Superheroes: How Do They Affect Our Society
Superheroes
How do they affect (American) society?
This is an interesting topic as we can find different points of view. Most boys and girls have admired a superhero at some point during their childhood. Indeed, superheroes are everywhere; in comic books, cartoons, major movies and videogames. They save the planet and make our world a safer place. These characters have a great effect on kids, and their constant appearance on media surely affects our society on one way or another.
Some psychologists believe that movies and comics badly influence kids, some of their statements are:
• There is a big difference in the movie superhero of today and the comic book superhero of yesterday.
• Today’s superhero is too much like an action hero who participates in non-stop violence; he’s aggressive, sarcastic and rarely speaks to the virtue of doing good for humanity. (Tony Stark, from …show more content…
Ironman is a great example)
• All superheroes have MUSCLES. Even wimpy Peter Parker is well packed! So, maybe it works the same way magazine covers influence girls to be weight-conscious. Little boys want abs too!
• Super Heroes all have enemies! So, in some way it teaches kids to form an antagonist.
However, superheroes transmit positive ideas too:
• Any special ability must be used in a conscious way.
• In a large way superheroes represent real life in the professions of servicemen, from police officers to firefighters and even doctors
• A life without superheroes is no fun, they give us all a little hope for a better world.
• Children try to imitate superheroes, but the positive side to superhero play is that it encourages creative thinking and expression.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION http://childspace.wordpress.com Most boys and girls have admired a superhero at some point during their childhood. Indeed, superheroes are everywhere; in comic books, cartoons, major movies, videogames and on the packages of the food our children eat. They save the planet and make our world a safer place. Or do they?
Superheroes made it to the press last week when a study conducted with 674 boys, aged 4 to 18, revealed these boys are primarily exposed to two main male role models; the slacker and the aggressive superhero. The lead researcher, Professor Sharon Lamb of the University of Massachusetts, believes today’s superhero is different from those of the past who had humane, vulnerable sides.
“Today’s superhero is too much like an action hero who participates in non-stop violence; he’s aggressive, sarcastic and rarely speaks to the virtue of doing good for humanity. When not in superhero costume, these men exploit women, flaunt bling and convey their manhood with high-powered guns.” - Professor Sharon Lamb
Reading this makes me think of Tony Stark in the hit movie series Iron Man (the first of which grossed over $585M worldwide, while the second surpassed that at over $621M). He embodies aggression, sarcasm, narcissism and hypermasculinity
Perhaps today’s superheroes are simply amped up versions of those of yesteryear. Perhaps they simply mirror the aggression and hypermasculinity of today. Are they enough to make our boys (and a few of our girls) angry, aggressive and chauvinistic? The answer may lie in the impact superheroes have on our children’s lives.
Many of our boys imitate the moves of their favorite superhero. I recall hearing the story of my uncle’s failed attempt to fly, after he jumped off a balcony, wearing little more than a sheet for a cape. Many child health professionals are concerned over superhero play, its safety and its consequences. But the positive side to superhero play is that it encourages creative thinking and expression.
As caregivers, we can make the most out of superheroes’ influence by ensuring that our children’s superhero play is supervised, that aggression is not allowed, that viewing aggressive superhero shows be limited, that discussion takes place, inclusive of the values that are desirable in the characters.
We can also encourage the creative aspect of superhero play by having an art and craft project to create masks and capes. Most importantly, because children often have difficulty distinguishing fantasy from reality, talk about ways they can be mini-superheroes in their own lives and then, help them make it happen. For example, a superhero may be someone who helps those in need, and so they can start a canned food drive.
While we fight to protect our children from the negative aspects of culture and the media, we also need to appreciate what we stand to gain. A life without superheroes is no fun, frankly. They give us all a little hope for a better world. So enjoy the caped-crusaders and their brave friends and ensure your children appreciate them for their underlying positive
attributes.
