Is Batman Right Wing or Leftist?
Is Batman Right Wing or Leftist?
Like many origin stories his his one of loss of innocence and guilt that transformed him into not an apathetic bystander of injustice but an active agent whose goal is stop evil in society. His family was part of the 1%, the aristocracy of Gotham city. His early childhood was a leave it to beaver life: a traditional patriarch where his father worked and his mother was a stay at home mom. His father ran a multi-billion corporation while still helping out his fellow man by means of philanthropy not taxes. One night, Batman as a child went to a show with his father and mother on a night of fun and imagination. On their way home a gun man approached them and tried to mug them. Batman's father tried to protect them and capitulate but to no avail; two shots were fired and his mother and father are dead laying on the ground in their own pools of blood while Batman looks on with despair and pain. His childhood innocence lost and he is changed forever. What is ironic about this situation is that the gun man probably used the same light rail system to arrive there that his father built. Might have even used the hospital and other services for the needy that his father directed and created. Even in his fathers altruism and charity to the citizens of Gotham the gunman still coveted more from his father and even had the narcissistic view point that he could kill and take his money because he could. This scarred Batman for life in his assessment that he is the one to blame for his parents death.That night Bruce Wayne died: Batman was born.
Batman in his melancholy turned ever inward, both physically and mentally because of his parents tragic death. But in his despair he found a crusade, a calling to wrong evil and those who are its actors. He became a hero. What is a hero? Hero comes from the Greek (ἥρως) ser-ow and Latin servus which means slave or serf. So, in essence Batman is a slave or servant to humanity and society while his villains and antagonists are the opposite; demanding by right the resources and pleasures of society even by the use of force.
But what brought Batman to become a hero to society risking life and limb and ignoring his pursuit of happiness for the sake of others? Why didn't he just go on with his life and let society deal with mad men and criminals? I mean why should he? He is rich, famous, beautiful women wanting to bed him and marry him. What made him a slave to society and try to right wrongs by himself? It is simple. Government. In its corruption and in ineffectiveness to face evil rather than try to right wrongs Batman felt a moral responsibility to physically combat evil . Often times mobsters, governments agents and the elites in society either turn a blind eye or work hand in hand with evil in the dystopian and dark world known as Gotham City. Whether it be crooked cops on take from mobsters, or greedy lawyers being too scared to prosecute criminals tied to organized crime is a cross section of government and society unwilling and unable to face evil in its midst. He is the caped crusader against injustice that he sees within society.
Batman has a dark view of the world. That criminals are evil and that he should stop them. He is the Dirty Harry of masked vigilantism, stalking in the night villains and other unscrupulous criminals in the dark night. He harasses, wire taps with out warrants (Patriot act) criminals, interrogates, in fact terrorizes them into giving sources of their crimes and even beats them up to protect the innocent.
He is uses his wealth (not taxes) to procure and design high tech devices to serve society and protect them from terrorists and other evil doers. Batman doesn't see crime as an economic issue but one of morality and justice. He goes after the rich and poor alike, from purse snatchers to rich corrupt politicians. He thinks the world is a dark place and needs people like him to stave against the dam. He doesn't think criminals can be reformed and need counseling; he thinks they need to be locked up and the key thrown away.
In the last installment of the Dark Knight Bane is the new villain. Political conspiracy theorists try to draw a comparison to Romney. That is not only laughable but flat out wrong. Bane is career criminal that believes society is to blame for his ills and he deserves to steal from them. Romney is more close to Batman's father and himself than one might think. A good man that practices philanthropy by giving to charity and made his way in business through discipline and character and is a traditional father figure to his children. A leave it to beaver one might say. Bane on the other hand uses a venom like steroids substance to make himself stronger to control and brow beat the weak to his will. Romeny doesn't indulge in any type of mind alerting substances let alone caffeine or steroids. Romney believes that government cant solve society evils and ills but we as individuals must do ourselves to make this world a safer and better place.
I leave with this final word: Batman is the dark trying to bring light into this very dark world and we should thank him for it.
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