For The World is Hollow And I've Touched The Sky...

Greetings, heroes. I've been kind of off lately. My personal life has had me running around, which has given me the opportunity to kind of take a back seat and observe the RLSH community from a distance. I've noticed a few things during my year in the community, and I've learned even more.

Roughly a year and a half ago I discovered the RLSH community. I went through a brief period of exploration and research, learning what I could about this amazing movement. 

Oh, what a grand time it was, too. I had found a community where colorful characters donned comic inspired costumes and took to the streets in an effort to make a change. I was ecstatic. Though I had no costume I had already begun taking on some of the characteristics and ideals of heroes that I wished to embody. Charity and outreach, I found myself stopping to help more often, I would carry water around to hand out to those in need. I started watching out for people in need of help while I was out and about. I began to feel good about myself, and I wanted to see how far it could go. 

Then I joined the RLSH community in September of 2010. I actually joined initially with no intention of dressing up and patrolling, which I have actually stated in the past. I was pleased with the work I was doing and wanted to learn more about the community and what it meant to be a Real Life Superhero before I donned a mask of any kind. I listed myself in the category of hero support because I'm artistic and somewhat handy, and designing logos costumes and gear is something that comes easy to me, and being a security guard by trade, I figured I could pass on things I have learned on the job. 

Proteus existed solely as an internet personality, designed to be of service to the RLSH community, waiting for the day when he would come to life in the real world - when I would step away from the every-day good samaritan work I was already doing and commit to being a RLSH in reality.

Then I started to notice something. Some of the "colorful characters" I mentioned previously turned out to be more than just colorful... They seemed kind of crazy. Or pissy... really pissy... I mean like completely nose in the air ready to jump on anything they didn't immediately agree with or understand flat-out mouth-open, noise coming out, won't shut up pissy. Still others I noticed had a flair for the way over dramatic, like Batman skulking on his stone perch listening to Rorschach pontificating about the putrification of society type dramatics. And still others thought they were playing Kick-Ass cosplay, ready to go out into the streets with sword in hand and take out the bad guys.

Don't get me wrong, I almost immediately gained tremendous respect for quite a few RLSHs. They were the ones who genuinely "got it". The ones who had at least somewhat of a clue as to what they wanted to accomplish out there and were actually helping people. They were realistic about what they were doing, they knew what the costume meant and how to use their image and how to really help people. They made an effort to learn the skills they needed to do the job right and they actually cared about other people. These people I respected and continue to respect and will continue to respect in perpetuity. 

Actually cared about other people. That's a really important phrase - maybe the most important phrase of this entire blog thus far. because the biggest problem with the community is that it is mainly comprised by loners. Don't confuse this, as I'm well aware that a good portion of the community are married, engaged, involved in a relationship, what-have-you, but it's more a type of person I'm talking about, rather than a social status.

Loners. Geeks, Fanboys, Nerds, socially awkwards... If you're in the RLSH community, at least one of the above applies to you. Oh don't worry, I fit at least three of the above myself. As evidence I present the title of this blog "For the World Is Hollow And I've Touched The Sky" - Yea, that's the title to an episode of classic Star Trek, or TOS for the fanboys (if you already knew where the title was from, then congrats, you know which of those words applies to you)

The point being is this type of personality tends to spend enough time alone to start developing a more personalized set of beliefs, and a somewhat quirky way of dealing with others. The result is a bunch of kiddies who don't really play well together. Arguments, complaints, whining. It seems to dominate the RLSH boards. Hell, I've even found myself getting drawn in to them. It's really easy to do on the boards. Honestly There's so much whine on the boards I want to bottle it and sell it to stupid rich people. In other words, so many members of this community that is supposed to be inspired by the comic book characters that we all looked up to growing up aren't holding themselves to the standards of those characters. There's almost a code of conduct for comic book heroes - a code of chivalry, if you will, and so many just don't seem to be following it.

Which brings me to the point of this blog. I have noticed an off-shoot of the community where there is very little arguing going on. In fact, this off-shoot is comprised of people who are very supportive of each other, very realistic in their ideals, and seem to be focused on helping RLSH discover where it is that they are "off" in their philosophy. I find myself agreeing with this side of the community more and more often, and to be honest, it's had an effect on me.

If you haven't guessed yet, I'm talking about the RLSV movement... Yes, heroes, The Villains. I realized that what I do in my personal life is what I do in my personal life, That hasn't changed. I continue to do good in my community and that won't change. I still plan my hand outs and acts of good will with no accolades and no screen time and I will sleep at night contented.

On line, however. I've spent a great deal of time trying to get through to the community exactly what it means to be an RLSH, and so many just seem to have way too many layers of spandex over their ears. 

So be it. 

If you won't take gentle persuasion, maybe you'll respond to being called out for your transgressions. Where once Proteus strove to help the community to grow and become stronger, he will now strike out against to weak-minded bafoonery that pervades the very fabric of the real life superhero movement.

As I have said before, there are those among you for whom I carry a great deal of respect. You are doing it right and I salute you. If you actually know anything about me, then you can pretty much figure out who these people are that I am talking about. The rest of you should seek to bring yourselves to their level and be the best that you can possibly be. do that and you have nothing to fear from me.

For those of you who won't...... I have plans for you. Very special plans. As any other good super villain, I am of a mind to destroy you, and I shall. Oh, don't worry, I won't make any physical threats against you and I'm by no means any form of internet hacker. No name calling, no threatening emails, and absolutely no lies. Not one single lie. No, in fact I'm not going to do a single thing. That's the genius of my master plan. 

You see, you are all going to do the work for me. You will step out of line, slip up, make mistakes, as you are wont to do, of course, and all I'll do is smile with my little highlighter and point it out. I'm sure you're shaking in your boots thinking "Ooooo scary that's like sooo totally threatening and junk. look at me being all scurred, lol" and that's fine, that's exactly what I'm hoping for. In all honestly I hope you completely blow this whole thing off. That'll make my job even easier.

Of course there is a way to save yourselves. It's really quite simple. Straighten up. That's it. Clean up your act, quit being whiny little piss-ants and go help people. Honestly, the whining, arguing, and blatant hypocrisy here on the interwebnets is frikkin ridiculous.

I will, of course, continue to write my helpful little blogs. I still have knowledge that could be useful to the community. I'm still designing logos and costumes and gear, so by all means, feel free to come to me for anything. After all, if you are a worthy hero, then what do you have to fear from me?

So whattaya say, heroes? Let's play.

-Proteus RLSV