As LEVEL senior editor John Kennedy wrote in the Minority Report newsletter following Chadwick Boseman’s death from colon cancer, the 43-year-old actor’s legacy has quickly been distorted into another example of hustle porn.
“Somehow,” Kennedy notes, “some folks have managed to twist Chadwick’s awe-worthy work ethic while ill into a new way to criticize and shame others for their own productivity — pseudo-motivation that’s thick with ableism. Who raised these people?”
[wp-stealth-ads rows="1"]As Kennedy points out, there’s no point in assigning value to life based entirely on output. So you haven’t starred in movies while privately battling cancer? Fine. There’s a reason why Boseman was the Black Panther and you weren’t (sorry!). A healthier approach might be to take a moment to appreciate how this extraordinary man touched others, created joy, and made the most of his time on earth — not to belittle others (including yourself) for not having the work ethic of a superhero.
[wp-stealth-ads rows="1"]Chadwick Boseman’s superhero drive doesn’t make you a slacker
It’s Ok Not to Be a Literal Superhero was originally published in Forge on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
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