“There have always been heroes.  There will always be heroes.  As long as there is adversity, there will be someone willing to stand-up, regardless of the consequences to self, and face the challenge.

Many heroes are faceless.  Can you put a face with the name Anatoliy Grischenko?  He piloted helicopter flights over reactor number 4 at Chernobyl, dropping tons of sand, clay, boron and dolomite on the core, in hopes of constricting the fire.  He died of complications due to bone marrow cancer.  He was a hero.

Many heroes haven’t a name.  In April through June of 1989, Chinese students lead a protest in Tiananmen Square, facing troops and tanks with banners and songs of freedom.  Many died for their efforts.  Do you remember their names?  They were heroes, every last one.

These were the people who changed history.  No super powers, no costumes; we have just notes and pictures remembering their stand.  It may have only been for a while, but they changed history.  All people, including Super Heroes, owe these ‘powerless’ people for their promise of a future, and their courage to stand and face the challenge.

Now, it is your turn.”

Excerpt from Yale Commencement Speech,
Written by Dr. Alex Simon (a.k.a. Speedling)

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The Super Hero, Meta-Human, and Their Effects on the Collective Psyche
Dissertation submitted for the degree of Clinical Psychology Doctor (PhD)
Department of Psychology
Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education
University of Chicago
Chapter 1: Introduction – A History (excerpt)

The modern age of “super heroes” begins in 1914 and World War I.  Before this, there are many stories, accounts, articles and testimony about “heroes”, but the question of “super powers” is not raised until this time.  It is generally believed that the proliferation of chemicals, ideology and a general “New World Culture” lead to the right environment for “super heroes” to develop.  Not long after the first ‘World War’, you have the appearance of the first generation of super heroes with Super Soldier and Comet.

The current day super hero doesn’t arrive until 1982 with Gladiator.  He burst on the national area as MTV, CNN, the Internet and global communications start to take off.  He is the first super hero to bring glitz, attitude and high powers together in one package.  It is also at this time that power levels of super heroes and villains increase, although this cannot be attributed to the appearance of Gladiator.  He is a result, not a cause.

This brings us to current day and the vacuum that currently exists.  The recent deaths of several super heroes, has left an unbalanced ratio of super villains to super heroes.  These deaths, although for the good of all, herald a dark time for humanity as a whole.  For the first time, there are more villains than heroes in our culture.  What the next chapter in the story of the “hero” will be can only be speculation at this time.

But, as has happened before and will happen again, a hero will rise to the call and shed light in dark times.

Jason Alexander, Ph.D., Clinic Psychology, Parapsychology, Meta-Physics & Meta-Psychology