Watch as Emory Psychologist, Jared Defife, explores how the traumatic events of Bruce Wayne's childhood led him to become Batman and what about the human mind allows for Wayne to turn his worst fears into his greatest strengths.
Every time Batman stops a bad guy, 8-year-old Bruce Wayne avenges his parents, but he can never save them or get them back truly . His Batman persona is the best/worst coping mechanism he has.
True. But the movie version always gets batman wrong. He kills. No. He is always angry. No. He only helps Gotham. No. Why can't movies do the fans justice by giving us the TRUE dc version of the current batman that makes dc money?
Interesting, but in my opinion this misses many points. Batman is not obsessed with vengeance. His goal is justice. He learned this important distinction when he had the opportunity to exact vengeance on the man who killed his parents and missed it. He discovered that, if he had succeeded, vengeance would have turned him into the very things he hated. This distinction between justice and vengeance is also the reason he parted ways with Ra's Al Ghul and the League of Shadows. Ra's asked why Bruce couldn't avenge his parents, and the scene that follows it the explanation why. As Bruce learned from the early events in Batman Begins, justice is about harmony whereas revenge is just about making yourself feel better (conversation with Rachel). And, they are not the same. This distinction forms many of Batmans' philosphies throughout the rest of the trilogy. His "No guns, no killing" (The Dark Knight Rises) exemplifies his continued refusal to become an executioner (Batman Begins). If he kills someone, they can't turn to doing good. His belief that deep down most people are good is integral to everything Batman is and is what starkly contrasts him with the Joker. The Joker's whole aim is to prove that deep down everyone is as ugly as him (Dark Knight). Batman wants to show that Gotham City is full of people "ready to do good" (Dark Knight, same scene). Batman is also not about beating up criminals one at a time. That, of course, is a never-ending battle that can't be won. This is made clear in Bruce's responses to Harvey Dent's comments at dinner with Rachel and the Russian ballerina (Dark Knight). When Harvey talks about how the Batman couldn't possibly want to do this forever, Bruce 's face changes showing he sees in Harvey evidence that the Batman has, at least to a degree, succeeded in inspiring the people of Gotham and clearing the way for an official "with a face" to continue his work. However, Harvey would do it within the legal system. In my opinion, Batman (at least the Christopher Nolan trilogy) is all about showing the people of Gotham that their city doesn't belong to the corrupt (Batman Begins, conversation with Alfred on plane ride back to Gotham). Part of the reasons for "the mask" and the anonymity that it brings with it is that Batman can be anyone (The Dark Knight Rises, talking to Officer Blake). It's not about defeating one villain. It's the "soul of Gotham" that he seeks to save which can only be done by inspiring them. This is what gives him strength to do "what is necessary" and accomplish extraordinary things because it's not about himself. It's about inspiring people to realize that they are not helpless and they can always do good.
He’s interesting in that way. DC is a little more that way in general for their flag ship characters. Bruce Wayne isn’t Batman, Batman is Bruce Wayne. That man puts on his Playboy, care free, socialite jock Bruce Wayne mask, Superman puts on his mild mannered, bumbling, but good natured news reporter mask, WW her regular diplomat mask. Etc etc, but they’re real and true selves come out when their masks are on. Where as with marvel Peter Parker IS Spider-Man, there is no fake persona in Peter. He’s been himself from day one, and Spiderman has been him from day one. Spiderman is just his mask. Tony Stark is completely Ironman, Hell he announced it in the first movie. When you see Spiderman and Iron Man being super heroes, it’s like you should almost forget they’re wearing their costumes, and just imagine Tony Stark and Peter Parker fighting, because that’s who they really are. However is the opposite with superman and Batman, instead it’s when you see Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent going about their daily business and lives, you really should be imagining superman walking around, taking the time to do Mundane things and Lowering himself, you should be seeing Batman going around to parties and pretending he really gives a f about any of his playboy lavish lifestyle, just waiting for night to come so he can continue his actual persona and life.
