Question

After watching the “Real Life” Superhero documentary: Discuss the implications of such a social movement; in which the people seeking to remedy a social problem are seen as problems themselves. Can this create a slippery slope that will stigmatize people seeking social justice?

Answer 1

Note: This response is in UK English, please paste the response to MS Word and you should be able to spot discrepancies easily. You may elaborate the answer based on personal views or your classwork if necessary.

(Answer) In the HBO documentary “Real Life Superheroes”, the subjects of the film are individuals who wish to become superheroes. They have an alter-ego, wear capes and go around the neighbourhood fighting crime.

All of these attributes seem benevolent. However, it is important to view these actions from the point of view of professional training, security, practicality and legality. If these self-proclaimed superheroes have not had any professional training like that of a firefighter or a police official, it might be dangerous for them, the victims and individual around a scene to be a part of their ventures. Without formal and professional training, they could seriously cause damage, not only to their cause but also to the innocent people around them.

In a part of the documentary, Stan Lee is asked what he feels about these individuals. Most of the superheroes that might have inspired these people to take ups such actions have been created by Lee himself. Lee agrees that he too would be untrustworthy of such people as it is quite dangerous to have an unqualified and untrained masked individual running around and trying to solve crimes.

When it comes to the legality of it all, some of their actions could be viewed as obstruction of justice or tampering with crime scenes. Furthermore, it is the official duty of a law enforcement officer to apprehend a criminal. A civilian might only be allowed to take measures to protect themselves until an official might arrive on the scene. Therefore, some of their actions might even go against the jurisdiction of certain states.

The very basis of the documentary implies that it is not only what you say, but also rather how you say it that is equally important. In other words, their actions and intentions are not deemed immoral but rather it is their execution that does not truly elevate the value of their cause. Surely, such actions might put extreme activism on a slippery slope and stigmatize their very identity as activists.