Would People Really Turn Against Someone If They Gained Powers?

I mean, if it was someone they knew before they had powers. I could never really believe those stories where if someone got an awesome power, everyone around them would start picking on them, shunning them, and/or disowning them. I can understand them being scared and uneasy, but I would expect that they would be more in awe. That's why the heroine of my story gains nightmarish powers so people would be understandably afraid of her. Even then, it's more of an uneasy feeling as they knew her before she gained the powers.

I think it depends on the person doing the judging, fear can do funny things to a person after all and if their the type of person to act or speak without thinking it might not turn out so well. Then there are other emotions such as jealousy, that might make an appearance.

Also look at how people who are different have been treated in the past. People have shunned or even disowned by family and friends for being homosexual or dating people of other ethnicities.

Unfortunately some people are just incapable of looking beneath the surface.

Dude, are you kidding? People will abandon eachother on the drop of a hat.

@OP: My friends would most likely want me to do crap for them.

You have friends?

I've also got a social life and self-confidence; crazy ain't it?

No, I belive you, I just wondered what they were like. Just talking to you here makes me want to reach through the screen and slap you.

I'd love to see you try that; it would really brighten my day. As for my friends, they come in all types; the one thing they have in common is the fact that they can take a joke, and they're not PC.

No thanks, I prefer my bones where they are. But just so we're clear, I dislike you just as much as you dislike me.

When did I say I disliked you?

Well I just naturally assumed. Its usually either that or total indifference.

edited 22nd Feb '11 1:14:23 PM by SilentStranger

The majority of the people here don't rate high enough for me to hate them.

The thing about comparing powers to racism/sexism/heightism is that it doesn't really pan out because this is a new thing in the person's life, not something that was always there. They're still the same person who's probably freaking out just as much as the people around them. Close friends most likely would try to do something about it while complete strangers would definitely run away.

Kino and SS: You two want a private room or something...?

OP: No idea. As someone mentioned, might have people asking for favors and stuff. This already sort of happens in real life - if you have lots of money, you have a form of power, and can expect people to ask you for handouts, help and whatnot. Or if you got a lot of physical strength, you'll be asked to help do beast of burden stuff, and so on.

Dude, dont imply that around Kino. He beat the shit out of a gay guy who got too grabby.

Heh. I just saw the mostly-harmless banter and couldn't resist tossing a plug in there.

Whilst it's true that it's a recent change rather than a recently discovered one I feel my point still stands; people are just scared of people who are different. Then again I also said it depends a lot on the friend/family member in question and what type of person they are. Frankly I personally dislike fair-weather friends, having had some of them myself.

@Silent Stranger: I just knocked him out; the ass kicking was directed at his friends.

Back on topic: Say you have Superman's powers; then what? Would people extort you into doing things for them? What if you end up as some sort of super-powered deputy? Can you just quit?

^ Why shouldnt you be able to? Thats something I never got, why do you HAVE to use your superpowers for the good of humanity? What if you dont want to be a superhero?

Well there's the chance of the powers that be looking at you as a potential weapon. All they have to do is threaten your family to nudge you in the 'right direction''.

What if you dont have a family? Like, say, an alien orphan, or something? I mean, in the original Superman comics, he didnt become Superman until after the Kents had died, so there would be nothing to threaten him with.

If I got superpowers, I'd probably keep them secret and use them for Mundane Utility.

That way, I can hopefully just sidestep the question entirely.

^Then they'd look into your friends and acquaintances.

Things wouldn't be bad unless someone with superpowers used it to rob a bank, or some other crime. It doesn't have to be murder or something, just screwing up with a power or someone using it to get away with being an asshole in general would start to ratchet up paranoia about other, nice superheroes.

One person going super isn't going to spark a panic. Well, unless they're a sociopath, but then the fear is perfectly justified and best alleviated with a missile.

^^Wouldnt that just result in a stalemate? Like, if they threaten your family, you tell them that you will hunt down every last one of them, and brutally murder them and their families?

edited 22nd Feb '11 4:37:52 PM by SilentStranger