Boys and Masculinity–Are Superheroes A Good or Bad Influence?
http://www.achilleseffect.com
As I wrote my book, I wrestled with the whole superhero issue. In the end, I concluded that superheroes are not all bad, but neither are they all good. Body image is just one of the negative aspects of superheroes. Violence is another, at least as it is manifested in current animated superhero shows. Yet superheroes have a good side too. They are decent, unselfish, and willing to devote their lives to helping others.
And, like Barbie and Disney princesses, superheroes are everywhere. The adult Iron Man films spawned two animated series and a ton of licensed merchandise. Batman and Spider-Man movies had a similar effect. Look for the trend to continue with the raft of superhero movies being released over the next year. In 2011 alone, there will be new films about Green Lantern, Thor, Captain America, and the X-Men. In 2012, Spidey, Batman, The Avengers, and Wolverine will appear on the big screen. A new Superman movie is also on the horizon.
Not only are these characters omnipresent, they also have a way of capturing the attention of young boys. In her 1995 article “Fighting Boys and Fantasy Play: the construction of masculinity in the early years,” which appeared in the journal Gender and Education, sociologist Ellen Jordan said of superhero stories: “We have, as far as I know, little in the way of explanation of how or why these narratives gain such a grip on little boys, but evidence that they do, and have done for generations, is inescapable.”
For parents, superheroes symbolize the challenges inherent in teaching media literacy and gender balance to children. On the one hand, the values these characters espouse are good. On the other hand, they promote some very unhealthy ideas about masculinity (and femininity—watch an episode of Super Hero Squad to see what I mean).
We cannot shelter our children forever. At some point we need to face the fact that they will develop their own interests. At that point our role shifts from protector to guide. Yes, it is up to us to decide what enters our home, but we must also be proactive in our communication with our children about what they see outside the home.
For my part, I banned superhero cartoons because of their sickening violence, but I kept the action figures. I had discussions with my son about the violence (which he also abhors) and about the unrealistic body proportions in the few action figures he has. My son has moved on from superheroes, as most kids will, but the lessons he learned apply to the entertainment he enjoys now—Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
The end result is a decent balance wherein my son can enjoy a classic good vs. evil storyline, share in conversations and healthy imaginative play with his friends based on the fictional characters he likes, and understand which messages in the stories are positive and which ones are not.
Psychologist: Today’s Superheroes Are Bad Influences On Children
Psychologist Sharon Lamb conducted a study on the influence of superhero role models on young boys, and thinks that the current crop have a generally bad influence on children:
“There is a big difference in the movie superhero of today and the comic book superhero of yesterday,” said psychologist Sharon Lamb,
PhD, distinguished professor of mental health at University of Massachusetts-Boston. “Today’s superhero is too much like an action hero who participates in non-stop violence; he’s aggressive, sarcastic and rarely speaks to the virtue of doing good for humanity. When not in superhero costume, these men, like Ironman, exploit women, flaunt bling and convey their manhood with high-powered guns.”
The comic book heroes of the past did fight criminals, she said, “but these were heroes boys could look up to and learn from because outside of their costumes, they were real people with real problems and many vulnerabilities,” she said.
Susana Polo of Geekosystem wrote a lengthy response to Lamb, noting the psychologist wrongly assumes that superhero narratives are primarily aimed at children:
While the superhero genre has well established tropes and rules, any genre can accommodate tonal shifts. No one would imply that Animal Farm represents a corruption of the talking animal genre of children’s literature. Fantasy doesn’t get called out for telling morally ambiguous stories.
There are comic book superheroes for kids, yes. Captain Marvel has had a kid oriented series lately, and then there’s Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and others. But the majority of comic book superheroes haven’t been written for small children for twenty years now.
Precisely. It’s improper to assume that while the tone has shifted, the the intended audience has remained static. Parents should shield their children from superhero comics and movies that would do them emotional harm.
http://noballgames.eu/uploads/documents/Reflections%20August%202010%20-%20Superheroes.pdf
How do they affect (American) society?
