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Definition
The savior complex refers to the chronic tendency of people to put aside their own well-being to help others.
The savior complex is a state of mind that’s also known as “messiah complex” or the “white knight syndrome.” While it may sound like a hallowed virtue, it is often practiced as a means to feel better about oneself. There are several pop culture references of the savior complex: Clark Kent refusing to date Lana Lang in the earlier seasons of Smallville, convinced that he’s saving her by keeping her away from his secret; Edward Cullen breaking up with Isabella Swan in the Twilight series to save her from fellow vampires. In both instances, however, the saviors disregard the choices of the individuals they’re saving because their motivation lies, instead, in the self-aggrandizing notion of sacrificing their own interests to save another – irrespective of whether one even wantsto be saved, or whether it counts as saving...
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References
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Rakshit, D. (2023). Savior Complex and Heroism. In: Encyclopedia of Heroism Studies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17125-3_409-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17125-3_409-1
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