Poster from “The Avengers” from Marvel Studios and Disney
Do you know the true meaning of ‘let’s do it together’? Let’s take a simple example. We have a heart, lungs, a stomach, kidneys, a liver, and other organs, to sustain the body. People think that a heart takes the most important role because it pumps and circulates blood. But in fact, we would have already died if we did not have lungs. This means no organ is more or less important than others. They are equally important and perform their own task. Therefore, our body can be kept healthy.
In society, we frequently emphasize cooperation. However, there is a condition for the real cooperation to exist; that is, the self must not be present. People find it difficult to cooperate because each one of them regards themselves as superior to others. Thus, when you work as an individual member of society, you should do what you can do for the goals of the organization, instead of continuously speaking about your own opinions and pushing everyone to do it your way.
It is the same for the film The Avengers. When I heard that this film was coming soon, the first thought that hit me was that the brilliant and magnificent heroes would gather and work together but would argue and fight out of their own superiorities. It is quite possible because all of the legendary heroes from Marvel Comics would gather at one spot: Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye, Black Widow… If you are a comic book or movie fan, you might be surprised at the news of this movie coming out. Sure enough, in the middle of the film, they cannot trust each other and the team is split. Due to the split, all of the heroes face their own crisis. They come to their senses and cooperate in the end so that they can save the planet earth from the crisis.
Iron Man is the best and superior as he is. Also, Captain America is capable enough to fight alone. Hulk is also stronger than and as good of a fighter as any other. However, in the film, the heroes encounter many powerful villains that each of the heroes cannot defeat alone. They come into a situation where they cannot possibly win unless they cooperate with one another. What they need then is to abandon their minds of being superior and selfish and to focus solely on one will, that is, to keep the planet earth out of danger.
Captain America cannot fly like Iron Man nor does he have the monster-like destructive power of the Hulk. However, he has outstanding leadership qualities and an excellent skill in creating strategies. He is literally a captain. He can see the whole picture and knows how each of the heroes should fight in order to defeat the villains more effectively. Iron Man can fly in the sky very freely to fight enemies. Hulk has the destructive power like a monster, as his name suggests, so that he can eliminate many enemies at once. Likewise, each of them has their own roles. What they can do is just to do the role that they are given, and they should not ignore the one will that the team has.
To abandon the self and save lives of many people… Isn’t it what the heroes are there for? They will be defeated by villains if they judge who’s right or wrong, who’s better or inferior. This not only applies to this film but also when playing sports. None of the team members are less or more important, to say, when playing baseball or soccer. One person can’t defeat another team. It is also the same for the workplace.
I should just do what I can do, following the will of the whole, without the self. The most brilliant person is the one who keeps one’s position diligently. You do not need to envy people who accomplish tasks greater than yours. A heart cannot do the work of lungs and kidneys cannot do the work of a liver. Likewise, you have your own talent given by the world and thus, you can just do your work diligently at your position and always have the will for the whole. If we look at this country, America, it is regarded that the country will develop more if each member of the country – the president, politicians, and even CEO’s of corporations – works for the benefit of the country rather than their own individual benefits. However, it is not that easy to become of one will and one mind. It is possible only when one abandons one’s selfishness and oneself.