Untrue. Batman is a symbol. The real Bruce Wayne is hanging out with Alfred and the bat family. Loving, yet still ultimately commited to the mission. Probably just arguing semantics though.
@@mitchellphillips4691 the real Batman decided that instead of becoming a gun-toting jerk, he would just become a nurse. Another Batman just started an only-fans. There is no rule that says if your parents are killed by a jerk, you turn into one. There are options.
The best glimpse of Batman's psychosis is when he's captured by the "Black Mercy", a parasite that makes the victim hallucinate he's living in his ideal utopia, a world of pure happiness where the victim has everything he's ever wanted, while the victim is really unconscious and being slowly devoured. When it captured Superman, Kal-El imagined living on Krypton as an adult, with his living parents, and a Lois look-a-like for a wife - he imagines years living in this world. But Batman? Batman just hallucinated that alley, except his father somehow manages to wrest the gun away from Joe Chill and beats Chill to death, over and over, on repeat, for eternity.
Bruce ... He is broken on the inside , His soul is torn by the weaklings he calls "parents" and he has no one , he is alone . And when he is alone , I will take everything he loves , burn the bridges of morality that he tried so hard to build .. And when he sees that he failed this city , and everything he loves and cherishes is gone , only then will I give him permission to die .
Going through all that effort, all that hard work, just to bully and mentally hurt one single man? Seems like someone has too much time on his hands, Mr. Dorrance. ;)
Bat-Phobia is only in the movies. Batman in the Comics never had or will have a Bat-Phobia. It was a Bat that flew threw a window of the Wayne Manor when Bruce was trying to figure out what Symbol he would eventually use to strike fear into the hearts of criminals.
And that's why Bruce Wayne/Batman is the biggest gangsta of all the comics. I don't think the original creator even intended for there to be such a deep development of batman's character but because of being such a huge fan favorite I think it was the writers who listened to the people and that helped to develop Batman over the years. Because DC fans feel a connection between his town identity. On one hand most everyone lives a life almost expected of them day in and day out but in reality they long to be the one who's mysterious and powerful. Unique and brilliant. All while being no more than a mortal man. It's the fact that he is all those things and more... yet still a human being like the rest.
He fights a neverending battle on crime. Note NEVERENDING. Before or After Batman or Bruce Wayne, there will still be crime. So why does he fight something that is endless?My take is that subconsciously, every crime he solves or involves he truly he punishing himself for that night he failed his folks. Punishment by immersing in it and coming back to it again and again and again.
It’s an obsession but it’s not a “never ending” battle if “the Batman” doesn’t die. Bruce Wayne is only human and will die but there is a 2099 Batman, a 31st century Batman, a 55th century Batman as a character each of them fit into a larger puzzle 🧩 so Bruce Wayne’s immediate goal is futile but the idea of Batman isn’t futile because DC canon says there’s an “end of time” Batman as well so yes crime lasts forever but so did the myth, fact and implementation of “the Batman” persona. So in truth was his crusade really wrong, misjudged or impossible to achieve?
@Emory University, as a big fan of Popular Culture, I had to give your video a watch and thought it was really cool how you incorporated Psychology and Batman with one another. Great stuff!
Burton Nolan BTAS Adam West Comics (Post-Crisis) Comics (Classic) There's at least a half-dozen different major versions of Batman. That's, what, an hour or so at least? And that's not including Superfriends and Batman Beyond.
EGRJ Ya, but Nolan's Batman, is not really Batman, he only dresses like him. In my opinion, the Dark knight series was amazing, but the only thing it did justice to in reference to the comics was the Joker.
Batman is more than just comics. I didn't even mention the Arkham games. Also, the Joker was radically different from most comic incarnations. Which isn't to say he was a bad character, but I do find your reasoning inconsistent.
