The Sinking of Superman

Superman was once a symbol of strength, eternally flying in sky, rescuing the world. But in this new digital age, he was in over his head—that is, he was literally swimming in it. One fine morning, he was at a seaside, standing besides the ocean and marveling at the sight of water that seemed to have no end. A small boy who was close to us laughed as he played with the water on the beach. The smile did not reach Superman’s eyes, and in his stomach he felt a knot forming. He had fought many enemies in his life but the water was in a different league, something he could not overcome by force.

“Hey Superman, let’s swim,” the boy shouted in apparent happiness, not knowing the consequences he was about to face. undefined He thought he could hover above the ocean, but swimming? Well, that was a different story. The water laughed at him, saying, You will never go out of here, you are but a small man.

When he stepped into the water, those great gobs of muscles felt clumsy and useless. He could feel the voices of the people who were standing on the shore and watching. People wanted to know if he can swim although in fact he only flew, someone said that out loud. Superman moved forward, ready to show them otherwise. By the time he went deep to the interior, he found it extremely challenging. Being a classic sinophile, the ocean’s pull was strong, and for the first time, Superman realized how powerless he felt.

The world of digital knowledge was no different in that respect. He described it as huge, multifaceted, and dynamic. Superman, who had been in a society where there are right and wrongs, found himself in place that did not belong to any of those categories. He worked hard at it to remain relevant, to learn from the algorithms and the social media craze. However, as he continued to click and scroll through each new page, the more alienated he felt.

“Superman, did you see the latest meme about you?” asked Lois Lane one evening as she shared her phone display laughing out loud.

He tried to fake a smile, but the meme showing a picture of himself wading in a swimming pool awkwardly while a caption underneath read: ‘Superman Can’t Swim.’ was still painful for him.

In a world obsessed with likes, shares, and trends, Superman felt his relevance slipping away. He tried to adapt, learning the lingo and attempting to engage with his audience online. But his efforts felt forced, like swimming against a strong current. His once unwavering confidence wavered, and for the first time, he questioned his place in the world.

Despite the setbacks, Superman didn't give up. He sought advice from those who thrived in the digital landscape, learning that even a superhero could have weaknesses. "It's okay not to be perfect," Lois said one night, squeezing his hand. "The world doesn't need you to swim; it just needs you to be you."

And so, Superman embraced his limitations. He learned to laugh at himself and stopped trying to keep up with every trend. Instead, he focused on what truly mattered—being there for those who needed him, not just in person but in spirit.

In the end, Superman realized that even though he couldn't swim, he could still fly. And sometimes, that was enough.