Heroes

In The Killer Trail, Chris Ryder does some extraordinary things which have members of the public calling him a hero. He isn’t comfortable with the title as he doesn’t consider himself a hero. What exactly is a hero?

I watched an interesting documentary recently which explored the subculture of self-proclaimed real life superheroes. In an opening scene in Orlando, a man proudly donned his costume, which consisted of green tights, body armour and a purple mask. This routine was repeated in locations including Portland, Brooklyn and Vancouver-emphasizing that the phenomenon has no state or national boundaries. Nor was it confined to the male gender as a female ‘real life superhero’ was also featured prominently throughout the documentary. People from all walks of life were drawn to their crime fighting role, including those with day jobs as security guards, paramedics, teachers and business men and women.

This made me wonder what was driving them to their calling as superheroes. Sadly, many had experienced early trauma such as childhood bullying or parental abuse. In a few instances it became apparent that their traumatic pasts contributed to an aggressive present, in which they identified with the underdog and channeled their rage towards criminals. For those individuals, the act of wearing costumes and masking allowed their alter ego to be unleashed.

The camera crew followed their subjects as they paraded through the streets wearing outlandish apparel. They drew public reactions ranging from astonishment to ridicule from those they encountered. Some heroes even risked physical harm by drug dealers who were not  happy with having their business disrupted by ‘clowns’ in silly looking attire. The general reaction from the public appeared to be something along the lines of: “Are you kidding me?”

But it would be simplistic and inaccurate to categorize all of these individuals as misguided or mentally unsound. A great number of those interviewed had dedicated their lives to taking a stand for the vulnerable in society and tackling apathy in their communities. Many spent their nights distributing food and emergency supplies for the homeless, treating them with dignity and respect.

And the feeling appeared mutual. From the perspective of people living on the streets, their heroes brought them warm meals and something else-inspiration and a hope for their future. This left me thinking that sometimes ordinary people can do extraordinary things. Which is…super.