Before we discuss heroes, we must talk of villains, for in a world without villains, there is no need for heroes\n
From the world of TV crime shows, we learn that in a court of law, proof of a crime demands proving means, motive, and opportunity\n
Do you have the ability to commit the crime?\nDo you have the motive or reason to commit the crime?\nDo you have the opportunity to commit the crime?\n
As it is for criminals, so is it with superheroes, like a mirror.\n
Superheroes need the same things as villains - the means to be heroic, the motive to be heroic, and the opportunity to be heroic.\n
So let’s talk about these superheroes for a bit. Comic book nerds, let’s play a game of naming some superheroes.\n
Name this superhero.\n
Name this superhero.\n
Name this superhero.\n
Name this superhero.\n
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It may sound silly, but wind the clock back to yesteryear and the things we’re capable of now would have made us comic book heroes. Being able to watch live video streams from a handheld device? Know where all our friends are all the time?\n
You have superhero powers.\n
Is there opportunity for heroism in this world? Of course.\n
In Haiti, regular people became superheroes when they deployed the Ushahidi software that helped mobile users find victims and assistance amidst a cataclysmic natural disaster.\n
Social media and the power of word of mouth has taken the cause of Love 146 - stopping child sex slavery - from the darkest corners of the world to the light of prominence and justice.\n
Back in the day I used to do an internet radio show, the Financial Aid Podcast. A short 10 minute daily show. I got this email at the end of February this year. The power of one guy with a mic and a platform changed a life.\n
Back in 2007, a 16 year old girl ran away from home. After 2 weeks, the police gave up on her. In any other time, she’d just be another statistic. But with the power of new media, of social media, a campaign I helped set up found her within 24 hours. Within 72 hours, she was with the authorities and she was back home a few days after that.\n
Our world is teeming with opportunities, big and small, for you to use your superhero powers.\n
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All the powers in the world don’t mean a thing if you don’t have the motivation to be a hero. All the opportunity in the world doesn’t mean a thing if you don’t have the motivation to be a hero.\n