Aufgabe III

Aufgabenstellung

Outline the biographical information given about Homelander.

(30%)

Compare Homelander with the creature from Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein.

(30%)

The popular scientific journal New Scientist has announced a special online issue on "Ethics, Science, and Technology" and has invited readers to contribute articles. As a starting point, the editors have provided the following statement by science fiction writer Isaac Asimov: “The saddest aspect of life is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” You have decided to send in an article in which you assess the importance of dealing with the ethics of science for members of your generation.

Write the article, also referring to the text at hand and materials studied in class.

(40%)

Excerpt from Drea Letamendi, "Not Just One of The Boys: The Psychology of Homelander" (2022)

The author is a clinical psychologist and mental health educator. In her article, she examines a character from the TV series The Boys, which is based on a comic book series.

Homelander is the leader of The Seven, a powerful group of superheroes owned and

managed by the company Vought International. At first glance, The Seven look

commanding and virtuous, front and center of a public-facing mission to defend

America against all threats. In the world of The Boys, the superhero industry

dominates everything, from politics to consumerism to entertainment. At the peak

of The Seven’s popularity, the most recognized and celebrated member of the team

is Homelander. With chiseled features, a glowing smile, and a patriotic superhero suit

(including a U.S. flag for a cape), the blue-eyed, blonde-haired hero is held by many

to be the perfect symbol of duty, excellence, and traditional values. He has the best

of powers to boot. Much like a certain Kryptonian hero, Homelander has heat rays,

super-strength, durability, flight, and x-ray vision. Impervious to all known threats,

Homelander can withstand extreme temperatures and sustain disastrous attacks; no

weapon has been identified that can injure him. At least, physically.

Homelander is dripping with charm and assuredness, dosing all with his confident

smile and hopeful promises. But, hidden from the public eye, a truer form emerges.

Homelander personifies the self-centeredness and materialism of the modern world,

glorifying competitiveness, rugged individualism, dominance. He deeply embraces

and over-aligns with his superior persona, embodying the virtues of an all-American

defender with fervor. He is consumed by his image, and often isn’t sure where his

real self ends and his performance begins. Socially bold and entitled, Homelander is

often the first to step in front of the camera or deliver sappy statements about his

unyielding commitment to justice. He savors his elite status, seeing himself through

the eyes of the people who hang on his words: He is a God among men. And it’s clear

that Homelander derives pleasure not from genuine emotional connections with his

followers, but from the power dynamic. [...]

One of the founding scientists at Vought, Dr. Jonah Vogelbaum, oversaw the creation,

training, and indoctrination of Homelander, who he called “John.” As a test subject

injected with the chemical agent Compound V Homelander was primarily raised in

an experimental lab room and under constant observation. Even as a baby,

Homelander was deprived of the comforts of physical affection, stimulating toys, and

enriching environments that would normally have fostered his psychosocial

development. Vogelbaum was somewhat of a father figure to Homelander, offering

smiles and affirming gestures through a small window of the lab room – but never

offering him unconditional love in the form of genuine acceptance, warm and

caressing contact, and one-on-one time that isn’t based in evaluation. In truth,

Homelander’s lethal and uncontrolled powers kept the researchers detached and

distant. Unintentionally, these protocols had some anti-socializing effects on

Homelander.

Throughout his youth, Homelander spent most of his critical waking hours performing

tasks, taking endurance tests, and being stretched to his limits by zealous

experimenters. A type of attachment formed with his creators; he did receive

attention by his surrogate caregivers, but only through the narrow and relentless

expectation to perform. A contingency. The pressure created a transactional

relational schema for Homelander: when he masters his powers, he receives

affirming words and time with his caregivers. Fail, and he undergoes more torturous

tests and criticism. Homelander later admits that he often felt alone and scared as he

learned to navigate his inhuman abilities, comparing it to “drowning.” This little supe

wasn’t cold and feelingless from birth. He was often overwhelmed with emotions –

battling fear, insecurity, and hopelessness – but was never taught how to regulate

them. “I had to figure it all out by myself.” [...]

Attachment matters. In addition to sensory and intellectual stimulation, children

need social bonds. But Homelander’s caregivers were fixated on supernatural

progression, not empathy building. He was forced to endure torture – withstand

blazing fires, survive for hours underwater, and overcome violent attacks. His body

was cut, burned, and frozen. Aside from a soft blue blanket he clung to, Homelander

couldn’t find solace or ease his pains. After repetitive tests of endurance and torture,

he wasn’t soothed, healed, or even embraced.

