"The Dark Knight" and Musings on Parallels in Politics

Me ^ | 14NOV08 | Me

[OneWingedShark]

So, today I went and saw the new Batman [again] with a couple of friends. It struck me about how there are certain analogies to the characters within politics. For Example:

The Joker

In his own words, he describes himself as an agent of chaos [chance], which is the only fair thing in the world. He says that he makes no real plans, doing whatever ‘feels good’ at the moment, living [from day to day] only to throw the wrench in others’ plans. He is of course, lying. It is shown that his plans for Harvey Dent were to bring him down to his own level.

So, you may be wondering by now who this corresponds to: The Democrat/Liberals. The reason I say this is because, like the Joker, they are going with what feels good (and hoping/believing/praying that it will turn out the way they want) and not considering the consequences. How the Joker doused and burned all that money is a direct parallel to what the politicians are doing in DC with their bailouts.

Two Face

Harvey Dent: the somewhat tragic hero-turned-villain of this story. He starts off as a good-guy, driven by Justice and fearless in the face of such dangers. However, his morals/code-of-conduct become impaired to the point where he decides to go on them with the flip of a coin.

This sounds kind of like the Republicans to me; here they are saying and wanting to do good things, but [unlike Harvey] they never capitalize on that and instead let it fizzle out; so, now they decide to stick with some of their ‘easy’ ‘morals’ with a flip of the coin. (Good-economy/bad-economy.)

The thing that set Harvey on the road toward villainy was that he listened to the Joker; buying his consequences-don’t-matter-just-live-in-the-now talk. So, in the end all that Harvey Dent had done was worthless. (Except his [in]discretions were covered up by Gordon and Batman.)

The Boatloads of People

The boatloads of people are us, the general liberal and general conservative, taxpayers… all of us. We’re told by these “powers that be” that we have to fight each other, or rather decide that the others don’t deserve life like we do. In effect, each is holding the other hostage, not even thinking that they can fight back.

Now, what’s interesting is that none of the people on the boats questioned “the voice” that told them the detonators were for the other boats; what if he was lying? Also, what if they weren’t actually detonators, but merely props, while the REAL detonators were on timers in the holds.

(Yes, I realize they weren’t actually there; but nobody questioned the veracity of the ‘terrorist’s’ claims.)

Now, Harvey Dent, talks a bit about Batman at a dinner with Bruce Wayne and actually defends Batman, saying that while he is, technically, a criminal/vigilante that it was really the fault of everyone that he had to exist; in effect, that the people elected him through their inactions and tolerance of evil.

So, who is Alfred? Who is Batman? Who is Gordon? And who is Luscious Fox, who stood up to Batman and said ‘no this is wrong’?

I should like to hope that our military officers are more like Luscious Fox, and willing to give up their powerful position for doing the right thing. (Though he didn’t have to in the end.)

[OneWingedShark]

I guess only time will tell.

[ClearCase_guy]

A lot of people saw Batman as a George Bush character. Yeah, maybe he acts unilaterally, maybe he plays a little rough, maybe he breaks the occasional rule -- but darn it, no one else is saving the world, so he does what has to be done.

Alfred, then, would be a Dick Cheney-like advisor / helper, with lots of worldly experience, and Fox is the know-how of America.

The Joker is more likely to be Islamo-fascism than Obama -- although, of course, this may be a distinction without a difference.

[Sloth]

I also went to see it again today, and I came away with two conclusions:

1.) People who text message during movies should shot in the face, then set on fire. As far as I'm concerned, they're equivalent to Al-Qaeda, except less considerate.

2.) People who bring four-year-olds to see The Dark Knight are morons. They represent the Obama voters.

[OneWingedShark]

>1.) People who text message during movies should shot in the face, then set on fire. As far as
>I’m concerned, they’re equivalent to Al-Qaeda, except less considerate.

I see. Though I’ll trade you, let them live and instead shoot the participants in ACORN, from the guy signing the papers, to the guy getting the signatures, to his supervisor, to the clerk that accepted them... They’re far more harmful than movie-texters, if perhaps less noticeable.

[Sloth]

Or they could all be taken down & let God sort ‘em out.

[tbw2]

The four year olds? Or the parents, too?

[Sloth]

The four-year-olds are Obama and his cabinet. The parents are the voters who ought to know better.

[randomhero97]

1.) People who text message during movies should shot in the face, then set on fire. As far as I'm concerned, they're equivalent to Al-Qaeda, except less considerate.

Dude, this would make a great tag line.

[Future Snake Eater]

It struck me about how there are certain analogies to the characters within politics.

"Would you like to know which ones are cowards?"

[OneWingedShark]

>”Would you like to know which ones are cowards?”

Well, if they’re politicians...

[Future Snake Eater]

Well, if they’re politicians...

Exactly.