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“Do superheroes exist in the real world?”my son asked after I finished reading the last line and closed the book. “Yes! Well, not exactly like in your comics, but there are people who act heroically even when no one is watching.”I responded, trying to sound convincing. “But where are they?” his eyes glared like he was waking up, not about going to sleep. “They don’t wear capes, that’s for sure.” I said, smiling. “They are dressed in uniforms. They are in hospitals. The first to enter a burning building. The ones who catch bad guys. They are…” I stopped to notice his reaction, but also to find scenes in my mind to support my words – there weren’t many. I sensed my lips turning into a frown. “Son, there is a superhero in all of us.” I switched my tone. “You don’t need a fancy mask or superpowers to do good, you just need to overcome the natural tendency to do bad or not do anything at all.” I held his little hands. “A hero is someone who keeps pushing even when all hope is lost. Someone who preserves his integrity. Someone who urges people to find their inner confidence. This requires courage and a commitment to principles that do not bend in the face of fear – and you have both.” I kissed his forehead. “You don’t understand now, but you will understand.” I said, almost whispering. He nodded. “Good night!” I wrapped him up and stroked his hair. “Good night, dad!” he replied and snuggled into his covers.
When I was his age, I believed that I would meet the same people in the world. The same characters I had encountered in comics and movies. Noble people who had the goal of saving the world from its agony. Over the years, I gradually lost hope that I would find such people, and therefore the desire to look for them faded.
What are we doing?
If we think about it, what defines our present age is relentless optimization for our own immediate happiness without a faithless clue about where the world should be headed. Nobody is thinking about what will happen tomorrow. Everybody is so focused on the current moment.
We are restless, afraid to stand still. To feel our own feelings. To think our own thoughts and potentially produce new, original thoughts that can challenge the status quo. We numb the moments of stillness with deliberately fabricated entertainment designed by people who are equally confused about what should be the goal of our age.
It’s commonly said that we, the modern people, live better than medieval kings. We have antibiotics, air-conditioning, the internet, cars, the opportunity to travel by plane, uninfected food, and most recently AI.
The majority of the problems we recently faced have been resolved. That is, you are not particularly worried about access to clean water or electricity. And while the price of housing is skyrocketing, you still have the opportunity to have a roof over your head.
But beyond being healthy and having a place to live, what else occupies our agenda?
Causes like solving poverty, eradicating addictive substances, doing quality work?
No.
It’s all about continuous optimization for pleasure.
Hey there, sorry to interrupt…
Since you’ve come this far, it seems that you are passionate about pursuing depth over distraction. I am too! And while what I’m about to say next probably won’t quite excite you, I have to say it…
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Footnotes:
- Pandit, P. Davos 2024 highlights: Leaders challenged to deliver, Vision of Humanity. Available at: https://www.visionofhumanity.org/world-leaders-challenged-can-we-trust-you-to-live-up-to-your-promises/
- While Australia is aggressively taxing tobacco, the black market flourishes. The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/mar/19/australia-tobacco-tax-black-market
- We need dramatic social and technological changes: Is societal collapse inevitable? The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/28/we-need-dramatic-social-and-technological-changes-is-societal-collapse-inevitable
