Captain America’s superhero anxiety

With the Captain America film living up to expectations, and the character coming back in next year’s Avengers, Chris Evans is now officially a star, which he’s admitted he’s a bit nervous about. 



We all know the nonsense that comes with becoming a celebrity, and making movies, let alone carrying a whole big superhero franchise, isn’t easy.

In fact, Evans and Thor star Chris Hemsworth have both discussed their anxiety issues together about becoming superhero superstars, and now Andrew Garfield, the new Spider-Man, recently told Access Hollywood he’s “overwhelmed and scared” taking on such a big role.

“As soon as I put on the suit for the camera test in this movie, I felt that weight,” he continued. “But much like I feel Peter Parker feels it too.”

Having lifelong anxiety issues myself, I got an article from AARP from my grandmother that gave me some hope. (I’m not ready to subscribe to AARP yet, but if the economy keeps getting worse, I’ll be ready for it soon because it will age me another thirty years).

The article is titled Anxiety’s Upside, and as Beth Howard reports, Stanford University has found “that non-worriers don’t necessarily live longer; in fact they often have a lackadaisical approach to health and may take risks that cut life short.”

Looking at the L.A. Times list of hot summer books, a book along these lines caught my eye: Rush. 

No, it’s not about the band, this is a book by Todd G. Buchholz, who used to be a director of economic policy for the White House, and the book “makes the outrageous argument that we really don’t want to relax – we want to compete.” 



Although it’s considered a “witty, breezy, and very funny” book, it also makes the argument that we don’t want to relax. “Put off retirement,” Buchholz argues. “It can make you stupid.”

With a lot people in this country out of work, and the economy stuck in gridlock, here’s to hoping Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth and Andrew Garfield are all grateful they’re probably going to be on the treadmill for some years to come. At least a treadmill moves.