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“Not only do Lex Luthor, Dracula and the Red Skull run...
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Directions: Answer questions 33 to 48 according to the text.
TEXT
WHY DO SUPERVILLAINS FASCINATE US? A
PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
---------------Why are we fascinated by supervillains? Posing
-----the question is much like asking why evil itself intrigues
-----us, but there's much more to our continued interest in
-----supervillains than meets the eye.
5---- Not only do Lex Luthor, Dracula and the Red Skull
-----run unconstrained by conventional morality, they exist
-----outside the limits of reality itself. Their evil, even at its
-----most realistic, retains a touch of the unreal.
---------------But is our fascination with fantastic fiends1
10--- healthy? From a psychological perspective, views vary
-----on what drives our enduring interest in superhuman bad
-----guys.
---------------Shadow confrontation: Psychiatrist Carl Jung
-----believed we need to confront and understand our own
15--- hidden nature to grow as human beings. Healthy
-----confrontation with our shadow selves can unearth new
-----strengths (e.g., Bruce Wayne creating his Dark Knight
-----persona to fight crime), whereas unhealthy attempts at
-----confrontation may involve dwelling on or unleashing the
20--- worst parts of ourselves.
---------------Wish fulfillment: Sigmund Freud viewed human
-----nature as inherently antisocial, biologically driven by the
-----undisciplined id's pleasure principle to get what we
-----want when we want it – born to be bad but held back by
25--- society. Even if the psyche fully develops its ego
-----(source of self-control) and superego (conscience),
-----Freudians say the id still dwells2 underneath, and it
-----wishes for many selfish things – so it would love to be
-----supervillainous.
30-------------Hierarchy of needs: Humanistic psychologist
-----Abraham Maslow held that people who haven't met
-----their most basic needs will have difficulty maturing. If
-----starved for food, you're unlikely to feel secure. If
-----starved for love and companionship, you'll have trouble
35--- building self-esteem. People who dwell on their deficits
-----may envy and resent others who have more than they
-----do. Some people who are unable to overcome social
-----shortcomings fantasize about obtaining any means,
-----good or bad, to satisfy every need and greed.
40-------------Conditioning: Ivan Pavlov would say we can learn
-----to associate supervillains with other things we value –
-----like entertainment, strength, freedom or the heroes
-----themselves. Behaviorist B.F. Skinner would likely argue
-----that we can find it reinforcing to watch or read about
45--- supervillains, but without knowing what's reinforcing
-----about them, that's a bit like saying it's rewarding
-----because it's rewarding.
---------------Our Motivations for Seeking Out Supervillains
---------------Throughout history, humans have been captivated
50--- by stories of heroes facing off against superhuman
-----foes3 . But what specific rewards, needs, wishes and
-----dark dreams do supervillains satisfy?
---------------Freedom: Superpowered characters enjoy
-----freedoms the rest of us don't. Nobody can arrest
55--- Superman unless he lets them (at least not without
-----kryptonite handcuffs). As much time as supervillains
-----spend locked up, they seem to escape as often as they
-----please, to run unconstrained by rules and regulations.
-----Cosplayers who dress like Wonder Woman and
60--- Captain America can't do any crazy thing that crosses
-----their minds without seeming to mock and insult our
-----heroes, whereas those dressed as villains get to go
-----wild. Supervillainy feels liberating.
---------------Power: Maybe you envy the power these evil
65--- characters wield4 . While that's also a reason to adore
-----superheroes, good guys don't ache to dominate.
-----Stories like Watchmen and Kingdom Come show how
-----heroes become menaces5 when they try to take over.
-----So when dreaming of superpowers, maybe you relate
70--- to characters who dream of power as well, from the
-----Scarecrow (who controls individuals' fears) to Doctor
-----Doom (who's perpetually out to dominate the world).
---------------Better villain than victim: Physiologically, anger
-----activates us and feels better than anxiety or fear. One
75--- who feels victimized and cannot figure out constructive
-----ways to stand up, be strong or become heroic might
-----twist the need for self-assertion into destruction.
-----Alternately, a healthy person simply might focus on how
-----all characters assert themselves in any given story.
80-------------Better villain equals better hero: A hero only
-----appears as heroic as the challenge he or she must
-----overcome. Great heroes require great villains. Without
-----supercriminals, the world's finest heroes seem like
-----overpowered brutes nabbing thugs6 unworthy of them.
85--- Through myths, legends and lore across time, we have
-----needed heroes who rise to the occasion, overcome
-----great odds7 and take down giants.
---------------Facing our fears: Instead of dreading the
-----darkness, you might reduce that dread by shining a
90--- light and seeing what's out there. Fiction can help us
-----feel empowered and enlightened without literally
-----traipsing into mob hangouts8 and poorly lit alleyways9
---------------Exploring the unknown: Our need to challenge
-----the unknown has driven the human race to cover the
95--- globe. This powerful curiosity makes us wonder about
-----everything that baffles10 us, including the world's worst
-----fiends. Knowledge is power, or at least feels like it.
-----When gritty details repulse us, exploring evil through the
-----filter of fiction can help us contemplate humanity's
100-- worst without turning away or dwelling almost
-----voyeuristically on real human tragedy. Even when the
-----fiction is about improbable people doing impossible
-----things, the story's fantastic nature reassures us that this
-----cannot happen – and therefore we don't have to turn
105-- away.
---------------Supervillains' Ultimate Purpose
---------------In the end, our interest in supervillains can be
-----healthy or unhealthy. Even the more maladaptive
-----reasons for such fascination tend to arise from
110-- motivations that were originally healthy and natural –
-----frustrated drives that went the wrong way.
---------------Remember, though, that superheroic fiction
-----ultimately begins and ends with the heroes. Comic book
-----writers and artists create supervillains, who move in and
115-- out as guest stars and supporting cast, first and
-----foremost to reveal how heroic the comics' stars can be.
(Adapted from https://www.wired.com/2012/07/why-do-supervillains-fascinate-us/)
Glossary:
1. fiend – an evil and cruel person
2. to dwell – remain
3. foe – an enemy
4. to wield – influence, use power
5. menace – threat
6. to nab thugs – arrest criminals
7. odds – probability
8. to traipse into mob hangouts – walk among places where gangs, criminals meet
9. poorly lit alleyways – narrow road or path with little light
10. to baffle – confuse somebody completely
“Not only do Lex Luthor, Dracula and the Red Skull run unconstrained by conventional morality [...]” (lines 5 and 6)
--
The highlighted word from the sentence above is used
A
to perform an action.
B
as an auxiliary verb of the clause.
C
to emphasize the verb.
D
to avoid repeating a verb.