Muggings taking place left, right and centre, drunken idiots roaming around at night causing trouble and so many knife attacks its unbelievable. I believe that people are being allowed to continue like this due to the apathy of people as a whole.
- Zeitgeist
The third in my series of superhero interviews, meet Zeitgeist. As usual I was pleased with the responses provided. Zeitgeist was well-spoken, clear-minded and thoughtful in all his answers. Thank you, Zeitgeist, for taking the time to provide these responses.
Zeitgeist is a German phrase meaning spirit of the times. What is it about this phrase that appealed to you, and how do you feel it relates to your superhero life?
I came across the word Zeitgeist during my studies in the German language a while ago. After doing some research into the meaning of it, I took it as my superhero name.
The name Zeitgeist defines me as a superhero in that I act like a spirit- an unseen, unheard being who sees everything, performs definite and meaningful actions, and who is ready to shift and develop with the times.
On your MySpace profile you mention a few of the activities you've helped to clean up around your area - including, but not limited to, a bar that was allowing underage drinking. In a world that is becoming so apathetic, how do you stay inspired?
Basically just stuff in my local area drove me to take a wider look at society as a whole, and it is not a pretty sight. Muggings taking place left, right and centre, drunken idiots roaming around at night causing trouble and so many knife attacks its unbelievable. I believe that people are being allowed to continue like this due to the apathy of people as a whole- they are so calm about these unacceptable things and take them in their stride. I’m here to do what I can with my local area and country to put a stop to wrongdoings in any way I can.
The world is not beyond saving, it just requires the motivation of all people to have a proper conscience and awareness to their surroundings and to just do their bit. I become inspired to help every time I look at society.
Many superheroes are quite protective of their real identities. Is this something you worry about? I notice your MySpace says you're 81 and has no photos!
I take all sorts of steps to hide my identity- for example, I patrol in civilian clothes so as to not draw attention to myself, my “uniform” as such is only used on specific missions when I need to blend into the darkness. I also put different ages on different profiles on websites and so on.
Sorry about the lack of photos- it’s just not a priority of mine at the moment =).
My family have no idea, but I have a couple of friends who I truly trust with the information on what I do, particularly so that I can actually have someone to sit down and talk to about this stuff.
Whether you're Spiderman, Superman or a real life superhero like Entomo the Insect-Man, a costume seems to be a staple part of the superhero persona. Do you have a costume?
Well yes I do, but it is only used on specific tasks where I need to be silent and blend in with the shadows- it consists (at the moment…it will probably be updated in the future) of a black long-sleeved t-shirt, black combat trousers, black semi-soft soled boots, black gloves and a black balaclava. I am currently working on getting my symbol embroidered onto the chest of the t-shirt.
A number of the superheroes I've talked to seem to quite enjoy the odd gadget or two. From pepper spray, to tazers, what do you use to help you get the job done?
Well… I personally rely on the police to do a lot of the dirty work- my mobile phone comes in useful for placing anonymous tip-offs with the police to get the job done and dusted. I also carry a notepad and pen in order to record my findings and a pair of binoculars to stay out of the direct line of fire yet still see things in details.
I have not yet had to use force to get the job done- I try and avoid situations like that.
In five years time, do you think the world will be better off? Or worse?
Hopefully, I believe the world will be a better place, but I am no psychic. I believe with the gradual growth of movements such as ours and the improvement of eco-friendly gadgetry and power, things should brighten up in the future, though five years may be a little too near in the future to see such great change. I believe that more and more people will see the developing apathy in society and do more and more to help.
I suppose this question is rather related to the last: what role do you think superheroes will play in the future of the world? There are superheroes the world over, are there enough to make the world a truly better place?
As I mentioned before, our movement is growing steadily, at the moment there are relatively few of us, but I think we shall continue to grow steadily and be a great force for good in the world in the future.
I personally want to do as much as I can to help people, and hopefully the people that I help will understand how it feels to be helped and then go on to help others themselves. A bit like a ripple effect.
Many superheroes claim to possess extraordinary powers or in some cases, superhuman faculties (increased strength, awareness...) Do you have any you would like to share?
Haha, no I’m afraid I don’t possess any special superhuman faculties. I’m a normal guy trying to train myself up to be the best I can be and just help others in any way I possibly can.
As I mentioned in my interview with Entomo, many superheroes suffer from flaws that ultimately show that even a superhero has challenges to face. Do you have any flaws?
Good question - I am quite unsure as to how to answer. There is nothing that can threaten my passion for doing what I do as long as I have the continued support of all the other heroes out there. Without their support, I would be nothing.
So I’d like to thank all the other RLSH’s out there for all their help and continued friendly support.
If you were to provide the world with one message, what would it be?
Basically just take a look around you. See what you can do to help others and just do it. Even if it means just giving a simple smile to somebody who looks down, it might make them be more positive for the rest of the day. Also don’t be afraid, people prey on fear and use it to try and leech off the innocent. If you are not afraid then they have nothing to use against you- think about it.
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