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You find yourself floating above a small American town from the so-called Midwest. A windmill lazily swings about as the population goes on their daily routines. There’s a lot of elderlies here, and some of the people you see are extremely unhealthy. It’s one of the things about this world that most catches your attention.
“Why are so many people here… fat? And unathletic? Do humans not care about their ideal bodies?”
Superman seems surprised by the question, though not as much as he would’ve been a few days before. “Well, people choose how to live their lives.”
“I understand that, but they don’t choose to maintain a healthy body?” You say. “They don’t have to be herculean, just maintain good health. Why keep themselves like…” You look at a morbidly obese human driving around seated in some sort of electric scooter device. “…that.”
Superman nods. “I see where you’re coming from. But just as you have your circumstances that lead you to make certain choices, so do they.” He crosses his arms and ponders. “Most governments on Earth try to spread information on how to keep a healthy diet and a regular exercise routine, then it’s up to each person to decide how they want to use this information, if at all.”
You raise your lip, trying to keep away an expression of frustration and disgust. “So, what did you want to show me?”
He moves his open hand in an arc, encompassing the town. “This is one of the examples of the principles of the United States of America.” He says.
You raise an eyebrow. “Pardon my being rude, but is this example a bunch of old and fat people going about their daily lives in a small town, lost in the middle of nowhere?”
He looks at you and smiles, seeming understanding. “That’s exactly it.”
You shrug. “I don’t get it.”
“They are free, Nao’Lann. Free to live their lives as they see fit, where they see fit, with the means available to them.” He looks out to the town again. “Many of these people have families, homes, a job to work in or their lifelong savings to live off of.” He shakes his head before continuing. “I’m not going to say that it’s idyllic, or that everyone has it good, but reality is what it is, and everyone is trying to make the best of it, as a community and as individuals both.”
You look out into the town, seeing some kids hanging out by a grocery store.
“There are nasty people, there are good people. What superheroes do is try to keep the good and innocent safe from terrible things that may want to hurt them.” He says.
You could spend a few days debating what Superman is saying, but you think you’re getting the gist of his moral speech. “I’ve read the history of the United States, I don’t feel it has been as rosey as you tell it.”
“It wasn’t.” Superman replies. “But it’s up to us, the people who live here and now, to make sure that its future is at least a little rosier. Don’t you think?”
