Look Up. That’s the tagline for the brand new Superman movie hitting the big screen this summer, directed by James Gunn and starring David Corenswet as the new Man of Steel.
Tempted as some may be to see a summer superhero blockbuster as nothing more than a form of seasonal entertainment akin to a roller-coaster theme park, there are strong reasons to believe a movie like this is much more than mere entertainment and that it contributes to a vital psychological function in our lives.
Not only that, but there are signs that the cultural longing for a wholesome hero, whose values were shaped by old-fashioned Christian farmers from America’s heartland, is much stronger now than when the last iteration of Superman was released in theaters 12 years ago in Man of Steel. The excitement surrounding the return of a wholesome, aspirational Superman reflects a growing psychological and spiritual hunger in American culture to move beyond the cynicism and deconstruction of recent decades and toward positive visions of timeless values and moral virtues we have lost sight of.
Superman is America’s greatest mythological hero, and such heroes have played a central role in shaping the hearts and minds across time and culture. Like Hercules for the ancient Greeks or King Arthur in medieval England, every culture creates stories filled with exemplars of its highest aspirations and ideals. While these stories are entertaining, they are so much more than that. These mythological stories pass on a life strategy, a kind of cultural script for what the good life looks like and how to attain it. They shape not just a society’s values but also an individual’s sense of self and direction in life.
Psychologists often refer to this as our “narrative identity.” From childhood bedtime stories and Sunday school Bible lessons to summer blockbusters like Superman, the stories we consume, especially in our youth, shape the story we tell ourselves about who we are, what we’re here for, and how we ought to live. And the story we tell ourselves is central to one of our most basic human endeavors: the pursuit of existential meaning.
Continue reading at The Federalist.
Paul Anleitner is a religion and culture fellow at the Archbridge Institute. As a cultural theologian, his work focuses on the role of culture and story in our human quest for meaning. His unique interdisciplinary approach integrates theology, philosophy, and science to help individuals and institutions navigate cultural shifts and address perennial religious longings. He holds an M.A. in Christian Thought from Bethel Seminary. Paul hosts Deep Talks, a podcast on religion, culture, and meaning, and publishes a weekly newsletter on Substack called Reading the Zeitgeist1.
Clay Routledge, PhD, is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the Archbridge Institute, where he also leads the institute’s Human Flourishing Lab. As a thought leader in existential psychology and human motivation, Clay translates research into practical insights that help people reach their full potential, build meaningful lives, and advance human progress and flourishing. Dr. Routledge received his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is co-editor of Profectus Magazine, an online publication dedicated to human progress and flourishing. He writes the weekly newsletter "Flourishing Friday."
Culture of Flourishing
Look Up. That’s the tagline for the brand new Superman movie hitting the big screen this summer, directed by James Gunn and starring David Corenswet as the new Man of Steel.
Tempted as some may be to see a summer superhero blockbuster as nothing more than a form of seasonal entertainment akin to a roller-coaster theme park, there are strong reasons to believe a movie like this is much more than mere entertainment and that it contributes to a vital psychological function in our lives.
Not only that, but there are signs that the cultural longing for a wholesome hero, whose values were shaped by old-fashioned Christian farmers from America’s heartland, is much stronger now than when the last iteration of Superman was released in theaters 12 years ago in Man of Steel. The excitement surrounding the return of a wholesome, aspirational Superman reflects a growing psychological and spiritual hunger in American culture to move beyond the cynicism and deconstruction of recent decades and toward positive visions of timeless values and moral virtues we have lost sight of.
Superman is America’s greatest mythological hero, and such heroes have played a central role in shaping the hearts and minds across time and culture. Like Hercules for the ancient Greeks or King Arthur in medieval England, every culture creates stories filled with exemplars of its highest aspirations and ideals. While these stories are entertaining, they are so much more than that. These mythological stories pass on a life strategy, a kind of cultural script for what the good life looks like and how to attain it. They shape not just a society’s values but also an individual’s sense of self and direction in life.
Psychologists often refer to this as our “narrative identity.” From childhood bedtime stories and Sunday school Bible lessons to summer blockbusters like Superman, the stories we consume, especially in our youth, shape the story we tell ourselves about who we are, what we’re here for, and how we ought to live. And the story we tell ourselves is central to one of our most basic human endeavors: the pursuit of existential meaning.
Continue reading at The Federalist.
Paul Anleitner
Paul Anleitner is a religion and culture fellow at the Archbridge Institute. As a cultural theologian, his work focuses on the role of culture and story in our human quest for meaning. His unique interdisciplinary approach integrates theology, philosophy, and science to help individuals and institutions navigate cultural shifts and address perennial religious longings. He holds an M.A. in Christian Thought from Bethel Seminary. Paul hosts Deep Talks, a podcast on religion, culture, and meaning, and publishes a weekly newsletter on Substack called Reading the Zeitgeist1.
Clay Routledge
Clay Routledge, PhD, is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the Archbridge Institute, where he also leads the institute’s Human Flourishing Lab. As a thought leader in existential psychology and human motivation, Clay translates research into practical insights that help people reach their full potential, build meaningful lives, and advance human progress and flourishing. Dr. Routledge received his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is co-editor of Profectus Magazine, an online publication dedicated to human progress and flourishing. He writes the weekly newsletter "Flourishing Friday."
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