01/10/2025
So, this one is a little longer than normal and has a part 2 that takes you to the newest blog post. Please check it out.
I had a conversation the other day that got me thinking. Over the years, societal perspectives on heroes and villains have shifted dramatically, particularly in the media we consume. There was a time when we played "cops and robbers" and always rooted for the cops. Stories of gunslinger bandits and the lawmen who chased them followed the same formula—we cheered for the lawmen. Superheroes like Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man were the ultimate symbols of good triumphing over evil. Villains like the Joker, Penguin, and Dr. Octopus never won, nor did we want them to. They were the adversaries to be overcome, not admired.
But something changed around the turn of the century. Suddenly, villains weren’t as easy to hate—they became more complex, relatable, even likable. Shows like The Sopranos introduced us to Tony Soprano, a mob boss who we found ourselves rooting for despite his life of crime. Dexter Morgan, a forensic analyst with a dark secret, turned serial killing into something disturbingly justifiable in Dexter. We didn’t want them to get caught; we wanted them to succeed.
Since then, this trend has only grown. Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Animal Kingdom, The Shield, and Nip/Tuck have all painted morally ambiguous characters in shades that challenge traditional notions of good and evil. These stories make us question who we’re rooting for and why. They show us flawed, often "bad" people who are undeniably human, and it’s hard not to be drawn to their stories.
It’s fascinating to consider what this shift says about society and how we view morality today. Are we more accepting of imperfection? Are we drawn to the complexity of these antiheroes because it reflects the shades of gray in our own lives? Or is it simply a case of storytelling evolving to capture our attention in new ways?
Whatever the reason, it’s clear that who we root for has changed—and it’s a topic worth exploring further.
So I've done just that. Please check out the newest blog post here to see my take on why we need villains.
Be the Villain to Someone’s Superhero: Embracing Your Role in Someone Else’s StoryWe all love a good superhero story—the triumphant, larger-than-life figure who saves the day, fights for justice, and makes the world better. But let’s not forget that every superhero needs a villain. Without c...