About ten years ago, a new Superman actor arrived on the scene. Henry Cavill seemed a perfect fit. He looked like what we’d expect Superman to look like and he certainly was passionate about the role, doing some intense workouts to make sure his physique fit the part. However, his first Superman didn’t fare so well. Critics pointed out its problems (story and tonality) and enthusiasm quickly dwindled for our generation’s Man Of Steel.
Still, Cavill did fantastic work and we hoped to see him once more. Those in charge decided to give him a second chance, but they decided to play it safe, by pairing him up with Batman, a superhero who had enjoyed much more popularity over the previous years. That film turned out to be Batman V Superman. The less we say on that subject, the better. Again, the actor did his job, but the script just wasn’t there. Afterwards, Cavill appeared in Justice League, but only briefly.
By this time, years had passed and we all hoped he’d finally get the Superman film he deserved. That hope remained for some time, until Cavill recently shared his departure from the role, after some conversations with WB’s management. It’s too bad, because nobody can deny Cavill’s work ethic was on point.
Hold that thought for just a minute, you’ll soon see why.
For some reason, I’ve lately been listening to interviews on the subject of Scientology. In case you haven’t heard, this is a belief system founded by science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard. And you wouldn’t believe what they believe. The reason why it’s still well-known, is because of its presence in Hollywood, with Tom Cruise being of the most famous Scientologists.
Many would call it a cult. Former members describe practices I’d consider to be best described as indoctrination and mind control. Its members soon find the organization has a sort of a ladder system (called ‘the bridge’), and if they want to get on a higher step, they have to buy a course – with each step getting more and more expensive.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. These courses promise to make your life better through various ways. Suppose you decide to give it a shot and it doesn’t work. Now what? Well, they’ve thought of that. The response is that you either didn’t apply it correctly, or that have some type of mental issue that still needs some work. The point being: the responsibility is entirely yours! You’ve attracted it, whatever it is.
You’d might call that personal responsibility, an idea well-known in the personal development space. And sure, we all know how we used to point fingers as teenagers, trying to push blame to someone else, while we were ultimately responsible. Fair enough, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. In this case, the philosphy of personal responsibility is being weaponized to make others feel guilty, so they don’t think about what’s actually going on. This tactic is commonplace with cults. It’s also used in pyramid schemes and various high pressure work environments.
To be clear: personal responsibility can be a good thing… up to a point. But many take it way too far, feeling responsible for things that are not their fault. At that point, you’ve become a slave to a mindset you hoped would improve your life. Sounds silly when you put it like that, still there are many people who carry that burden around every single day.
Getting back to Henry Cavill, losing his role as Superman. Again, very motivated worker. You can’t say he should’ve worked harder, tried to be a better actor, trained harder and so on. At a certain point, you have to be satisfied in the knowledge you’ve given your best… and let the roll of the dice take care of the rest. And let the outcome be what it is. Does the outcome of throwing a pair of dice change by blaming yourself? Obviously not. Food for thought.
Kind regards
Vincent J. Dancet