A serious problem that has always plagued the revolutionary movement is the ‘superhero mentality’. This could also be referred to as the ‘messiah complex disorder’. Basically these are individuals who believe that they only will save ‘the people’. This mentality doesn’t aid a mass movement it only hampers it.

A mass movement of the people does not require a ‘superhero’ to save them. It does not require a ‘messiah’ to lead them. A mass movement needs the active participation of the masses working together in solidarity to achieve their ends.

People do not need leaders they are capable of leading themselves. People should not follow a leader because it gives them the opportunity to cop-out and watch the ‘leader’ do all the work.

However leadership is important in a mass movement. The leadership takes the role of empowering others to actively take charge of their own lives, which in turn the people will take on more and more leadership roles. The leadership doesn’t lead the people to the ‘promised land’ but rather they walk with them. The leadership encourages the masses to keep moving forward. Yet the leadership is not one individual or a handful of individuals but rather it is everyone that is involved with the revolutionary movement.

People who act like superheroes may be able to awe the masses for a little while with their super powers. However after some time the mask of the superhero will come off and the simple human being behind the mask is found to be not that super. The people will see that the super powers they are using are really not that special and that everyone possess these powers. The people will not understand how to harness the power that everyone possesses and they will remain apathetic.

If the people were organized into a mass movement they would understand what powers that each one of them truly possesses. They will see that by combining their powers collectively they will be able to achieve anything. That will empower them and the people be united, which will create great change.

A person who acts like a messiah and preaches from the mountaintops may awe the people with their amazing insight into the world for a little while. However after some time the people will see that the messiah is not so divine. They will see the person for what they are. Just a simple person not any greater than any of the rest. They will see that the words that came from the tongue were basic thoughts that have flaws just like everyone else’s thoughts do. This will lead them to apathy.

If the people were organized into a mass movement they would understand that they possess some amazing thoughts. That if they share these thoughts with others they will give people the opportunity to see the world from their perspective and they will be better understood. At the same time they will be encouraged to hear what others have to share about their life perspective. Then the people will see that they share a lot of common issues. They will see how they are all connected to each other and that working together will help them to achieve a better world. The people will learn from each other and notice the flaws in their own thoughts so that they may correct their view, which will bring everything into a better focus.

The superhero or messiah will not create revolutionary change for the people. No one individual will create a revolution. The people working collectively together in solidarity will achieve the revolution. There are no superheroes or divine individuals. This people are only found in fables, mythology, movies, cartoons and comic books.

Build a mass movement of the people. The people need no saving. The people need to be empowered to actively take charge of their own lives.