EGRJ How is my reasoning inconsistent? And the heart of who Batman is, comes from the comics, and the Arkham games followed that mind set very well. Nolan didn't, he didn't show Bruce's true nature. Any true Batman fan would understand that. I'm not saying it's wrong or bad, just different. It'd be like me labeling an apple as an orange and saying they're the same. Neither one is bad, but that apple sure isn't a fucking orange is it? Haha
This is an insightful and thought provoking analysis, thank you for that. It's a joy to find meaningful work done to use these characters to communicate important psychological and other scientific concepts. An interesting way to teach a subject, to be sure, so I sometimes like to view these characters as models of human personality traits and cognitive output. However, I do have one detail to point out that may or may not play a role: in the film, young Bruce's fear prompted his parents to leave the show early which may have set up the timeline for the rest of the events to take place, which in turn may fuel or propel that less healthy cycle of obsession. i.e. 'If I wasn't afraid of these bats, my parents might still be alive or at least not have been murdered in the streets." I'm not sure how much of a role it would play for him, but it seemed worth mentioning. Some other thoughts I've been toying with: If you incorporate Myers Briggs typing, Batman seems very INTJ like, while Bruce Wayne wears this seemingly faux extroversion like a depressed ENTJ. The duality of personality and/or mind does seem to be present for most of the main characters in DC universe.
This is an interesting analysis but one has to question how well this psychologist understand Batman. He starts by saying that becoming Batman has lead Bruce Wayne to become withdrawn and dissociated from himself but I think many can argue, more favorably, that Batman is the manifestation of Bruce Wayne. Before his parents death, Bruce was this happy charismatic young boy, but upon the murder of his parents he changes. He is enveloped by this determination and obsession to become a terrifying figure to the criminal underworld. Personally, I believe, as other do as well, that Batman is the true persona of Bruce Wayne and the playboy billionaire is the facade. What I find more interesting than the dual personality of Batman is, if interpreted in a real world sense, the danger he so casually puts himself and others in. It has been argued that without a Robin, Batman would probably die in a fire fight because he doesn't have someone to look out for; he would just casually throw his life in the way of bullet in his attempt to exact his vengeance upon those he hates. In short, Robin keeps Batman alive. This is evidenced by the death of Jason Todd where Batman became increasingly violent and narrow minded, no longer being the cool, calculating menace we all know. Tim Drake noticed this as well and decided to take it upon himself to become the next Robin and in a sense, save Batman's life. Well, I guess it's a good thing this doesn't need to be interpreted in a real world sense. A real world Joker would be terrifying.
do you think he identifies more with his Batman persona, because Bruce Wayne was helpless and could not save his parents, and as Batman he feels more empowered, like Batman is someone who can save people, even somewhere in his psyche that Batman could have saved his parents?
I am a beloved fan "DC Comics" fiction superhero "Batman". Bruce Wayne turns into The Dark Knight by tragedy. Bruce Wayne motivate me every time by Being Batman. Bruce Wayne teaches us how to do positive use of grief by being Batman. Bruce Wayne teaches Us fight with the adverse situation for getting justice and help to needy people. Thanks to DC Comics and Bob Kane and Bill Finger to gave birth such as a superhero as Batman. Special thanks to Christopher Nolan for making superhero film series such as " The Dark Knight Trilogy". The video is great, I am a beloved fan of Batman.
I agree up to the point that you said Bruce looks for father figures. I think the opposite, he does his best to become a father figure to those in need of one; most noticeably his 'sons' Dick Grayson, Jason Todd and Tim Drake (Demon child doesn't count as Bruce IS his father). As well as characters such as Cassie Cain and Steph Brown, whose own fathers are pretty crappy, and personally, besides Jason, I think his done a pretty awesome job for someone who is 'bad' at personal relationships.
