"Syndrome" Syndrome: or the Fallacy of "Special"

[AllisterH]

The argument against Dash is that we don't see any indication of him wanting to do things that even with Superspeed, he won't have ana dvantage with other kids.

For example, boardgames and heh to relate this to D&D, how about RPGs?

 

[Garthanos]

It's why superheroes have secret identities.

not all of them...

Superman doesn't need to be Clark Kent because he has to have the paycheck or he doesn't have anything better to do with his time than work a crappy reporter job. He needs to be Clark Kent because it's the only way he can interact with people in a normal and fulfilling way. Superman (ignoring the whole "Superfriends" phenomenon) doesn't have friends, he has fans. Clark Kent has friends.

Clark is a good example where both identities are real it is a good thing you didn't pick Batman.
Millionaire playboy philanthropist, who drops out of school, drinks, chases chicks and races cars and gives money to charities out of guilt, is a mask.

 

[AllisterH]

Clark is a good example where both identities are real it is a good thing you didn't pick Batman.
Millionaire playboy philanthropist, who drops out of school, drinks, chases chicks and races cars and gives money to charities out of guilt, is a mask.

Good point. Since The Dark Knight Returns (the graphic novel by Miller and not the movie from last year), the comics have REALLY pushed that the Bruce Wayne persona is the actual mask and that Batman is the actual real person.

 

[Storm Raven]

Not only not literally cheating but also not figuratively cheating. Do you think people are misusing the word "cheating" as hyperbole instead of simply using the word "unfair" because they think it will help them win an argument? If so, then I think we do both understand.

I seriously question whether it would even be unfair.

 

[Storm Raven]

I disagree with this. I think Dash wants to be himself and his "vision" of that self is a boy who always wins races, a boy who is recognized as super by everyone. What he doesn't realize (and what his parents are presumably attempting to teach him) is that an existence like that can be very lonely and unfulfilling. This is the existence that Syndrome chooses, one where his only human contact is with sycophants, servants or enemies.

Yes. The life of an elite athlete has always proved to make it too difficult for people to actually enjoy themselves or find friends.

 

[Storm Raven]

Very True. On the other hand, If I'm playing floor hockey (ministicks) with my 3 year old nephew, I can absolutely dominate him and make him feel bad. It's more fun for both of us if he has a good time and "wins" as neither of us are taking home the Stanley Cup or getting a $Million signing bonus as a result.

Maybe I misunderstood your sentence, but you are saying patronize in a negative context right?

Yes, I am. For you to let your three year old nephew win is normal, and acceptable. You are an adult, and he is a child. Part of your responsibility to him is to help him learn and grow. For Dash to let his classmates win is patronizing in the bad sense - he is assuming a role equivalent to being a parent to them with no real justification. If Dash continues this into adulthood, he is then an adult treating other adults as small children. Effectively, the message here is that super-powered people should assume the role of benevolent parent for the poor normals.

 

[Storm Raven]

No, I don't. I would argue you therefore don't see my problem.

I see what you think the problem is. I just think that your position is untenable, and pretty silly.

If it's not cheating for the Flash to enter the Olympics and steal the gold medal from the fastest normal human in the world, then I give up.

No, it would not be. Why do you think it should be? He's just fatser than his competitors. He might get bored, but that should be for him to decide.

 

[AllisterH]

Yes. The life of an elite athlete has always proved to make it too difficult for people to actually enjoy themselves or find friends.

Ah, but Dash isn't an ELITE athlete.

Half of the reason why we admire elite athletes is what it takes to GET to be an elite athlete.

Phelps broke the world record for the number of gold medals and his training regime started when he was 11. Similarly, Usain Bolt has been a runner since he was 14.

And we're not talking 1 hour at the gym here. We're literally taking 6-8 hours of training every day for meets that happen every 3 months.

 

[Ourph]

I think you are overreaching. I think Dash would be happy being himself, even if being challenged by others who were also similarly fast. I think he just doesn't see himself as someone who throws races, and it bothers him.

On the contrary, he's unhappy when he is not participating at all. He seems perfectly happy at the end of the movie when he is participating, but not necessarily dominating.

What his parents, presumptions aside, are trying to teach him is what they have misguidedly come to believe, which is that they need to hide and not be themselves, pursuing a paradigm of happiness that simply is not fulfilling for them or their children.

Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl had secret identities even before the supers were outlawed. They were unfulfilled because they were prevented from being heroes, not because they needed their hero identity to be their ONLY identity.

 

[WalterKovacs]

He's just fatser than his competitors. He might get bored, but that should be for him to decide.

Wouldn't it be farcical to call them competitors at that point? If no one can conceivably beat him, especially normal elementary school children, let alone actual Olympic level athletes, how are they competiting against him? At that point they could just give him a Gold Medal for "showing up" and not bother racing against him at all.

How is beating a bunch of people that are relatively mediocre not just a different way of celebrating mediocrity? Challenging oneself is a way to excel. Showing off by winning without really trying isn't.

Exchanging mediocrity with underachievement by relying on natural talents without actually trying to excel or improve oneself isn't really a good goal. Instead of everyone getting a medal for showing up, only Dash gets a medal for showing up ... but you still have a reward for doing nothing, just in this case, the reward is also for being born lucky.