Aristotle once coined the general principle of holism as: “The whole is more than the sum of its parts.”
It can be great fun, however, analyzing the parts!
Where do the parts that comprise you come from?
Where did the parts that make up Shawn Charlton Speakman come from?
I am extremely self aware of who I am—at least who I think I am. Every daily event I have experienced in life has become a part of me. From birth until my last breath, I know that I will be shaped by anyone and everything. It is inevitable. That includes the books I read too. In a way the authors I’ve read over the years have taken up residence in my soul and, like the guiding influence of my parents when I was young, live inside of me, to be called on when needed.
It’s no wonder I love collecting those books that are most meaningful to me.
What characters in fantasy / science fiction best explain who you are?
Here are the main four I can definitively say reside inside:
Superman
No, no father of mine gave his son away, to rocket through the cosmos and help bring light to a barbaric humanity.
That would be cool though, right?
In all seriousness, the majority of who I am can be explained by Clark Kent and how he sheds all selfish desires to help others less fortunate. I try to emulate that. When a friend needs help I am there offering what I can. If a stranger falls down in front of me, I help them up if I don’t catch them first. When a wheelchair-bound man tries to belly up to the bar, I clear away the stools before the bartender can do it. I spend a lot of time and energy putting people at ease, to add a meaningful dialogue with all I meet whether it is talking about sports or giving heartfelt listening and advice.
I try to be a hero for other people who need it, even for what seems the most mundane of needs.
I have always held those ideals, from my earliest memories. But Superman became something more to me when I was diagnosed with cancer almost nine years ago. I began chemotherapy just like many thousands do every day. To represent the strength I would need to survive, I wore one of three Superman t-shirts to treatment every day. It brought a smile to those being infused around me; it kept me focused on the strength I would have to bring to bear.
Needless to say, there is a Man of Steel in my persona—despite looking like Lex Luthor on the outside!
