Every 90s kid has had a superhero as their role model during childhood. Superheroes used to be a matter of great discussion during school & free-time. Their stories were full of adventure along with a moral and most of the children were deeply invested in their favourite superhero shows and became obsessed with the comic books.
Everything in the world has its pros and cons based on various parameters. We accept the one which seems good and try to minimize the evil effects of it by taking various measures. In the same way, superheroes shows like Spiderman, Batman, Iron Man, etc also have both concerns in society. The simple concept of GOOD Vs EVIL has been commercialised into extremely lucrative movies that adults and kids alike watch. Superhero movies have truly dominated the box office, with franchises such as The Avengers, etc as the top-grossing movie of all time. Superhero movies are watched by tons of young, impressionable children, and the content of those superhero movies have the opportunity to seriously influence those kids.
Problems with Super Heroes:-
The Hollywood superheroes of today are arguably very different from superheroes of the past. A lot of aspects have changed in the shows when compared with the past superhero series. This has brought up the discussion on misleading children from the ideal, moral behaviour. There are various aspects that have undergone changes from the past. Let us have a look at it.
1. Marketing–
Children are obsessed with the marketing strategy of superheroes so much so that they believe they are real and spend a lot of money on buying stickers, stationeries, and costumes, etc. They even become a deciding fact in the choice of children food because of their logos and stickers on different eatables that are available in the market. This becomes a major issue for all parents in regards to trying to control their child’s obsession with superheroes.
2. Dream Vs Reality –
Children are prone to getting addicted to superhero shows such to a point they tend to follow them in every aspect in the real world. Mostly the inspiration for superhero shows comes from the society so it is very likely that children get confused between reality and the fantasy world. Thus, it is very important for parents to educate children in this regard.
3. Imitating Stunts –
Children try to practice and perform various stunts that are shown in superhero shows. There are various incidents that have happened so far and some of the children have also lost their lives while performing dangerous stunts at home. Due to their young age, children may think that if their favourite superhero can do something, then they can do it too. Parents have to strictly monitor their acts at home and bring awareness among them regarding what they should and should not do.
4. Too Much Violence –
As is shown in movies and shows, there will be too much violence in society due to a particular villain who is creating havoc in the city. Due to the chaos, a superhero will come and rescue the people from all the violence and install peace again. This does not apply to reality and it may also create an impact on the child that society is filled with violence and evil-minded people.
5. Distraction from studies & Health Concerns –
Children are getting distracted from their education as they are always busy watching these shows. This is also affecting their health. Watching cartoons day and night can affect their eyesight. They waste their time watching these and daydreaming about them. They may get upset if they fail at something because superheroes always succeed at whatever they do.
6. Extreme Heroism –
One of the major concerns regarding superheroes is the portrayal of unrealistic heroism in stories. The impact of these shows may also act upon the nature and behavior of the child in which he thinks that he is superior in the world. This may cause a major problem for parents when they try to advise their children. This may lead to disrespecting elders when they scold their kids or warn them on any issue.
It’s not all bad-
As said earlier, everything has its pros and cons. Superheroes also have a positive impact on children. They may help them distinguish between the good and the evil. Superheroes are an effective way for parents to talk to their kids and encourage the formation of good social behaviour by being able to use a superhero as an example.
Conclusion:-
Superheroes possess an immense amount of potential to influence children in the values they choose to uphold. As a result, the womanizing and sexist behaviour depicted by superheroes like Tony Stark may not be what parents want their child to be seeing. But that is why the parenting role becomes all the more important. Parents should be ready and willing to tell and showcase values that are worth upholding and those that are not. It is no doubt a difficult job, and that is why parents are the real superheroes. They face the superhuman task of guiding their children in such a complicated world to ensure that the children grow up the right way.
Heroism - big and small - occurs every single day in our world. By doctors, soldiers, parents and friends, lifeguards, teachers, police, etc. The kind of heroism all of us can idolize. So parents must sometimes censor the content their children are watching and learning from, and they must also tell them the stories of real-life superheroes that we are watching daily all around us.
“Children of today are the leaders of tomorrow” – Nelson Mandela
- Rahul Nampally
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