Imagineering myth

America as a country might enjoy just its third century of Independence. But culturally, its even younger. Historically even more so. Unlike other civilisations, which stretch across millenniums and are rich culturally, the natives of this country had hardly anything to tell their children. They had a tough time in wiping out any signs of resemblance to their imperial masters and were busy in resetting every single thing that related them and went about meticulously in changing everything to opposite, right from the way they drive to their door knobs to switches and the very basic current voltage. They were always at war with England claiming every single invention with a American patent in response to English. As much interest they showed in expanding geographically by purchasing lands from so many countries, they hardly showed any in their own history, may be covertly but never in open. The one thing that they were never able to change was that their history began with banished convicts. Its no small deal that, those were the very people who built this entire country, brick by brick into what it is today. Still, absence of history means, how much ever you grow, it never quite attains that regalia. Much in contrast to our own country, which still passes muster, just by relying on its past glory, this nation is brand new when compared to others. Meaning, they never had any time for myths and legends.

The powers to be realised this soon and assigned this task to their comic writers, who went over drive and created their own set of heroes and myths about them. That, Arguably the biggest movie machine in the world, in terms of reach and clout at least, Hollywood, solely thrives, by reinventing itself with one super hero release at least per year, is no mean support for this argument. The amount of effort that goes into creating each comic character is tremendous. There is so much research happening behind each story that is getting churned out, with each episode launching in a new villain or a new dimension to dark side with the heroes being armed with newer and weirder weaponery. Infact, many of the modern day weapons owe their origins to the comics. Such is the power of US in today's world that, as many Indian kids know about Superman and Spiderman as Ram and Hanuman. In fact, like a weed which slowly destroys the main plant by sucking off its nutrients, there is a calculated attempt in wiping the world off its rich and diverse heritage in the name of Americanisation. I've nothing against American culture. In fact, i am amazed at the way, they are so unique and independent and proud of their "limited" heritage. As much as we worship our Krishna and Ganesha, there are crazy followers for Batman and Superman. Goes on to prove that, ever person needs a hero to worship, how much ever tough they be or wherever they hail from. The great divide does little to change that aspect. The people on this side of the world may not  kill each other or destroy monuments fighting over phony supremacy of whose cult is mightier. There may not be bloody partitions based on the followers of Superman or Batman.

But the craze is as real as it gets.

P.S: This post might be a repeat of what i've been voicing out in many previous posts of mine. But i have a growing feeling inside that this is one topic, i would want to revisit more, as and when i've more inputs to share #Notetoself :))