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Greetings All,
I just returned home after watching the "Superman Returns" film. The critics complained that superman was 'wimpy' and not very super. I can remember the same complaints concerning our great hero 'Alexander' after the Alexander film came out. To cut it short the critics are dead wrong! This film (Superman Returns) was excellent. Here we see an American icon being elevated to the status of a god before our very eyes. Tonight I witnessed history. Though, I feel most will not recognize it. A similar history that Alexander's men witnessed after the battle on the river Hydaspes. Superman went through an apotheosis of sorts. It was clear what the creators of this film intended. Lex Luthor says...oh I better keep quiet, don't want to spill heans by ruining the ending for those of you that haven't yet seen it.

I believe this film has the potential to be considered in the category of instant classic...a must have for any would be closet Nietschean iconoclast. Should I be offended that the producers intentionally omitted the infamous "and the American Way" from the collection of memorable lines used by Superman, i.e...Truth, Justice, & the American Way? Is this how much Americans are hated internationally? Is it perhaps an American thing to omit our Americanism, from our identity as Americans, for the sake of cojoling the rest of the world? Would they do it for us? Is it ok to just say truth and justice without the nationalistic American Way to further drive the point home. Surely, we know that Superman is an American hero. Surely the rest of the world knows that Superman is an American hero. So from that perspective, it's ok to omit it. But don't we admit some kind of guilt by the omission? Like somehow, I've done something wrong because I'm an American? My country has problems, some problems that I'd really like to see fixed. Problems that have severely damaged me as a human being. Stupied laws that are wholly unethical and inequitable. But in spite of these issues, I love my country. In spite of the politicians that prey on the uninformed to achieve power and keep us all at each others throats. I still would rather be an American than anything else.

I guess hero worship is something built into us all. We love the image of something greater than ourselves. Perhaps, that was what drove me to write and write and write about the greatness of Alexander. We've seen historians drive Alexander's image up to the heights of a gentile noble demigod that could do no wrong, and smear him into the most horribly outlandish fiend of history. Is this what superman is heading for? Why can't we just have one guilty unsullied pleasure. Superman is the American icon. He is our greatest hero. Hollywood mocks his heroic ideal by selling out to this liberal lie. Though, overall, this film portrayed how Superman was meant to be. It slaps the American fan in the face by the crude and uncaring omission. There is no justice for Americans anymore. It's lies, injustice, the the liberal politically correct way. How dare Hollywood politically correct our greatest icon. How dare they!

Nicator Hail

A bit off the theme here but Id take the point leaving out the American theme. TO be honest its pretty mild compared to the Uk over here its called political Correcteness wheras anything to to with patriotism. Racism and sexism has gone politically madness. Whereas anything that could be taken as offensive must be stopped and its fair to say that such stuff only makes things worse.

We have the human rights act etc which rules are moslty pressed by the French and Germans over the British wheras movst things particually English has to be crossed out like Miles. Pounds inches etc. I dont mean to be political but its got to the stage where its a shame to be English. Some politicians feel that its not right to fly the flag of Saint George wiich is out national flag. The reasoning is that it could offend foreign minorities.

Nicator the theme is deep and getting worse. I listened to a guy on the Radio talking about the Davinci code. and what was clears is that this kind of anti Christian read etc along with passion of the Christ is permited. I am not religious but just recall the Cartoons drawn in Sweden there was bloody uproar and nearly riots. These ideas what you say are very one sided our societies etc must change and put up with all the agro get the minorities that this Political Correctness supposedly protectds gets a pretty stacked deck.

Finally Nic we both know how and why the Americans are hated. The British. The Romans any empire is basically hated. Although I would say mosly its jelousy.We know that empire are based on greed money power. For them to be right an empire should try maybe comminist Socialist but even that was based on greed.

Maybe as a hero Alexander was not such a money grabber he lived in a tent and I believe tried to treat his citizens equally.

Finally theres nothing wrong with nationalism. It becomes nasty when it becomes extreme.

Kenny

Hello Kenny,
I guess you are correct of course. Jelousy, envy, and hatred for an empire. Kind of pathetic that we'd cow toe to those base instincts.

After sleeping on it, I found the similarities to Alexander's internationalism striking. Though the comic book Superman has been international and even inter-galactical for decades, Hollywood has followed the Alexander ascension and made Superman international. They've portrayed him as a world hero that protects all people...not just the Americans. Perhaps this could be a good thing. After all, this would have the effect of spreading the American ideal (which is far from the present situation of American socio-political decay) to the rest of the fine people of the world. If nothing else, it provides a dream of something better.

With his international ascension there comes a clear hint of Superman's elevation to the status of a god. Surely there was a time when Heracles and Alexande,r as icons, experienced the same phenomenon. Only Alexander seems to have made a conscious and intentioanl effort of deifying himself. Whereas, Superman, like Christ, seems to have been elevated to the status of a god by writers. The important difference, of course, is that Christ was purported t have been real. Nuff said.

Hello,

Kenny I couldn't agree with ya' more. We feel guilty to "raise the flag"- in England- catering to "minority groups" we have bent over backwards trying to please and in the name of integration are losing our identity as a Nation.

On a personal level, as a child, my Gran, now long since gone, chastised me regarding my bad habit of always walking, looking downwards- and I'll never forget it- she told me "look up- you're British!!!" and at the time 5 or 6 years old I didn't have the faintest clue why. Now, a bit older- I know.

To bring the angle back to Alexander- I suppose that it is natural that we are going to view him as "superhuman"- I mean, what other than death, could stop him? Like the priestess at Delphi correctly announced. As someone mentioned, his moves were almost preternatural - but in the end- before we turn him into a god we must remember that he was just a man from the beginning to the end. He made his mistakes- had regrets- about certain events- lost the plot here and there and yes- absolute power corrupts.

But if anyone in history has truly shaken the tree then it must be Alexander and that is why he deserves his title of "the great". We have no right to judge him by twenty first century standards of morality-

Best regards,
Dean

Gods. Whatever the name definition is. A god is many things to many people. TO an Alcoholic booze is god. Is god something that controls or something we have no comprehension nor the means to control it.

As far as the human definition of a god. Super human achievements toughness genius I would argue Alexander The Great was as close as any man to become such. No man gang organisation or senate could control him. maybe the one thing. Cunning and deciept by an act of poison or assasination could stop this super human force.

Its alawys said he had his down sides and faults. For me he had none. Even if he killed or conspired to kill Philip. Darius.the Slaughter of the Thebans and the Crushing at Tyre. He was a man of then and not now a man of his time so therefore we cant judge.

The irony is indeed we can judge and say wether society today is more civilised. We see internet child pornography. Millions starve and are butchered in third world countries where there is no capitalist gain to help and only look away.Where theres more media interest in a load of footballers wives out on the piss in Germany.

Measure for measure are we better. I guess Alexanders antics were more clear and was heading any excuses he had for conquest and personal glory. Todats and centuries kings and rulers got rich off the common soldier standing behing the longbow or the rifle.

I wonder if Alexanders idea of one race etc if true was more noble than the Land of the Free etc.

The only real god is nature and i really feel one day it will take it back and who can argue that humanity dont deserve it. From Alexanders day and before we or the people in charge have never got it right.

regards

Kenny