Reflecting - Reflection #11

I came into the class not knowing very much about Superman.  I knew of him and what his super powers and weaknesses were, but not what he stood for.  I found it very fascinating that Superman really represents the ideal American.  Born an immigrant, coming to America, and experiencing a "normal" life growing up, he really represents what all Americans had experienced and what they wanted to strive to become.  Superman is the epitome of the American value and a true American icon, and his stories and what he stands for has taught me a lot about the history of superheroes and their true meanings.  Reading Superman Earth #1 and the many articles attempting to breakdown his character is what really helped me understand why we all value Superman as a hero and what he stands for.

I used to think that the Hulk wasn't really a superhero.  His massive stature and incredible rage always lead me to believe he was more of a villain than a hero.  After reading his origin story and more about his character, it was clear that he was much more than the "green dude" I had previously identified him as.  He is a caring and compassionate genius that is only trying to protect those around him from his uncontrollable state.

There is not much I have learned about myself that I didn't already know, but I have more confirmed why I act the way I do, and what superheroes I am similar to.  I am often stubborn (Iron Man), angry (The Hulk), wise (Prof. Xavier), intelligent (The Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-man, etc.) and many other expressions that can be represented as the many heroes we have discussed in class.

I feel that a topic that should have been more prominent in the class is teamwork.  Many of the very popular Superheroes and Super-groups rely on teamwork to accomplish their tasks (X-Men, The Avengers, The Justice League, etc.).  Teamwork is a very important idea in our lives as well.  We are required to work together in classes, in the workplace, and it is just human-nature to work together.  Talking more about groups like X-Men and the Avengers and how they sort of resemble teamwork in ourselves would have facilitated discussing more about this topic.  These groups are very important in the comic book and superhero realm, and I think it would have done justice to cover their back-story a little more.

Every superhero we have reflected on this semester is somewhat an extension of ourselves.  Each superhero has a story about how they came to be, what they stand for, and what they are trying to accomplish.  In a sense, this is true for every human being as well.  We look to strive for some higher meaning, and we try to stand for something bigger than ourselves.  No one hero can really represent a model for good citizenship, because all of them have their own advantages and their own flaws.  The best model for good citizenship comes from a collection of all of the superheroes we have discussed, because they all have something different to contribute.

Hero - Reflection #10

At first, the coach says that Thom is a medical liability because of his seizures.  Thom realizes, however that this is not the case; it is because he is "different".  Thom is gay, and the coach doesn't accept that fact.  The coach didn't handle this situation in a good manner.  If I were in Thom's position, I would be very upset and angry with the coach.  It is not right for someone to discriminate against someones sexuality, especially if it has nothing to do with the situation.  Someone's sexuality does not affect their skills or their personality, so it should not have been a concern of the coach to treat Thom differently and not let him continue being a part of the team.  If this situation had happened to me, my parents would be incredibly upset.  They believe in equal opportunity for everyone, and so they would have fought very hard for my opportunity to continue being on the team.

She is trying to tell him not to wait around for his own happiness.  Thom needs to take his skills and knowledge and make his own happiness.  He needs to make his own path in life.  Life isn't just going to hand anyone a break; they have to make best with what they have and try and sore with it.  There is nothing I am waiting for to make myself happy.  I am working hard for everything so that later on in my life I am happy.  One can be in charge of their own happiness by first determining what makes them happy.  Once they are able to do that, it is a matter of setting goals and determining how to achieve that happiness.

I think that everyone deserves to have at least one moment in their lifetime where an entire crowd of people is cheering them on for something.  This moment is hard to come by, but everyone has a skill that can cause this to happen to themselves.  It doesn't have to be for an athletic event either.  Someone can be very good at acting, or music, or teaching, and they deserve that one moment just as much as anyone else.  For me, this event would happen for teaching, specifically for math or computer science.  I have been a tutor for 2 years now, and it is a good moment when I am able to share knowledge with a fellow student, and help them understand an idea or concept they didn't previously understand.  This is my big moment.  These kinds of things give me confidence and pride in myself.  It is really a defining moment for me.

I don't believe in a "perfect first kiss".  Every kiss is different and unique in its own way.  Some have "perfect aspects" about them, but there is always something that could improve upon the situation.  I believe it is possible to achieve something close to the perfect first kiss.  Although it may not be perfect, once you meet your "soul-mate", the kiss will feel very near perfect, especially as you reflect on the situation.  I have never had a crush on a famous figure.  I have always had some envy for famous figures, because of their lifestyle, but never a crush.  I believe people have crushes on them because they idolize them.  It is more of the fact that they want to be able to live a life like famous people, rather than they have sexual appeal towards that person.