Homelander missed out on the “normal everyday stuff” of childhood. Youth often

learn about core values, worldview, and beliefs from their parents. In a way,

Homelander was in charge of his own upbringing, learning through self-discovery. He

was taught that he was a weapon, a tool. He was not “designed” for love, nurturing,

or companionship.

Praised for destructive, not compassionate acts, Homelander learned to value anti-

social features of his budding personality. Kill faster. Obliterate bigger. Think later.

Feel nothing. This will come back to haunt him. Ethical science is about consent, but

none of this was approved or wanted by him. It wasn’t humane. The resulting beliefs

Homelander adopted would later extend to his treatment of others.

As a small boy, Homelander looked up to his scientist caregivers. “When he was

around 5 or 6,” Dr. Vogelbaum recalls, “he was quite sweet. He cuddled up to me.”

The doctor, however, rejected these wholesome requests for affection and

connection, explaining that this was the time he “went to work on the boy,” and that

Homelander “didn’t even want it.” [...]

The failing of all his relationships leads Homelander to return to the love he can count

on: his fans. He wears a vacant gaze and saccharine smile like one wears a suit. The

resonation of applause and cheers fills his empty soul, pumping false confidence back

into his Compound V-laced bloodstream. Ethical science is about consent, but none

of Homelander’s treatments and trials were approved or wanted by him. It wasn’t

humane. Those tortures taught him that he doesn’t belong to himself, that despite

the most powerful abilities at the tip of his fingers, he is owned by Vought.

Homelander lives in a nightmare no one else can understand, creating for himself the

replication of the trials in the lab, repeatedly reliving the vacancy of the tiny room

and the loneliness of the blue blanket.

(990 words)

https://www.fandom.com/articles/the-boys-psychology-of-homelander. Zugriff am 06.11.2022.

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Note:
Our solutions are listed in bullet points. In the examination, full marks can only be achieved by writing a continuous text.

Homelander emerges as an artificially engineered superhero, a creation of scientific experimentation
he is a leading figure and the most celebrated member of a superhero team owned by a corporate entity, he embodies their flagship
underwent chemical modifications, endowing him with extraordinary abilities that set him apart
was raised within the confines of a scientific laboratory, he led a solitary existence, cut off from the outside world
longed for parental affection and support, the scientists overseeing his upbringing withheld love from him
was put through tests and harmful procedures in order to train him for the company’s purposes

In the world of fictional characters, the stories of Homelander and Frankenstein's Creature intersect in a web of shared experiences, emotions, and vulnerabilities. This analysis compares the two characters and explores their commonalities and differences in different aspects.

Introduction

artificial creation and scientific manipulation
$\rightarrow$ both Homelander and Frankenstein's Creature emerge from the realm of experimentation and scientific manipulation
$\rightarrow$ Homelander "As a test subject injected with the chemical agent Compound V" (l. 27f.)
$\rightarrow$ Frankenstein's Creature is pieced together from various body parts of corpses and brought to life through the scientific prowess of Victor Frankenstein.

non-normal beings
$\rightarrow$ neither Homelander nor the Creature are intended to be conventional human beings
$\rightarrow$ Homelander" was not ‘designed’ for love, nurturing, or companionship" (l. 61f.)
$\rightarrow$ the Creature is created as an experimental testament to Victor Frankenstein's scientific abilities, intended to defy the boundaries of ordinary human life

extraordinary power
$\rightarrow$ both characters possess remarkable abilities that set them apart from ordinary humans
$\rightarrow$ Homelander's powers include heat rays, super-strength, durability, flight, and x-ray vision, making him a formidable force
$\rightarrow$ the Creature demonstrates extraordinary strength and endurance that goes beyond typical human limits

lack of proper care and education
$\rightarrow$ neither Homelander nor the Creature receives the care, nurturing, and education that typical children do
$\rightarrow$ Homelander: "Youth often learn about core values, worldview, and beliefs from their parents. In a way, Homelander was in charge of his own upbringing, learning through self-discovery" (l. 58-60)
$\rightarrow$ the Creature is abandoned by Victor Frankenstein shortly after his creation, leaving him to fend for himself and learn about the world through self-discovery

deprivation of affection and love
$\rightarrow$ both characters grapple with the emotional void created by the absence of love and affection
$\rightarrow$ Homelander "often felt alone and scared" (l. 46)
$\rightarrow$ the Creature is met with rejection, isolation and a yearning for acceptance

seeking attention and companionship due to feelings of loneliness
$\rightarrow$ the deep sense of loneliness and isolation experienced by Homelander and the Creature compels them to seek attention, companionship, and validation
$\rightarrow$ Homelander: "The failing of all his relationships leads Homelander to return to the love he can count on: his fans" (l. 73f.)
$\rightarrow$ the Creature longs for companionship, as seen in his observation of a human family and his desire for a female companion

