We Are Superman: the Selfless and Selfish

In The Real Truth about Superman: And the Rest of Us, Too, Mark Waid discusses his recent revelation over Superman’s psyche. It turns out, according to Waid, that Superman is not the beacon of selflessness most of us believe him to be. In fact, by creating and fulfilling the role of Superman, Clark Kent is able to embrace both his Kryptonian side and his Midwestern upbringing. This ultimately gives him a sense of belonging and allows him to be his true self. By being a hero and using his powers for good, Kal-El feels like he is both fulfilling his destiny, and therefore acting in his own self-interest, while also saving the lives of numerous people through his feats of heroism. His self-interest inevitably helps out everyone else, but if the champion of morality is acting out of his own interest, what does that mean for the rest of us? 

After reading Waid’s article, I started wondering if any act could truly be selfless. While I would like to believe that myself and others perform kind deeds out of the sole desire to help each other out, I don’t think that’s really true. I tend to believe that humans are inherently selfish, and we try to convince ourselves that the “selfless” acts we perform are born out of pure intentions without any ulterior motives whatsoever. However, the real reason why we perform “selfless” acts is to feel better about ourselves. Every good deed is a small boost to the self-esteem. In addition, Waid mentions how we all have a fundamental desire to belong, and this is what also motivates us to perform good deeds: we want to feel warm and gooey inside, appreciated by others. Thus, being “selfless” to people tends to put us in their good books. However, when I think of scenarios where people willingly put their lives on the line to help someone they love, I can’t say that comes from a completely selfish motivation. You do not think of yourself when you risk dying for someone you love; you are placing more value on their life than your own. I think the element of love makes this potential sacrifice a result of purer intentions than selfish ones. That does not mean it is completely selfless, but it is close.   

Superman also risks his life to save others, yet he does not love every single person he tries to save, and neither does a fireman, a policeman, or anyone else whose job it is to put themselves in the line of fire. I think that perhaps this makes their acts of heroism even more selfless. When you love someone and are willing to lay down your life for them, that is a huge sacrifice, but not an unbelievable one; you do have a deep emotional bond with that person. Yet Superman and policemen and firefighters are willing to risk their lives for strangers. Yet plenty of these heroes perform these heroic acts not only for altruistic reasons, but for the emotional high of saving someone, for personal fulfillment, for the adrenaline rush, and for their sense of duty. 

Consequently, every deed that is supposed to be selfless seems to contain at least some aspect of self-interest, but I don’t think this is a problem. Let the philosophers puzzle over the semantics of altruism, I say if a selfish act, masquerading as a selfless one, helps out both parties and harms no one, there is no foul. For me, my position as a writing tutor is an example where I balance between selflessness and selfishness. As a tutor, I help students become better writers, often encouraging them, challenging them, and sometimes teaching them about the finer aspects of writing. However, while I do tutor students out of a desire to help others, I also tutor them out of some selfish motivations as well. By reading student papers, I become exposed to different writing styles and formats, which can improve my own writing. I also get to learn about a variety of subjects that I wouldn’t otherwise be acquainted with. Therefore, my position as a writing tutor is beneficial for both myself and the students I tutor.