10 Things Everyone Always Gets Wrong About Superman

2. He Has The Power To Solve The World's Problems

When you have the Flash's speed, Wonder Woman's strength and Batman's intellect, many often question why Superman doesn't just solve the vast number of problems plaguing the globe. From crime to poverty to world hunger, it seems like you could create a utopia quite easily within the span of a decade. Arguments against this will point out that it would ruin the comic book industry, but jokes aside, there are legitimate reasons as to why he's unable to do just that, and they involve both political and societal obstacles. Crime isn't something you can gun down or beat back with just blunt, physical force. Killing all the gangs in a ghetto neighbourhood only creates a more hostile atmosphere of anger and fear. Jailing all the bad guys only leads to newbies taking up the mantle. In fact, this was addressed in the beginning of No Man's Land where Superman tries to help Batman restore Gotham to safety after an earthquake leaves the city in chaos, but soon realises that this is a problem superpowers won't be able to resolve. Creating a safe environment, increasing education opportunities, and significantly reducing the cost of expensive necessities such as healthcare and college fees is what leads to a better place. Some of you may recognise that these are political talking points, and that's the point; Superman isn't a politician, nor is he a god who can force said politicians to follow his agenda. In Superman: Peace on Earth, Clark decides to resolve the issue of world hunger by delivering tankers full of food to impoverished areas, but comes to recognise that humanity's arrogance and penchant for destruction will outweigh any attempts at peace until they themselves change, and summarises his thoughts with the Chinese proverb "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."