When the scourge of injustice overwhelmed Bruce Wayne, he dedicated his life to fighting it. He poured every resource at his disposal into his crusade for justice. He sacrificed fortune, comfort, and safety for a cause much greater than himself. You are nothing like Batman.
Batman has no mob.
Remember when you and thousands of strangers took to the streets to oppose injustice with widespread lawlessness? Batman never did that. In fact, the mob was usually the enemy. The mob was made up of “bad guys.” If you were a member of the mob, Batman would eventually punch you in the face.
Batman does research.
Remember all the times you’ve made decisions about good and evil based on something you read on your Twitter feed? Batman never did that. He never punched anyone in the face because of a Facebook meme. Batman always made sure who the bad guys were before he went to war. He didn’t rely on third-party opinions to determine his enemies.
Batman doesn’t profit.
Remember when you broke into Target and stole a television? Batman never did that. The battle against evil always cost Batman something. His payment for protecting the citizens of Gotham was broken bones and loneliness. At no point did he feel entitled to reparations.
Batman takes no credit.
Remember when you blacked-out your Facebook profile to let everybody know you’re awesome? Batman never did that. He didn’t make decisions based on how many “likes” it would earn. He didn’t have a sign in his yard that said, “A Hero Lives Here.” Most of the world doesn’t know who he is.
Batman discriminates correctly.
Remember when you blamed “white people” for the suffering of “black people” because you think skin color reveals something about a person’s character? Batman never did that. He identified the “bad guys” by their actions, not their physical appearance. He never punched any faces based on their melanin level.
Batman punches bad guys, not good guys.
You know how you sit in the safety of your house and demand the entire police force be shutdown? Batman never did that. He understood that bad guys are often mixed together with good guys. And because he discriminates correctly, Batman never said, “Punch them all and let God sort them out.” Rather than dismantling the whole group of people who were often his allies, Batman brought bad cops to justice.
It is wise to count the cost before deciding to become a hero. Heroism is only attractive if you’re naive. Bringing about justice is A LOT harder than just wearing a cape; or posting your opinion on social media.
If you prefer a real life role model, look to Jesus. He lived a perfect hero’s life. He always spoke truth. He never profited personally. He never backed down from a fight. He died an innocent man so that guilty people could come to God. Batman never did that.