This is an interesting topic as we can find different points of view. Most boys and girls have admired a superhero at some point during their childhood. Indeed, superheroes are everywhere; in comic books, cartoons, major movies and videogames. They save the planet and make our world a safer place. These characters have a great effect on kids, and their constant appearance on media surely affects our society on one way or another.
Some psychologists believe that movies and comics badly influence kids, some of their statements are:
• There is a big difference in the movie superhero of today and the comic book superhero of yesterday.
• Today’s superhero is too much like an action hero who participates in non-stop violence; he’s aggressive, sarcastic and rarely speaks to the virtue of doing good for humanity. (Tony Stark, from …show more content…
Ironman is a great example)
• All superheroes have MUSCLES. Even wimpy Peter Parker is well packed! So, maybe it works the same way magazine covers influence girls to be weight-conscious. Little boys want abs too!
• Super Heroes all have enemies! So, in some way it teaches kids to form an antagonist.
However, superheroes transmit positive ideas too:
• Any special ability must be used in a conscious way.
• In a large way superheroes represent real life in the professions of servicemen, from police officers to firefighters and even doctors
• A life without superheroes is no fun, they give us all a little hope for a better world.
• Children try to imitate superheroes, but the positive side to superhero play is that it encourages creative thinking and expression.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION http://childspace.wordpress.com Most boys and girls have admired a superhero at some point during their childhood. Indeed, superheroes are everywhere; in comic books, cartoons, major movies, videogames and on the packages of the food our children eat. They save the planet and make our world a safer place. Or do they?
Superheroes made it to the press last week when a study conducted with 674 boys, aged 4 to 18, revealed these boys are primarily exposed to two main male role models; the slacker and the aggressive superhero. The lead researcher, Professor Sharon Lamb of the University of Massachusetts, believes today’s superhero is different from those of the past who had humane, vulnerable sides.
“Today’s superhero is too much like an action hero who participates in non-stop violence; he’s aggressive, sarcastic and rarely speaks to the virtue of doing good for humanity. When not in superhero costume, these men exploit women, flaunt bling and convey their manhood with high-powered guns.” - Professor Sharon Lamb
Reading this makes me think of Tony Stark in the hit movie series Iron Man (the first of which grossed over $585M worldwide, while the second surpassed that at over $621M). He embodies aggression, sarcasm, narcissism and hypermasculinity
Perhaps today’s superheroes are simply amped up versions of those of yesteryear. Perhaps they simply mirror the aggression and hypermasculinity of today. Are they enough to make our boys (and a few of our girls) angry, aggressive and chauvinistic? The answer may lie in the impact superheroes have on our children’s lives.
Many of our boys imitate the moves of their favorite superhero. I recall hearing the story of my uncle’s failed attempt to fly, after he jumped off a balcony, wearing little more than a sheet for a cape. Many child health professionals are concerned over superhero play, its safety and its consequences. But the positive side to superhero play is that it encourages creative thinking and expression.
As caregivers, we can make the most out of superheroes’ influence by ensuring that our children’s superhero play is supervised, that aggression is not allowed, that viewing aggressive superhero shows be limited, that discussion takes place, inclusive of the values that are desirable in the characters.
We can also encourage the creative aspect of superhero play by having an art and craft project to create masks and capes. Most importantly, because children often have difficulty distinguishing fantasy from reality, talk about ways they can be mini-superheroes in their own lives and then, help them make it happen. For example, a superhero may be someone who helps those in need, and so they can start a canned food drive.
While we fight to protect our children from the negative aspects of culture and the media, we also need to appreciate what we stand to gain. A life without superheroes is no fun, frankly. They give us all a little hope for a better world. So enjoy the caped-crusaders and their brave friends and ensure your children appreciate them for their underlying positive
attributes.
