crisis

The Dark Knight Rises

From: The Arkham Sessions Podcast, Episode 154: “The Dark Knight Rises”

Drea and Brian connect the riots shown in the Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises, to the insurrection that took place at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. When we witnessed overt recklessness, aggression, and supremacism among radical conservatives in our news, many blamed individual factors, calling them “crazy” and “deranged.” This episode disentangles political radicalization from mental illness and outlines the psychological mechanisms more likely at play.

———

In their coverage of the third and final film in the Nolan trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises, Drea and Brian connect the events surrounding Bane's violent coup to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol that took place on January 6, 2021. With a focus on explaining the fundamental causes of real-world terrorism, Drea outlines the psychological mechanisms involved in political radicalization and extremism, and clarifies widely held myths about the role of mental illness as a factor.

As we observe displays of overt recklessness, aggression, and supremacism among radical conservatives in our news, we tend to blame individual factors such as mental illness. However, there's little field evidence that points to a relationship or predictive connection between mental disorders and terrorism. Experts in psychology who analyze the biographies and profiles of militants, in fact, find that groups of terrorists and insurgents rarely include persons with serious mental illness given the risks of sabotage and mission abandonment. Social indoctrination, deprivation, and personal uncertainty are found to be better predictors of violating laws of democracy and advocating the supremacy of one group (racial, religious, political, social, etc.).

Bane, in particular, generalized his childhood abuse and isolation, directing his blame and anger toward mainstream agents of power. In fact, individuals who radicalize often hold distorted perceptions that they have been wronged or disenfranchised. They believe, usually with little to no evidence, that they're underserved or targeted by mainstream society. Shared characteristics include social disconnectedness, the need for order and certainty, and feelings of intense envy. Much like Bane, political extremists are overly simplistic in their beliefs, overconfident in their actions, and intolerant of differences in their "quest for significance."

The Dark Knight Rises may be a test of our endurance with its chilling and prolonged siege (clocking in at 2 hours and 44 minutes). The emergence of Robin offers a glimmer of hope and reminds us that it is often too difficult to "unwire" or "reverse" extremist ideologies (cue Bruce Wayne's retirement). Prevention, social diversity, and the sharing of basic necessities are the preferred pathways toward peace.

The Dark Knight

From: The Arkham Sessions Podcast, Episode 153: “The Dark Knight”

Against the burden of a crisis, there is an undeniable appeal of retaliation, revenge, and wanting to "watch the world burn." Brian and Drea discuss the social and psychological messages of the standout 2008 Batman film, The Dark Knight.

———

"And here we go!"

After several years of exploring the psychology of Batman, Brian and Drea finally discuss Christopher Nolan's acclaimed film, The Dark Knight (2008).

Of course, the standout character in this movie is the Joker, and in The Dark Knight, he is as creepy and captivating as ever. With genius, the late Heath Ledger captures the characterological features that are recognized as essential to this remarkable villain: he is hostile, impulsive, homicidal, and remorseless. The Joker is, at his core, an adrenaline-seeker, finding great thrill in high-risk, life-threatening antics.

Heath Ledger's Joker adds some interesting and unique elements. As an anarchistic terrorist, he wants to show that all members of society are fundamentally immoral and corrupt, that there's an inherent poison in everyone's psyche. Joker calls it "madness." And he sets to prove this by terrorizing the city, commandeering the underground crime system, disempowering the mobsters, and targeting two heroic figures in particular: Harvey Dent and the Batman.

As the film unfolds, we're meant to question our definitions of "heroes" and even reconsider the reasoning of Joker's theories. In times of crisis and trauma, there is an undeniable appeal of retaliation, revenge, and wanting to "watch the world burn."

Brian and Drea deconstruct the film's social messages (contextualizing them in the challenges we face today) and attempt to answer the question of whether the Joker actually had any sense at all buried in his freakish personality. Overall, we agree that The Dark Knight enriches the Batman narrative with cogent psychological themes that help us better understand our own emotions, behavior, and motivations.

Batman Begins

From: The Arkham Sessions Podcast, Episode 152: “Batman Begins”

Controlling fear, transforming fear, and embodying fear are the marked features of Batman’s trauma-induced obsession. But, as the 2005 film Batman Begins warns, fear can also be tampered with, manipulated, and weaponized. How can this Batman movie help us cope with our own uncertainties and worries stemming from the hard-hitting crises we faced in 2020?

Brian and Drea take listeners back to 2005 to revisit the well-received live-action film, Batman Begins. The first movie in the Nolan-directed Bat trilogy, Batman Begins sets the stage for a gritty and grounded landscape of Gotham City and establishes the core thread of Bruce Wayne's story: Fear.

The film shows us that fear is the fundamental catalyst for Bruce's lifelong mission to rid the community of criminals. Controlling fear, transforming fear, and embodying fear are manifestations of Bruce's obsession. But, as the film warns, fear can also be tampered with, manipulated, and weaponized. Scarecrow's terrorism is based in fear--his toxic inventions allow him to access primal anxieties in his victims to the point of hysteria and self-destruction. Ra's al Ghul prophesizes that if Bruce purges his identity (including his personal doubts and fears), he can transcend his own mortality. And Bruce himself becomes so wrapped in an idea, in a symbol, that he creates terror within the ones who love him.

What does Batman Begins teach us about our relationship with fear? Fear can lead to an overwhelmed sense. When we feel threatened, we go into survival mode. We feel as though our brain is hijacked, and we have lost control. What can we do when we are stifled by fear, worry, or panic? First, we can name the feeling or emotion. Observing our emotional state and being descriptive about our fear can create a little bit of healthy distance and allow us to feel more grounded, to gain focus, and to mobilize ourselves. Next, we can find a sense of calm by using breathing exercises. One easy way to attend to our breath is to inhale for a count of 3 seconds and exhale for a count of 6 seconds. Movement is also helpful -- we can stretch, go for a walk, or run in place to discharge some of the stress in our bodies.

Finally, we can use affirmations or self-reflective statements to acknowledge our survival in the moment. You can tell yourself you are safe, that you are able to cope, and that you have a way forward. Listen to the show for more suggestions like these about how to manage and maintain emotional well-being.