SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
from the some-people-just-can't-take-a-joker dept.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/fbi-monitor-violent-online-threats-light-joker-premiere/story?id=66031356
The FBI has received tips of threatening posts on social media calling for "unspecific mass shootings" linked to the release of the new psychological thriller, "Joker," starring Oscar-nominated actor Joaquin Phoenix that will hit theaters this Friday, according to a joint intelligence bulletin obtained by ABC News.
These threats have been circling online platforms since at least May 2019, but give no information indicating specific or credible threats to particular locations or venues, the bulletin said.
Some of the threats did contain references to a primarily online group called the involuntary celibate community, or Incels, and a subset that refers to itself as "Clowncels." However, the intelligence community doesn't necessarily regard the group as a whole as a violent one.
"While many Incels do not engage in violence, some within the community encourage or commit violent acts as retribution for perceived societal wrongdoing against them," the bulletin said. "Some Incel attackers have claimed inspiration from previous mass shooters."
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Phoenix666 on Friday October 04 2019, @11:28PM (6 children)
Joker is only the logical next step in what has been done to bend and debase the superhero genre over the last couple of decades. When I was a kid, superheroes were archetypes, avatars of honor and morality that you were supposed to look up to and take inspiration from in the hard slog of life. When you would want them to put the bad guys down or blast them to smithereens, they would arrest them and turn them in to the police to let justice take its course.
Now, they're exactly like the villains, egotists with powers and interests, never principles or convictions. So why wouldn't daring filmmakers decide to skip the heroes altogether and jump straight to the villains?
Dimestore psychology would say it probably has to do with how eschatological many in the world are feeling right now, but personally it's exhausting to wallow in darkness without ever looking for a glimmer of light. It's nihilism, and nihilism gets very tedious, very quickly.
Superheroes were heroes not because of how strong they were or how strong their powers were, but first and foremost how strong their character was. The powers and abilities were merely instruments to help them make the world a better place. I would like to see that come back.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 05 2019, @01:13AM
As long as I can be a mad scientist, I would rather be a supervillain.
"So, Lone Starr, now you see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 05 2019, @04:18AM
The Arrowverse's finest would be relevant to your interests.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Arik on Saturday October 05 2019, @05:16AM (3 children)
I can't really agree. I mean, yes, that was one current.
But like any young boy growing up poor in the 70s, I read comics when I could get them. I read a lot of them. But the first one that I really became a fan of, the first one that I would save my chore money up to buy the moment they showed at the local store, was Batman and the Outsiders. [wikipedia.org]
Not exactly the simplistic morality play crap you're talking about.
That statement confuses me. True of the stuff I read. Not true of the stuff it sounds like you were reading. Superman was always about the good guy just being overwhelmingly superior to his opponents. They struggled every episode to make some drama out of a situation where there was none.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Saturday October 05 2019, @01:46PM (2 children)
And that's the contempt for ideals like honor, integrity, justice, order, discipline, and the like that has enabled the slide into depravity. "Simplistic morality play crap." That's all it is to you and others. The truth is, upholding those virtues is hard, incredibly hard, in a world filled with people who think such things are silly, stupid, naive, or a waste of time. But it is those virtues that civilization is built on. Without them, you have Somalia.
Well, first, I didn't read it because I never had money for comic books, you insensitive clod. But I watched TV and movies that came on TV. Batman was very much as I described. Superman had powers, but his challenge was to use them with restraint and only when absolutely necessary; he didn't run around as Superman all the time and hid his true identity. If his character was conceived of today he'd be permanently in his cape, smoking a stogie, scoring with chicks, and kicking anyone's ass who looked at him funny.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by Arik on Saturday October 05 2019, @07:02PM (1 child)
But 'simplistic morality play crap' isn't really upholding those principles. It isn't really preparing the reader for how hard that will be. It's just giving the reader a dreamworld, a fantasy to hide in.
The Outsiders, and other grittier titles, were not about throwing the principles out the door, but about acknowledging and illustrating just how difficult it could become to live by those principles. Particularly in the face of an establishment that will always be against you regardless.
"Superman had powers, but his challenge was to use them with restraint and only when absolutely necessary; he didn't run around as Superman all the time and hid his true identity."
Yeah, he put on a suit and some glasses. What a brilliant disguise!
One of many reasons I could never take that character seriously. Everyone he interacts with must be blind. That's not a disguise, it's just a change of clothes.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 05 2019, @08:48PM
You would be surprised. People who've never seen me without my glasses don't recognize me when I wear contacts. People who've only ever seen me in business contexts don't recognize me when I'm dressed casually. Clothes and bearing are a very large part of how we recognize people, and even a small change will trick those who aren't looking closely.