Poll: do you think there is a place in society for a REAL dark knight?

[Ruedyn]

There's a place for him, six feet under! Cause you know he'd be dead... seemed funnier in my head :\

OT: I live in a middle class area, and the closest thing to a gang we have around here is some high schoolers who don't do anything but insult people and drink liquor.

 

[zehydra]

No, because they wouldn't stay anonymous for long, and at least around here, once his identity was found out, he'd be dead within a week.

Let's put it this way, about 20 years ago, a snitch got caught and they found her on a bridge raped, murdered, and with her breast and hands cut off.

Jesus Christ, where do you live?!

 

[JaceArveduin]

No, because they wouldn't stay anonymous for long, and at least around here, once his identity was found out, he'd be dead within a week.

Let's put it this way, about 20 years ago, a snitch got caught and they found her on a bridge raped, murdered, and with her breast and hands cut off.

Jesus Christ, where do you live?!

Oklahoma. She was a local going under cover, usually not a good idea around these parts because everybody at least knows the families. Yeah, even before the mill went out, drugs were one of the largest exports. And getting caught by the drug lords for being a snitch is a good way to get an example made of you.

Might have been longer than 20 years ago though, can't remember, it's been awhile since mom told me about it. Though I do remember that she met some people in NC when she was at college that went rafting down Glover and almost got shot when they stumbled into someone's pot patch for lunch.

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

You'd need the supervillians who are stupid enough to give away their plans. So should there be someone like the Riddler calling me telling me cryptically where he's going to strike, I'd be willing to take him on.

 

[Paradoxrifts]

Who we really need is.. AQUAMAN!

Once a common crook has had their asses kicked by Aquaman they'll be so ashamed that it actually happened that they will move elsewhere.

 

[Something Amyss]

the legal and justice system which is often not harsh enough on criminals.

LOL. Well played, sir.

The Dark Knight is a monster. Most interpretations of Batman don't even have good intentions.

Further, the Nolan Batman movies maybe should have taught you something. Especially the Dark Knight, since Batman is responsible for creating both the villains in that one. Maybe a lesson?

Aw, who am I kidding? Civilian vigilantes/terrorists for the win!

 

[Something Amyss]

Besides, Batman isn't very good at stopping crimes anyway. Hell, he seems to create more criminals than he ever permanently stops.

Yep, as was the point of the Dark Knight. For every vigilante willing to push back against crime, there will be a villain able to push harder. And in the end, they're both criminals.

Not only that, but in the escalation, EVERYONE loses.

 

[Unsilenced]

Nope. Batman's use is debatable in the comics, and in real life he'd be even worse. For one thing, the "no kill" thing just wouldn't fly, and he'd have to go after people who had escaped the legal system, I.E those who had not been convicted.

What you end up with is a guy who murders people without enough evidence to even put them in jail.

Fuck that.

 

[AwesomeWunderbar]

No. Because once a "Hero" rises a "villain" will too.

You asked in my area so no. I live in Canada a relatively safe place and pretty good with keeping the crime rates low. I also live in a more rural area of Canada so crime is even lower.

Not to mention we would find out pretty quickly who the nut job in the tights and mask is.

 

[Stryc9]

*SNIP*

Nice avatar. Foamy be with you.

OT: No, there's not place for it. We already have people like "Phoenix Jones" in Seattle who do this shit, they dress up in their stupid costumes and go out and stick their noses into dangerous situations and generally tend to make things worse than they already were. Also, George Zimmerman, I think that's all that needs to be said about that.

It's one thing for a random civilian to step in and help someone in trouble when they happen to be passing by or are in the same place or whatever. It's something entirely different when you have someone who willingly goes out of their way to inject themselves into a situation and they end up making it worse and getting themselves and others injured or killed.

Just go look on Youtube at some of "Phoenix Jones'" videos and take a good look at his "sidekicks" two guys in street clothes wearing ski masks. They look like comic book thugs, and it's a wonder that one or both of them haven't been severely injured by someone who mistook them for a mugger or robber even though they were with a guy who dresses up as a pseudo-batman.

 

[TheNaut131]

I'll use my favorite line from Misfits to answer this question.

"You lot? Superheroes? No offense, but in what fucked up world would that be allowed to happen?"

