Victims Are Not Villains

Fiction portrays superheroes battling archetypal villains—Superman vs. Lex Luthor and General Zod, Batman vs. The Joker and Two-Face, and Buzz Lightyear vs. Emperor Zurg. But in reality, self-proclaimed “heroes” often manufacture enemies from vulnerable populations to justify their pursuit of personal power.

Throughout history, authoritarians and dictators have vilified specific groups to establish themselves as saviors: Pol Pot (Cambodia) targeted intellectuals and professionals to impose his radical agrarian vision, Saddam Hussein (Iraq) persecuted Kurds as part of a broader political and ethnic conflict, Idi Amin (Uganda) expelled Asians and Indians to consolidate power, Mao Zedong (China) targeted the wealthy and educated in his Cultural Revolution, and Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union) engineered famines and imprisoned political opponents to maintain control. Adolf Hitler (Germany) vilified and massacred Jewish people, while his protege Benito Mussolini (Italy) targeted ethnic minorities to strengthen his nationalist image. Benjamin Netanyahu (Israel) is in a genocidal quest against Palestinians. Vladimir Putin (Russia) has used both Chechen insurgents and Ukrainians as political scapegoats to justify military aggression and solidify power. Meanwhile, his United States counterpart, and admirer, has been scapegoating minorities and immigrants and demanding the persecution of political opponents to consolidate support.

These leaders rely on lies, unchecked narratives, and twisted pseudo-facts to sway the public and position themselves as national saviors. Repeating falsehoods and distorting facts, they endeavor to create the illusion that only THEY can protect society from fabricated threats.

Authentic leadership doesn’t create chaos to demonstrate value—it brings calm to existing turmoil. History ultimately judges these “saviors” as humanity’s supervillains, while vindicating their victims.

We don’t need self-proclaimed heroes dividing us against each other, and we don’t need someone victimizing groups to feel powerful. Today’s “villain” could be YOU tomorrow. When someone claims they alone can “save” society, their motivation is often self-interest, not public welfare. Progress comes through finding common ground and embracing differences, not through polarization and isolation. We are stronger united than divided by those who would name themselves our protectors.