually know seems good.
Just down turn on the TV. It’s called propaganda for a reason.
And about being good, you don’t do it to gain any benefits. People seem to think that… Why be good, I don’t get benefits from it.
Then you are not good yourself, because a good person doesn’t have a choice. He is good because his consciousness is good. Not because of any benefits. Some good people are good because they are afraid too. They are good because they fear conflict.
And bad people are not good because they get benefits and want those benefits. It’s simple.
Superman would disagree with you. But whether that is naivete or the hope that he represents made manifest, it really wouldn’t matter to him. In a world where the default was pure evil, he’d still be championing an ideal. One that might not ever exist, but it wouldn’t be through lack of trying on his part. And totalitarianism or abuse of his abilities to force his desires would absolutely never fit that ideal.
According to Bob Chipman
Superman only makes sense in the context of a worldview where good is the default setting of the universe and the job of a being of godlike power who aims to do good is to fix things when they break and thwart evil from spoiling the natural state of goodness.
Because if the universe is not good at its core then the moral responsibility of that same godlike being who wants to do good is to assume power absolutely and make the universe good by force.
And that’s not Superman.
I don’t think IRL, good is the default setting of the universe.
If you look around in your own life, I bet you will see that the majority of people you actually know seems good.
Just down turn on the TV. It’s called propaganda for a reason.
And about being good, you don’t do it to gain any benefits. People seem to think that… Why be good, I don’t get benefits from it.
Then you are not good yourself, because a good person doesn’t have a choice. He is good because his consciousness is good. Not because of any benefits. Some good people are good because they are afraid too. They are good because they fear conflict.
And bad people are not good because they get benefits and want those benefits. It’s simple.
Superman would disagree with you. But whether that is naivete or the hope that he represents made manifest, it really wouldn’t matter to him. In a world where the default was pure evil, he’d still be championing an ideal. One that might not ever exist, but it wouldn’t be through lack of trying on his part. And totalitarianism or abuse of his abilities to force his desires would absolutely never fit that ideal.