Superman
I grew up watching Superman on TV. His flying ability and impervious skin were incredible, but I was obsessed with his super-strength. To this day, if I could pick any superpower, I would pick super-strength. There's probably a lot to unpack there, but that's fodder for another newsletter.
Besides his superpowers, Superman's square jaw, wavy dark hair, and broad shoulders made my nine-year-old self's heart swoon. I wondered if he was related to another handsome man in my life, Barbie's boyfriend, Ken. Bitches, have you seen what Barbie accomplished by her 60th birthday? Ken didn’t do too badly himself either. But we digress.
Superman is a quintessential Baby Boomer superhero. He fights to right wrongs for all of society, is mission-oriented, and goes for the win. Like the Boomers, Superman is idealistic and romantic and wants to leave a legacy for future generations. Success is achievable through hard work, and there is no rest for the weary.
Batman
I also grew up watching Batman. Bruce Wayne became Batman to seek vengeance for his parents' murder. He battled inner demons and struggled to extricate evil from within. Batman was not, at least initially, motivated by fighting altruistically for a more significant cause than his self-interest.
Batman resonated with Generation X, who grew up as latchkey children and learned to be remarkably self-reliant. Unlike Superman, Batman doesn't have any superpowers, but as a billionaire, he has an arsenal of James-Bond-like tools to help him. He can't shapeshift or fly, but he has the Batmobile. And let's not forget his loyal sidekick, Robin.
Most corporate leaders today are Gen Xers, and I think Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, is the modern-day Batman. Flame throwers and Cybertruck are all part of this present-day, real-life billionaire's arsenal of weapons. Batman fights opponents through fear and power, and so does Musk. I'm pretty sure Parag Agrawal (CEO of Twitter) would agree. And Gavin Newsom (Governor of California).
But soon, the seasons will change, and we will have a Millennial executive rising. She will probably be more like the Powerpuff Girls - working with equally passionate, intelligent people to rebuild a sense of community and repair the damage done by the generations before her.
It's already fun to experience all three generations in one room simultaneously. It'll be super fun to welcome Generation Z to the mix. Growing old will never be boring.
Absolutely! I love Gen Z so far. Cool, open-minded people who are passionate about their beliefs and their existential dilemmas.