When you hear the word ‘hero’ what comes to mind? How about a guy in spandex, that really attractive actor, a soldier, or a parent? The word ‘hero’ instantly brings most people to comic books, the action packed filled films, the masks, and capes. Since most people think of fictional characters, figures such as Batman are the best heroes in our society. Our culture admires fictional characters such as Batman for a myriad of reasons.

Our culture worships the idea of an invincible person stopping crime and saving the world. Who wouldn’t want an unstoppable good guy protecting the world from all possible danger? We idolize the good guy who could never do wrong to the poor innocent people that we are. We admire the fact that even when they do wrong, they still aren’t wrong, because they have the best intentions. Each of us wants to live without fear of something bad affecting us in life, and with a superhero we don’t need to worry. It also never hurts that each of these fictional characters are portrayed by attractive people in movies. Overall, everyone has a different reason to idolize a “hero” which shapes the way we view the good guy.

Our admiration for heroes is from our own fears as a society. We fear being taken over, much like in The Dark Knight Rises. We value our freedom and rights, and these superheroes protect those rights for us. We also fear being hurt or unprotected with no one there to help. Our society fears corruption, and with this hero we never have to fear a bad ending. We ultimately admire the good guy which is the top reason we adore these characters. After all Batman is as innocent and admired as the baby on the Gerber commercials.

In conclusion, our society worships and admires based on the ability to take away our fears. Without these fictional heroes, part of our hope of the perfect word dies. Although we know that they are fictional, they are still admired and loved by most for their abilities to take away the pain. We dream of a utopian society and heroes give us that hope.