Seriously, this person would have to dedicate their life to this, constantly be ready to spring into action, maintain their skills, never have their identity revealed, somehow keep up with their own real life responsibilities, not get in the way of law enforcement...oh, and not be fucking insane.

And that's IF they had superpowers.

Vigilantes just aren't effective forms of law enforcement.

And I highly doubt my neighborhood needs any of that.

 

[Saucycarpdog]

You kinda can be a vigilante in modern times.

It's called being a detective. You have super noticing skills and super reasoning to solve crimes. And most detectives work only under contract for the police. So, your not technically a police officer.

I know there's probably some holes in that but I'm tired right now.

 

[Webb5432]

Sadly, I have to say no. The problem is the relationship between the legal system and crime, not whether or not we need a vigilante running the streets. Now, I live in Canada, in one of the more crime-laden cities of Saskatchewan, and I would not find that a masked vigilante going around killing the guilty would do any good. All it starts is a witch hunter from the gangs and thugs seeking revenge, who hunt through their victims or potential victims looking for the culprit. The legal system would not be solved or avoided, as the vigilante's mess would still be left to the same system. You don't go making a salad taste better by hiding it away from hungry mouths. What I see in the concept of a dark knight is that people are trying to hide the flaws of the legal system by making a character that can operate outside the legal system, thereby making the legal system inconsequential or unneeded. You don't fix any problem by ignoring it, especially one that is an theoretical entity that is incapable of ageing, thought, or coming to its own conclusions. If the cops were all vigilantes, the legal system would just be as fucked up in a hundred years as it is now because no one will pay it any attention.

Good question, though.

 

[Reginald]

Vigilante justice is fine in small doses.

Let's put it this way, about 20 years ago, a snitch got caught and they found her on a bridge raped, murdered, and with her breast and hands cut off.

Holy shit on a stick, where the hell did that happen?

 

[Korolev]

I live in Algester, Brisbane. There is absolutely no place near here that as a high crime rate.

As for there being a place for a "dark knight" - no. Batman is fictional. No one, NO ONE could do the stuff he does or do it with anywhere near the accuracy or the talent. Anyone who tried to ape Batman in real life would either 1) Get killed or 2) Kill others.

Batman never kills - but that's because he's a fictional character. All those punches and kicks he does in the films? In real life, they have a chance of killing someone. Your brain is pretty fragile, and you can develop a cerebral hemorrhage just from hitting the concrete with your head. Given the amount of thugs Batman has punched and knocked down, I can guarantee you in real life, at least one of them would have died due to head trauma.

Batman's actions in real life would almost certainly result in deaths - deaths he would claim are justified, but how are we to know? The Justice System is in place because we can't trust (or shouldn't trust) authorities and their word. Cops can be crooked, you know.

Now, we trust Batman because we've seen his backstory, have access to his inner thoughts in the comics, and can see all his actions..... because he's a fictional character on paper/TV/Film. If someone in real life decided to do the stuff he did, how would you know he was on the level? How would you know that he was as good as he says he is? You can't.

Justice needs to be ordered and needs checks and balances, otherwise you're just letting self-proclaimed "protectors" do whatever the hell they want in the name of their version of "Justice". That's why vigilantism is illegal, and should be illegal.

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

It's not the same as Batman, but it's close enough.


I learned about this guy after watching an interview with him on Half in the Bag. The video I've linked I'd not seen before I Googled it and OHGOD THE EDITING HOW DO YOU AMERICANS WATCH THIS NEWS IT'S UNBEARABLE but besides that I think it gives you a pretty good idea what a real life "dark knight" might take the form of.

 

[TwiZtah]

I would endorse the shit out of a dark knight, and hope he isn't some pansy-ass "I don't want to kill anyone".

 

[dangoball]

Eh, no.

First of all - power corrupts. And if you have someone who thinks him/herself above legal system, you can make a safe bet that sooner or later said person will cross the line of what even most pro-vigilantes consider acceptable.
Second - even if he/she started of sane (not likely) and with good intention, said person would sooner or later go completely nuts. Most likely paranoid, seeing criminals at every corner.
Last - combine First and Second and you have a wonderful shit-storm in your friendly neighborhood.

Anyway, you haven't seen/read Death Note, have you?

Well said.


Edit: Yay! 100th post

 

[xshadowscreamx]

i fully endorse vigilatnism.....