What the Joker film Controversy Says About the Changes in Our American Culture
As art imitates life, what can we learn from this, if anything?
On October 4th, Joker was released to much fanfare, and equally as much public scrutiny. It was truly a victory for Warner Bros. and DC as far as reviews and the revenue it generated and even earned a Golden Globe for Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal, but the movie’s depictions managed to drum up some controversy. The film tells the story of Arthur Fleck, an aspiring comedian struggling with mental health issues and poverty. Throughout the film he experiences the worst of society through bullying and isolation as every attempt to reach out and connect with someone goes unanswered. Arthur’s experiences catalyze his descent into madness as his psyche degenerates into the ‘Joker’ persona he embodies by the end of the movie.
The movie’s visceral portrayal of violence has provoked many to speak against the film and highlight it’s possible repercussions in our society. Many were quick to point out that the film may inspire someone who’s already on the edge of sanity, to commit a violent act. Others who defend the film argue that it’s not the intention of the filmmakers to uphold or promote such violent behavior, and seeing as the Joker is historically a violent villain, the violence is not misplaced within the context of the film. However, its not simply the presence of violence that has people nervous, but rather how that violence interacts with Arthur and his journey through the story.
It all intertwines to not only serve the evolution of the character but it also manages to display a very dark perspective that is very present in our society. Whether unintentional or not, Arthur Fleck has many similarities to individuals who commit large acts of violence. He serves as representation for these individuals and representation can be empowering, albeit not always in positive ways. Arthur as a character speaks directly to the isolated loner who may feel wronged by society and has the potential to lash out violently. Scenes of Arthur feeling confident and empowered after not taking his medication and committing acts of violence might resonate with someone in the wrong way. And I think that’s where the discomfort that fuels the criticism is stemming from. The mere presence of violence isn’t what bothered people. It’s the interaction of different elements of the movie such as Arthur’s character development and how violence plays a role in eventually culminating in a very public act of murder that sparked violent riots throughout Gotham, and even going so far as to show Arthur being saved from the cops and revered by the public for his gruesome acts.
But where does this concern come from? And why is it present? The film premiered world wide, but hasn’t elicited this kind of concern from people abroad, so why were Americans particularly put off in this way? Of course the answer is clear; the prevalence of mass shootings in the country is an obvious factor, but the public’s reaction pointed to something else happening within our society. The subtle enmeshment of mass shootings within our culture is becoming more and more obvious.
Culture is a highly adaptable expression of society that tends to integrate any long standing phenomena into itself. Mass shootings have existed in our country for longer than some may realize. The very first mass murder was committed in 1949, and unknowingly served as the herald for what was to come later on. The psychological profile of the perpetrator of this incident largely serves as the template for ‘lone wolf’ mass shooters to this day. The number of large scale shootings in America have only increased since then, and there seems to be no sign of measures being taken to try to prevent these tragedies from happening. Federal response to the mass shooting epidemic has left much to be desired and consequently our American culture has been left with an untreated, festering wound to adapt itself around.
Back in August 2019, it was reported that a high school in Michigan is undergoing $48M renovations that are designed to frustrate school shooters and optimize the chances of survival in case of a shooting. A school taking measures to better protect students and staff is not a bad thing in itself, however this clearly serves as an indication of where our future is headed. Speaking to ABC13 about the renovations, Fruitport Superintendent Bob Szymoniak said, “These are going to be design elements that are just naturally part of buildings going into the future.” Being faced with the possibility that mass shootings will be a permanent part of our future and daily lives is a terrifying thought. It brings up not only concerns for physical safety, but also mental health.
The constant threat of a shooting continuously looming over everyone has already been seen back in early August 2019 when hundreds of people in Time Square started running in a panic after hearing a motorcycle backfire several times and mistook it for gunshots. The incident made it abundantly clear that Americans are on edge, but the lack of action on the government’s part shows a scary amount of indifference toward this deadly phenomenon.
As the mass shooting epidemic is left to permeate within our country, it becomes more and more enculturated. Rather than being a single incident in memory, it’s instead a constant stream of mass trauma that continues to affect our public consciousness. It’s reasonable to see why a movie like Joker would rub people the wrong way or stir up some anxiety. However, another effect of the continual occurrence of mass shootings is the desensitization to these acts. Shootings are reaching a certain status of commonality that has some people becoming numb, but not from a lack of sensitivity but rather an attempt to protect oneself from emotional pain. It’s scary to imagine what effect this could have on mental health decades from now. With each new shooting comes an aspect of normalization that encourages the next shooter. We’ve been at this critical point in our country where we must choose to act and move forward or stay still. Because the longer we wait, the more enculturated it gets. And the more enculturated it gets, the more difficult it will be to cut out.
