Silencio

《蝙蝠侠：黑暗骑士归来》：尼采与义警主义

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Nietzsche's Übermensch and Vigilantism

    In the context of The Dark Knight Returns, vigilantism, or the practice of taking actions to enforce justice according to one's own belief regardless of the law, may be considered a valid response to an irresponsible and incompetent political system as well as a society that focuses more on futile debates rather than attempting to improve the status quo.

    The government officials portrayed in The Dark Knight Returns are shown to be both unwilling and incapable of properly addressing ongoing concerns of the citizens. The government officials at three different levels of the political hierarchy - from the president to the state governor, then the mayor, are all shown to avoid taking the responsibility of addressing the concerns of the people regarding "the Batman controversy" (108), signifying their unwillingness to take on responsibilities. While the incompetence of the government can be exemplified by their inability to protect its citizens from the nuclear strike launched by the USSR either through either diplomatic or military means (163). These instances illustrate that it is ineffectual to rely on the government to enforce the law which presumably protects its citizens and propagates justice due to its irresponsibility and incompetence.

    The residents of Gotham City, as portrayed in The Dark Knight Returns, form a passive and reactive society that fails to actively take actions to resolve rising issues. As a reflection of the public opinion, the media is presented as a platform for people with opposing opinions to debate over certain topics throughout the novel, however, instead of yielding feasible solutions to the crises that the city faces, the debates often end in futile stalemates with neither side being convinced. These debates cannot provide guidance as to how the crises may be solved and they can sometimes even exacerbate the situation, as evident on page 42 where the debate about Batman's legality eventually escalated to furious insults and no progress (42). Outside of the media, people seem to be only interested in talking about politics and passing judgements, rather than taking actions to change for the better, as exemplified by Carrie's parents (45). In favouring taking sides over promoting genuine progress, the society will likely become more polarized with the status quo being preserved despite widespread discontent.

    Combining the effects of a government that is incapable of action and a society that cannot provide resolution to internal and external societal problems, the practice of vigilantism, in which an Übermensch takes actions to enforce his own believes in justice may provide guidance for a passive society as well as promote progress where the government fails to. As stated by Bruce Wayne, he believes that "the world only makes sense when you force it to" (192), suggesting that he is trying to make sense of the world by morphing it according to his own values and that he is willing to take the necessary measures to achieve his goals. Although there are many shortcomings to vigilantes circumventing the law to achieve their own goals, as a single person's beliefs are likely to be biased, the actions taken by an Übermensch may act as a force to stir up the unsatisfactory status quo and an inspiration for the society in search of a brighter future.

    In conclusion, under the circumstances presented in The Dark Knight Returns, namely an inactive government that is reluctant to be held accountable and a society lacking motivations for genuine progress, vigilantism may lead to positive outcomes in overcoming the obstacles as the Übermensch serves as both an inspiration and a force for change.

Reference

Miller, Frank, et al. Batman, the Dark Knight Returns. DC Comics, 1986.