One thing I’ve noticed in my field is how hard many men aspire to be someone great, and how much they revere someone who has reached a certain pinnacle, be it social or economic, that lends them some form of cult status. I call this the myth of the superhero. They reach this level when they get the positive attention of many in their field (or who want to be in their field). I’ve seen this in sports, in tech and in finance, especially if the man gets famous very young (generally in their 20s — to around maybe age 30) and he hits some form of jackpot; a publicly visible achievement, usually followed by wealth and cult-like admiration from the masses. I see this frequently, in particular in gaming tech, which tends to attract a particular brand of fame, one that makes sense to gamers and game developers. Perhaps game developers are unique in their hero worship mentality.

The danger here is that the one bestowed with this fame often feels committed to the role of superhero and starts to act imperiously without fear of repercussion or being challenged. They hold long standing truths personal to their success, speak to certain opinions consistently over the long term, so long so that these opinions either are taken as fact or repurposed to potentially steer ill-informed decisions. Sadly, this limits those who look up to these superheros to break down the theories behind these long standing theories, challenge the assumptions held for so long, and risk losing the respect of their peers. I see this as a form of pack mentality unique to men for the most part, although women exhibit this pack behavior as well, but on a larger and more social level, and not so much in the business realm.

Today we are hearing so much about women breaking down barriers previously only men seemed capable of breaking down, but I have not (yet?) seen women creating and following the demigods of their own creation, thankfully. On one hand, many in tech (or finance) says women do not have enough role-models, but perhaps these role-models, if and when they arise, who, left unchecked, could lead to this cult of the superhero. This is a narrow cultural aspiration that limits women’s potential to strive for something unique, something better.

As women are now finally having a true voice in all walks of life from tech, to the arts world, to finance — I sincerely hope they will look among themselves, and inward, for their own unique superhero and not mimic the existing paradigm of the superhero, just because men have done so before. Do not do as Man before Me, but blaze new paths so our daughters and our sons as well, will have the best role model to blaze their own paths. That superhero should, at long last, and foremost, be ourselves.