With Great Power Also Comes . . . A Chance to Live That Non-villainous Life

I’ve suddenly been thinking a lot about leadership. Not coincidentally, this started after the recent CBS interview between John Dickerson and the man currently occupying a high place of power in our country. I had just flipped over from a third attempt to finish Warcraft, so for a second I thought John was having a sit-down with Gul’dan to ask about his death-knights and at what point, exactly, he began referring to himself as “The Destroyer of Dreams.” But no. This awe-inspiring garble was real. A quick switch over to my streaming device landed me mid-cackle, with Green Goblin basically telling Norman Osborn he’s his own greatest creation, bringing him what he’s always wanted: power beyond his wildest dreams.

All this villainous gloom made me pause to consider the fate of the hero, those who are meant to inspire or guide us, and how that translates on a micro-scale in our communities. Previously, I’d been caught up considering what powerful leadership means on a grand scale because it looks so…well, terrifying right now, but perhaps that’s even more reason to turn our attention closer to home. I’m talking about the people who play a role in shaping our day-to-day experiences—from city leaders to our boss at the office, our significant others, and even the disinterested person overseeing the perpetually malfunctioning U-Scan terminals at Walmart. There is an oft-quoted line from Spider-Man we all know and love about power and responsibility, which the films always attribu…