not going too deep with the definition of Post Traumatic Stress as in the DSM. Post Traumatic Stress can be defined as a Core Belief Crushing Mental health injury (rather than using the word illness) Young Bruce was traumatised by the Death of his Parents. that core belief of Safety was shattered. Children over amplify their roles in events and Bruce's thoughts that it was his fault that he wasn't strong enough, good enough to stop the criminal in someway that night and it displays in his pursuit of disciplines and knowledge during his younger days before he came to the image of Batman. the suit gives him anonymity and helps him to use his training without restraint (up to the point of his strong moral code) also to strike fear and throw that Safety issue back onto the elements that took that away from him. In someways Bruce has gone through Post Traumatic Growth by rebuilding his core beliefs and values that were damaged and also creating a new life for himself. Many people have gone through traumatic events, any event in our lives changes us but in the cases such as trauma it defines a part in us that creates change so dramatic that people around us see us as almost entirely different people. In reality, many people do not have billions of dollars to help them on their "crusades"; they find ways to "hit back" they become dedicated to a new purpose and a new life and begin to rebuild their mental resilience through the new challenges that lie ahead because of their trauma and never wanting to go back or see another person face the aftermath of things similar alone like they did. if you would like a similar example of a real person look at Theodore Roosevelt and how he changed after his wife and mother died.
I do feel like both personas of himself aren't his actual self in the Christopher Nolan films, but in the comics and other stuff Batman is his real personality and he only has one persona he uses
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. Viktor E. Frankl Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth. Oscar Wilde
4:13 woah did not expect this..... i always was afraid of hights and cramped spaces, but ended up in spelological socioty/club where you can find prety amazing hights or pretty cramped spaces......that went alright, but still im afraid but im fighting it :D
Although I love the scholarly thought that you're giving to the character, I don't think their is sufficient evidence (in the film at least, my only knowledge of Batman) that he has created the Batman persona as some kind of way to avoid being Bruce Wayne and avoid dealing with Bruce Wayne's relationships. Similarly, I don't agree that he has 'disassociated' on a subconscious level; becoming Batman isn't becoming a different character, its evolving his original character into a new way of being.
The DCAU version created by Bruce Timm is a prime example of this. By Batman Beyond Wayne is a bitter, lonely old man who has pushed everyone away until Terry McGinnis comes along.
Testament to how convoluted batman's psychology is, the video dissecting Gatsby, one of the most symbolical and complicated characters in literature (right up there with edmond dantes in my opinion) is a full minute shorter... lol
slashandbones13 PTSD and childhood detachment disorders. If you look up push traumatic stress disorder and childhood detachment disorder and know the qualifications for it and then watch how Sam and Dean act in a series you would realize that they have the traits that are qualified for PTSD and childhood detachment disorder.
Batman decides to adopt kids and instead of teaching them to cope healthily with the loss of their parents and/or situation he teaches them how to break bones and fight crime at night. He's endangering them kids even though he teaches them to handle themselves against bad guys, it's still child endangerment. And with all that money he doesn't get psychological help at all like he doesn't want to smile or laugh.
He's obviously emotional scarred, his personality is more schiziod. As he tends to be alone most of time. He only comes out as a bat. He's also a sensation seeker actually a thrill seeker. He's also rich and his lifestyle is all about power, even when he's dressed as Bruce Wayne. He's literally an image, and idea. He's a nightmare. Nothing else.
Im almost afraid to watch this. I read a pinterest post a while back about batman and how the entire thing was just in his mind and drove him crazy really being in a lnsane asylum. Is it okay? The video I mean?
Wrong. There are 2 Bruce Wayne. The social one, and the real one. Two different persons. And then there is Batman. This is worthless. Just generic mumbo jumbo.
Short story my parent got killed and i wanted revenge, choose not to kill the person because i am better than that, now i am jumping from building to building taking down Criminal making them fear the Knight (see what i did there) and why because IM BATMAN!!
Here is my psychoanalysis Batman/Bruce Wayne has dealt with his situation really well..., Let me put it this way Lex Luthor Craps himself When it comes down to a match with Batman.
Batman is parallel to Darth Vader; the two suffered great amount of trauma. Yes the two are vastly different but they have one thing in common they both use their personas to mask what truly happened to them. Batman is Bruce Wayne just as much Darth Vader is Anakin.