Boys and Masculinity–Are Superheroes A Good or Bad Influence?
http://www.achilleseffect.com
As I wrote my book, I wrestled with the whole superhero issue. In the end, I concluded that superheroes are not all bad, but neither are they all good. Body image is just one of the negative aspects of superheroes. Violence is another, at least as it is manifested in current animated superhero shows. Yet superheroes have a good side too. They are decent, unselfish, and willing to devote their lives to helping others.
And, like Barbie and Disney princesses, superheroes are everywhere. The adult Iron Man films spawned two animated series and a ton of licensed merchandise. Batman and Spider-Man movies had a similar effect. Look for the trend to continue with the raft of superhero movies being released over the next year. In 2011 alone, there will be new films about Green Lantern, Thor, Captain America, and the X-Men. In 2012, Spidey, Batman, The Avengers, and Wolverine will appear on the big screen. A new Superman movie is also on the horizon.
Not only are these characters omnipresent, they also have a way of capturing the attention of young boys. In her 1995 article “Fighting Boys and Fantasy Play: the construction of masculinity in the early years,” which appeared in the journal Gender and Education, sociologist Ellen Jordan said of superhero stories: “We have, as far as I know, little in the way of explanation of how or why these narratives gain such a grip on little boys, but evidence that they do, and have done for generations, is inescapable.”
For parents, superheroes symbolize the challenges inherent in teaching media literacy and gender balance to children. On the one hand, the values these characters espouse are good. On the other hand, they promote some very unhealthy ideas about masculinity (and femininity—watch an episode of Super Hero Squad to see what I mean).
We cannot shelter our children forever. At some point we need to face the fact that they will develop their own interests. At that point our role shifts from protector to guide. Yes, it is up to us to decide what enters our home, but we must also be proactive in our communication with our children about what they see outside the home.
For my part, I banned superhero cartoons because of their sickening violence, but I kept the action figures. I had discussions with my son about the violence (which he also abhors) and about the unrealistic body proportions in the few action figures he has. My son has moved on from superheroes, as most kids will, but the lessons he learned apply to the entertainment he enjoys now—Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
The end result is a decent balance wherein my son can enjoy a classic good vs. evil storyline, share in conversations and healthy imaginative play with his friends based on the fictional characters he likes, and understand which messages in the stories are positive and which ones are not.
Psychologist: Today’s Superheroes Are Bad Influences On Children
Psychologist Sharon Lamb conducted a study on the influence of superhero role models on young boys, and thinks that the current crop have a generally bad influence on children:
“There is a big difference in the movie superhero of today and the comic book superhero of yesterday,” said psychologist Sharon Lamb,
PhD, distinguished professor of mental health at University of Massachusetts-Boston. “Today’s superhero is too much like an action hero who participates in non-stop violence; he’s aggressive, sarcastic and rarely speaks to the virtue of doing good for humanity. When not in superhero costume, these men, like Ironman, exploit women, flaunt bling and convey their manhood with high-powered guns.”
The comic book heroes of the past did fight criminals, she said, “but these were heroes boys could look up to and learn from because outside of their costumes, they were real people with real problems and many vulnerabilities,” she said.
Susana Polo of Geekosystem wrote a lengthy response to Lamb, noting the psychologist wrongly assumes that superhero narratives are primarily aimed at children:
While the superhero genre has well established tropes and rules, any genre can accommodate tonal shifts. No one would imply that Animal Farm represents a corruption of the talking animal genre of children’s literature. Fantasy doesn’t get called out for telling morally ambiguous stories.
There are comic book superheroes for kids, yes. Captain Marvel has had a kid oriented series lately, and then there’s Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and others. But the majority of comic book superheroes haven’t been written for small children for twenty years now.
Precisely. It’s improper to assume that while the tone has shifted, the the intended audience has remained static. Parents should shield their children from superhero comics and movies that would do them emotional harm.
http://noballgames.eu/uploads/documents/Reflections%20August%202010%20-%20Superheroes.pdf