Superheroes are a big part of pop culture. They’re popularity seems to stem from society’s innate need to believe that there are “heroes” that can bring down the bad guy and save the day. Of course we know these are fictitious characters, but the ideas behind them are not so much when you think about it.
In fact, there are quite a few life lessons one can learn from our favorite caped (or non-caped) crusaders. Here are some of them.
1. X-Men
Life Lesson: Don’t be afraid to be yourself.
Although the characters of X-Men are greatly exaggerated, with fully blue bodies or razors sticking out of their knuckles, in a way they seem to relate to real people in that everyone is different in their own unique way. What X-Men teaches us is that being yourself and embracing such unique features of your personality is not just OK – it’s what makes you so amazing. It also encourages you to show the parts of yourself that you may be tempted to hide and realize that you can do amazing things not despite them, but because of them.
2. Batman
Life Lesson: You don’t need superpowers to be a superhero.
Batman is different to most other superheroes in that he doesn’t actually have a “superpower” (other than loads of money, but that’s not the point). Even with his wealth, he is portrayed as someone who has been through so many struggles throughout his life, from the time he was a child. Still, despite all of that, he becomes one of the most powerful people in the world – all with sheer willpower, intellect, and good old hard work. That’s a valuable lesson to anyone that thinks that they cannot make an impact on this world.
3. Spiderman
Life Lesson: “With great power come great responsibility.” – Uncle Ben
Uncle Ben’s death is a turning point in the life of Peter Parker, Spiderman’s alter-ego, and his dying words will go on not just to define the entire character but also become one of the most common sayings in real life. Not only is Peter now the sole relative to his aunt, he is also gifted this incredible power. When he senses that danger is impending, it becomes his responsibility to go to war against the villains to save innocent people, in the same way that he needs to responsible for helping his aunt with her grief. He may not have asked for the power – but now that he has got it, it’s up to him to use it wisely.
4. Superman
Life Lesson: You are never alone.
Sometimes, we can feel like we’re the only person in the world, that no one else would ever understand our struggles and even that no one else would care. But if there’s one thing you can learn from Superman, the only Kryptonian left alive in the universe, it’s that you are never alone! Throughout his stories, Superman is surrounded by people like his friends, family, and Lois Lane. Even though his power supersedes all of these people, he is guided by them all and calls on their help often.
5. The Hulk
Life Lesson: Harness your flaws and transform them into strengths.
The Hulk is the angriest guy on earth. One look at his face will tell you exactly how high his temper runs – I mean, the guy grows into a giant and becomes green in color! Bruce Banner recognizes that his issues with anger are a flaw and tries to control them to the best of his abilities, but later on he realizes that he can put this flaw to much better use. Shifting his perspective helps him realize he can help others (and himself in the meantime) with his unique flaw/power. Similarly, we can all look deep to find the flaws in ourselves and try to harness them in a positive way to make a positive impact on our own or someone else’s life.
6. Wonder Woman
Life Lessons: Not all women are princesses in need of rescue.
All of our childhood fairy tales revolve around one concept: a damsel in distress waiting from her handsome prince to come and rescue her from her whatever woes her life is facing (evil witches, curses, abusive relationships, yada yada yada). Every little girl who has ever been told that her dreams are “too big” or that it’s “a man’s world”, can rejoice because this superhero (and many others like her) are the ultimate middle finger to that stereotype. Wonder Woman teaches us that you don’t need to wait for a man to come rescue you, you can do the rescuing yourself. At the same time, it also teaches us that you don’t need to let go of your femininity to do that.