Main body
Similarities

origins and purpose
$\rightarrow$ Homelander was created by a company for economic reasons vs. the creature as a result of an experiment
$\rightarrow$ "owned and managed by the company Vought International" (l. 1f)
$\rightarrow$ "the superhero industry dominates everything, from politics to consumerism to entertainment" (l. 4f.)
$\rightarrow$ Frankenstein's Creature is the unintended result of a scientific experiment conducted by Victor Frankenstein, driven by personal ambition and scientific curiosity

physical appearance
$\rightarrow$ Homelander is physically attractive, with " chiseled features, a glowing smile, blue-eyed, and blonde-haired." (l. 7f.)
$\rightarrow$ Frankenstein's Creature is physically repulsive, with grotesque features, contributing to the rejection and fear he encounters from others

upbringing
$\rightarrow$ Homelander is raised and trained in a controlled laboratory environment under constant observation, where he is subjected to experiments and deprived of normal human experiences (l. 28f)
$\rightarrow$ in contrast, the Creature is abandoned by his creator, Victor Frankenstein, and must navigate the world on his own

compliance with expectations
$\rightarrow$ Homelander willingly plays along with the company's rules and expectations and "deeply embraces and over-aligns with his superior persona" (l. 17f)
$\rightarrow$ the Creature seeks revenge against Victor Frankenstein for his creation and abandonment, displaying defiance rather than compliance

self-perception
$\rightarrow$ Homelander " is consumed by his image " (l.19), reveling in the power and attention he receives. He is confident and self-assured, often stepping in front of the camera.
$\rightarrow$ the Creature, in contrast, feels estranged from himself, battling inner turmoil and existential questions about his place in the world

desire for recognition
$\rightarrow$ Homelander actively seeks to stand out, enjoying the attention and power that come with being a superhero
$\rightarrow$ "Socially bold and entitled, Homelander is often the first to step in front of the camera" (l. 20f.)
$\rightarrow$ the Creature, however, longs for a normal life and acceptance rather than recognition and attention

Differences

Navigating the Ethical Challenges of Our Time

Title

In today's world, where science and technology are advancing at breakneck speed, Isaac Asimov's statement, "The saddest aspect of life is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom", is very relevant. Our generation must come to terms with the importance of addressing the ethics of science as we stand on the threshold of groundbreaking scientific discoveries and technological innovations.

Introduction

offer perspectives on scientific progress and its possible misapplication in the shaping and handling of characters such as Homelander or the Frankenstein creature

highlight the unintended branches of scientific breakthroughs, as exemplified by Victor Frankenstein's lack of foresight regarding his experiment
$\rightarrow$ like Frankenstein's failure to consider the repercussions of his experiment

emphasize society’s responsibility for monitoring scientific progress

encouraging a reflective approach to the benefits and dangers of scientific innovation, especially in an era marked by rapid progress and scientists on the verge of god-like roles, much like Victor Frankenstein

reconsider our behavior
$\rightarrow$ taking into account both the public attention to homelanders and the widespread use of social media

the study of science ethics is irrelevant to young people:
$\rightarrow$ it is too far removed from the immediate concerns of young people's lives, such as the creation of human-like creatures in the case of Frankenstein
$\rightarrow$ too complicated and inaccessible to many due to lack of scientific knowledge
$\rightarrow$ pose a great challenge even for those interested in science, given the abundance of fields and the ever-faster developments
$\rightarrow$ low relevance due to limited personal opportunities to influence scientific progress
$\rightarrow$ promotion of misconceptions, especially when based on unrealistic fictional representations, such as the artificially created superheroes in the present text or the composite creature in Frankenstein

Main body
Possible arguments

in conclusion, as we explore the complexities of science and ethics, we must realize the urgency of promoting ethical conduct in scientific progress
"Frankenstein" and the modern-day reflections in our text emphasize the critical role of society in monitoring and shaping science's ethical path
challenges and limitations may seem daunting, our generation has the potential to foster positive change
by actively engaging in ethical discourse, we can ensure that our knowledge is accompanied by wisdom, guiding us toward a more ethical and responsible future

Conclusion

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