It’s Mental Health Awareness Month and I’m excited to publish the next article in our series Mental Health and Pop Culture with Dr Eric Bender. In this article we discuss Superman and the psychology of his character and what we can relate with.
Superman has always stood as a symbol of hope—but in the most recent Superman we get a closer look at his story. Clark Kent is caught between two identities. He carries the expectations of a world that both depends on and questions him, the film explores themes of responsibility, never fitting in completely, and the pressure to live up to standards.
I have this debate with friends a lot, a nerdy debate of who’s better Batman or Superman. I don’t know which one’s better, but with Superman there are some really universal experiences that he has that everybody has. Not fitting in. Superman’s born on another planet. He’s never going to be a human. He’s never really going to fit in. He tries to fit in by being Clark Kent. This guy that he dresses up as, wearing glasses, being somewhat clumsy. That’s not who he is.
