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In order to get ready for the time when we develop the technology for superpowers we could start by developing the social skills needed to cultivate secret indentities.
Everyones needs to fail to notice people slipping into alleyways to change, fail to recognise people due to small cosmetic changes
and practise not making a correlation between a missing associate and a heroic rescuer.
These skills need to be developed and popularised, just in case.
The Name Registration Office
http://www.halfbake...gistration_20Office
Another idea in preparation for this time. [Aristotle, Mar 14 2001, last modified Oct 05 2004]
Baked, indeed.
http://www.halfbake.../Jar_20Jar_20McBeal
[beauxeault, Mar 14 2001, last modified Oct 05 2004]
[link]
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Hold on a moment. Let's analyse the typical characteristics of Super Heroes' alter egos and see what we get: |
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Pretends to be slightly socially inept and a bit of a geek to put people off the scent (Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, etc.) |
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Uses fabulous wealth to develop tools of the super-heroing trade (Bruce Wayne, Professor Xavier, etc) |
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Uses expert knowledge of technology and science to develop even more super hero gadgets (Peter Parker, Bruce Wayne, etc) |
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So, if we were looking for a super hero hiding behind a secret identity then we'd be looking for someone a bit geeky with slightly questionable social skills, fabulous wealth and an in depth knowledge of technology. And glasses. |
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There is a further compilication that once someone breaks from cover as a superhuman (whether it's Ali McBeal or Bill Gates) their friends, associates and rivals tend to start to become involved too. Sometimes it's completely by accident as secret identities can be so hard to crack with a well-practicised population - Spiderman and his arch-rival the Green Goblin once shared the same appartment. |
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What this means is we could prehaps see a costumed Bill fighting Steve Jobs or Noel Godin (already known as "Le Entarteur") over the skylines of Seattle. Bill would, of course, do an Iron Man and have his heroic ego work for his own company and still manage to confound people. |
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- "Behold! I am Microsoft Man!" |
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Of course, the simplest way to hide your secret identity is to not have one. There are plenty of superheroes who cannot have a secret identity becasue of gross physical distortions; for instance, the Fantastic Four's Thing. The Fantastic Four are very open about their "superheroness," and everyone knows that they fight evil, etc. Of course, the disadvantages to this is that you constantly have to be on the good side of other accepted "good" forces, such as the police. This means that any corrupted member of the aforementioned could turn a superhero's entire protective bracket against him/her, and supervillains usually do not have to look hard to find your base of operations. Both of these apply to the X-men's situation, as they are not high on the authorities' lists, and their "lair" has been attacked by supervillains more than once. |
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