Why We Embraced the Joker?
Bruised Ego | Uncovering the Joker
The movie “Joker,” starring Joaquin Phoenix, has captivated audiences around the globe. I, too, was thoroughly impressed.
But it left me pondering an intriguing question:
Why did we resonate so deeply with the Joker?
Unlike many fictional personas we have seen around, Joker doesn’t embody the archetypal hero.
He neither saves the world nor champions a righteous cause. We do harbor a fascination for villains, but the Joker is unlike most revered antagonists. He doesn’t exude strength or charisma.
So, what draws us to him?
To unpack this, we must delve into the psyche of Arthur Morgan, the man behind the Joker’s menacing smile.
Arthur, who lives with his ailing mother, holds down odd jobs like clowning. Despite trying to bring joy to others, he’s ensnared in his own cloud of misery. Plagued with mental health issues, isolated without friends, and facing societal disdain, Arthur’s life is a confusion of tragedies.
To add insult to injury, he is ridiculed and assaulted. But what compels him to murder? His motive is neither to rectify a flawed system nor convey a grand message to an uncivilized society.
Joker’s driving force is simple yet poignant:
the desire to be noticed.
Each act of violence thrusts him into the limelight.
Society, which once overlooked him, suddenly focuses its gaze upon him. Some fear him, others revere him, but everyone notices him. This validation, however fleeting or distorted, fills the void of neglect Arthur felt. With a mentally unstable mother as his sole pillar of support, and a therapist who barely hears him, Arthur’s desperation for acknowledgment becomes palpable.
And herein lies the root of Joker’s malevolence:
the perils of feeling unseen and undervalued.
Regrettably, this isn’t just a cinematic portrayal. Real-life perpetrators of violence often bear similar tales of feeling marginalized and insignificant.
While they might cloak their actions in ideological justifications, their core intent often mirrors Joker’s:
to gain recognition, to satiate their bruised egos.
So, to revisit the original question — why did we, as viewers, embrace the Joker?
It’s his raw authenticity. He mirrors the pervasive discontent and loneliness many experience. He encapsulates the universal longing for acknowledgment.
The film’s potency, albeit dark and perilous, arises from its unfiltered portrayal of such vulnerabilities. The Joker is not a character one should idolize; advocating violence based on personal grievances is unequivocally condemnable. Yet, his realness is undeniable.
For many, including myself, a genuine, albeit flawed character on screen is far more compelling than an impeccable but inauthentic one.
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