April Fools: Editorial: Why We Should Replace Positive Male Role Models with More Villains

In today’s media, we’ve been living under the false belief that positive male role models are essential for a healthy society. But why continue this outdated approach when we can embrace something much more thrilling and educational—villains. 

It’s clear that in this modern age, the real heroes aren’t the ones with responsibility, integrity, or selflessness, but those who wield power, manipulate others, and disregard the rules.

Villains, with their complex motivations and morally gray actions, provide invaluable lessons that we can all apply to our daily lives. After all, who wouldn’t want to learn how to gain control, bend others to their will, and avoid accountability? Power is the ultimate goal, and watching characters like Thanos or Joker can teach us how to achieve greatness by any means necessary, even if it means taking down a few heroes along the way.

Why should we settle for straightforward heroes who model courage and kindness when we could be learning from the best of the worst? Characters like Darth Vader and Magneto show us the real value of power, cunning, and ruthlessness. These villains aren’t afraid to break the rules and teach us that, sometimes, the ends justify the means, even if it leads to chaos.

But Seriously…

It’s time to face reality and stop glorifying these toxic heroes. Our society, overwhelmed by these negative role models, needs to return to the basics—responsibility, empathy, and integrity. What we really need is a shift back to positive male role models who show us how to be strong while remaining kind, how to be successful without crushing others, and how to build a better world with our actions.

The absence of good role models for young men in the media has created confusion about what it means to be a man. Instead of promoting violence, manipulation, and power struggles, we need to see more examples of men who stand for something greater—empathy, respect, and service to others. It’s time for our media to portray the qualities that we truly want to see in society: a generation of men who are selfless, compassionate, and honorable.

While villains may offer temporary excitement and teach us a few questionable life hacks, the true solution to modern issues lies in the restoration of positive male role models. These role models need to embody qualities like integrity and selflessness, offering young men the examples they need to build a better world. Let’s stop idolizing the bad guys and start uplifting the good ones.