Can People be Superheroes?

Why did Moshe fail to convince Yitro to join the Jewish people in the desert? Moshe's argument seemed very cogent: it will benefit both of us.

You'll get all the good stuff has promised us in the land of Israel, and we'll benefit from your perceptiveness – in Moshe's words, "You know how we've camped in the desert and you'll serve as a set of eyes for us."

Those words, "a set of eyes," seem baffling. Is that part of Moshe's attempt to persuade Yitro? Rashi most certainly takes that approach. "You've seen with your very own eyes how Hashem has graced our desert encampment with one miracle after the next, and if you stay with us, you will most certainly from that good grace."

Rashi seems to stray very much from the simple meaning of the text, because those words serve as part of the plea, i.e. Moshe is saying we need you, and not you need us.

So why wasn't Yitro convinced? Where did Moshe Rabbeinu's persuasiveness fail him? Was it part of Moshe's leadership style, declaratory, definitive, but sometimes falling short in an understanding of the unique perspective of the one he's addressing?

Aharon HaCohen was definitely more of the speaker, but it seems to be a pattern, that when it comes to rhetorical abilities, if it's Datan and Aviram, or here, or assuaging Aharon's grief after he loses his two sons, Nadav and Avihu, Moshe usually doesn't get a constructive verbal response at times of strife. Aharon doesn't answer Moshe Rabbeinu, Datan and Aviram say that even if their eyes were gouged out they wouldn't budge and here, his father-in-law seems to simply ignore him and walk off.

I don't have any reasonable answer but I do think we can find some insight into one or two remarkable personalities who are considered to have such intelligence that they have less of a place in this world. Achitophel, the infamous advisor who turned against King David was considered so brilliant in his advice that it was likened to "the word of God that came out of the Urim Ve'tumim," and here, in our instance, the simple meaning of the text was that the holy ark, the Aron, needed to guide the Jewish people because of Yitro's refusal to do so, i.e. the Jewish people had lost their "eyes."

It seems that Hashem doesn't want people who are superhuman, rather, those who have foibles, who err, which is why, perhaps, Yitro, of his own accord realized that his guidance could have no place in the glorification of Hashem's name in the desert.