(AFA - 2019)WHY DO SUPERVILLAINS FASCINATE US? A P
(AFA - 2019)
WHY DO SUPERVILLAINS FASCINATE US? A PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Why are we fascinated by supervillains? Posing the question is much like asking why evil itself intrigues us, but there's much more to our continued interest in supervillains than meets the eye. Not only do Lex Luthor, Dracula and the Red Skull run unconstrained by conventional morality, they exist outside the limits of reality itself. Their evil, even at its most realistic, retains a touch of the unreal.
But is our fascination with fantastic fiends1 healthy? From a psychological perspective, views vary on what drives our enduring interest in superhuman bad guys.
Shadow confrontation: Psychiatrist Carl Jung believed we need to confront and understand our own hidden nature to grow as human beings. Healthy confrontation with our shadow selves can unearth new strengths (e.g., Bruce Wayne creating his Dark Knight persona to fight crime), whereas unhealthy attempts at confrontation may involve dwelling on or unleashing the worst parts of ourselves.
Wish fulfillment: Sigmund Freud viewed human nature as inherently antisocial, biologically driven by the undisciplined id's pleasure principle to get what we want when we want it – born to be bad but held back by society. Even if the psyche fully develops its ego (source of self-control) and superego (conscience), Freudians say the id still dwells2 underneath, and it wishes for many selfish things – so it would love to be supervillainous.
Hierarchy of needs: Humanistic psychologist Abraham Maslow held that people who haven't met their most basic needs will have difficulty maturing. If starved for food, you're unlikely to feel secure. If starved for love and companionship, you'll have trouble building self-esteem. People who dwell on their deficits may envy and resent others who have more than they do. Some people who are unable to overcome social shortcomings fantasize about obtaining any means, good or bad, to satisfy every need and greed.
Conditioning: Ivan Pavlov would say we can learn to associate supervillains with other things we value – like entertainment, strength, freedom or the heroes themselves. Behaviorist B.F. Skinner would likely argue that we can find it reinforcing to watch or read about supervillains, but without knowing what's reinforcing about them, that's a bit like saying it's rewarding because it's rewarding.
Our Motivations for Seeking Out Supervillains
Throughout history, humans have been captivated by stories of heroes facing off against superhuman foes3. But what specific rewards, needs, wishes and dark dreams do supervillains satisfy?
Freedom: Superpowered characters enjoy freedoms the rest of us don't. Nobody can arrest Superman unless he lets them (at least not without kryptonite handcuffs). As much time as supervillains spend locked up, they seem to escape as often as they please, to run unconstrained by rules and regulations. Cosplayers who dress like Wonder Woman and Captain America can't do any crazy thing that crosses their minds without seeming to mock and insult our heroes, whereas those dressed as villains get to go wild. Supervillainy feels liberating.
Power: Maybe you envy the power these evil characters wield4. While that's also a reason to adore superheroes, good guys don't ache to dominate. Stories like Watchmen and Kingdom Come show how heroes become menaces5 when they try to take over. So when dreaming of superpowers, maybe you relate to characters who dream of power as well, from the Scarecrow (who controls individuals' fears) to Doctor Doom (who's perpetually out to dominate the world).
Better villain than victim: Physiologically, anger activates us and feels better than anxiety or fear. One who feels victimized and cannot figure out constructive ways to stand up, be strong or become heroic might twist the need for self-assertion into destruction. Alternately, a healthy person simply might focus on how all characters assert themselves in any given story.
Better villain equals better hero: A hero only appears as heroic as the challenge he or she must overcome. Great heroes require great villains. Without supercriminals, the world's finest heroes seem like overpowered brutes nabbing thugs6 unworthy of them. Through myths, legends and lore across time, we have needed heroes who rise to the occasion, overcome great odds7 and take down giants.
Facing our fears: Instead of dreading the darkness, you might reduce that dread by shining a light and seeing what's out there. Fiction can help us feel empowered and enlightened without literally traipsing into mob hangouts8 and poorly lit alleyways9.
Exploring the unknown: Our need to challenge the unknown has driven the human race to cover the globe. This powerful curiosity makes us wonder about everything that baffles10 us, including the world's worst fiends. Knowledge is power, or at least feels like it. When gritty details repulse us, exploring evil through the filter of fiction can help us contemplate humanity's worst without turning away or dwelling almost voyeuristically on real human tragedy. Even when the fiction is about improbable people doing impossible things, the story's fantastic nature reassures us that this cannot happen – and therefore we don't have to turn away.
Supervillains' Ultimate Purpose
In the end, our interest in supervillains can be healthy or unhealthy. Even the more maladaptive reasons for such fascination tend to arise from motivations that were originally healthy and natural – frustrated drives that went the wrong way.
Remember, though, that superheroic fiction ultimately begins and ends with the heroes. Comic book writers and artists create supervillains, who move in and out as guest stars and supporting cast, first and foremost to reveal how heroic the comics' stars can be.
(Adapted from https://www.wired.com/2012/07/why-do-supervillainsfascinate-us/)
Glossary:
1. fiend – an evil and cruel person
2. to dwell – remain
3. foe – an enemy
4. to wield – influence, use power
5. menace – threat
6. to nab thugs – arrest criminals
7. odds – probability
8. to traipse into mob hangouts – walk among places where gangs, criminals meet
9. poorly lit alleyways – narrow road or path with little light
10. to baffle – confuse somebody completely
The sentence “[...] Abraham Maslow held that people who haven't met their most basic needs will have difficulty maturing.” (lines 31 and 32) means the psychologist believes that
if people don’t become mature, they will have trouble meeting their basic needs. c) d)
if Abraham Maslow hadn’t met his basic needs, people would have had difficulty maturing.
unless people fulfill their basic necessities, getting mature won’t be easy for them.
unless one gets their basic necessities, they won’t have difficulty maturing.
