Jan 11, 2011

Attention whoring: Geek style

Over a year ago I wrote about a Real Life Super Hero (RLSH) that patrolled the streets of Seattle. In the post I chronicled how my friends and I came across his secret identity and expressed my willingness to expose the jackass if his actions caused any harm to the community. Thankfully Mr Ravenblade, the RLSH in question, has behaved himself.

Now there's a new man who calls himself a super hero that's roaming about town and taking things to a whole new level. Phoenix Jones is garnering a lot of media attention with his antics of costumed crime fighting and he seems to enjoy his relationship with the press. He and his Rain City Superheroes dress up as their comic book fantasies and go out on the streets armed with non-lethal weapons and claim to stop illegal activity. His ilk have been featured in Seattle media as well as Good Morning America.

Phoenix claims to have martial arts training, which he believes gives him an edge on criminals. Believing you're well trained to protect people who haven't asked for it may get someone hurt. Delusional as he may be people are paying attention to him and he hypes himself as much as humanly possible. This is where the real danger kicks in.

If Phoenix and his like really wanted to help the citizens of Seattle there's much more productive ways of doing so. Grab a ladle at a soup kitchen, become a cop, help build homes of the under privileged, volunteer at a hospital, join the Peace Corps, sign up with the National Guard, or simply stop wearing homoerotic clothing while claiming you're a hero. Claiming that title is narcissism of the highest order and screw anyone who does so. You earn the right to be called a hero. Have some humility and stop being an attention whore.

Mr Ravenblade seems displeased with Phoenix Jones for reasons that I can only assume as jealousy, but who know. He's asked Jones to be his mentee publicly, but so far there's been no response that I'm aware of. It's a funny read, in a train wreck kind of way.

Seattle is a wonderful city, but as all urban areas it does have issues. We should be teaching the younger generation that giving back to the community is a worthwhile effort regardless if you're recognized for it or not. There are many good people in the Puget Sound area who give much, but sadly dumb asses who dress in costumes who can possibly put lives at risk are the ones garnering the attention they in no way deserve.

"I don’t stand by and watch things happen that are wrong. When I see it I fix it. Does that make me crazy?” - Phoenix Jones

Police Tell Phoenix Jones To Stop After Nose Broken

1 comment:

Miss Ash said...

How odd! Do these "superheros" know that criminals often carry guns?!? Great that you know martial arts but the thug might shoot you while you're trying to raise your leg!

The thing about being recognized made me laugh! There's a bunch of different groups in my building, some young girl who teaches voice lessons, always makes a mess and is generally terribly annoying. I went into the kitchen one day and found a handwritten note taped to a bottle of dish soap "donated by blah blah"! Really?!? Does anyone really care that you bought soap?!? The building supplies the stuff!!! I can't even believe she wanted everyone to know she "donated" dish soap! Who does that!!!!