cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/50513851

Without Batman, only about 38 percent of passengers stood up for the pregnant woman. With Batman, that number leapt to roughly 67 percent. More than two-thirds of riders suddenly remembered they were human beings capable of empathizing with others.

And all it took was the presence of a semi-fascist but admittedly still quite cool lunatic dressed like a bat whose concept of justice begins and ends at beating the s—t out of people with severe mental health issues.

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[–] 17 points 11 months ago* (2 children)

Especially true for pregnant women.

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  • [–] 13 points 11 months ago (4 children)

    "Lots of people are selfish shitheads unless they think there may be immediate consequences for them acting like shitheads" is a well-worn observation on human nature, and is not especially new. Just watch how people drive for the next few miles after they spot a cop on the interstate as an example.

    The fact that apparently these people can't quite separate the fictional concept of Batman with reality, i.e. the threat of real-world consequences, is somewhat novel. Not especially encouraging, but novel.

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  • [–] 8 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 child)

    Nobody thought that some guy dressed as Batman was the actual character, or that he had any authority over them. But the idea of Batman, or any other well-known inspirational character, is very real.

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  • [–] 6 points 11 months ago

    You misinterpreted the study, from what I gather. It's not a threat that influences their actions, it's more an awakening from the torpor of commuting, and an inspirational figure.

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  • [–] 10 points 11 months ago* (3 children)

    "Severe mental health issues" is being rather flippant with batmans rouges gallery. Most are mass murders, many on the genocidal side at that.

    Beating someone to stop them killing tens/hundreds/thousands/millions is pretty easy moral math, no matter how many times it happens.

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago

    Beating someone to stop them killing tens/hundreds/thousands/millions is pretty easy moral math, no matter how many times it happens.

    Well, lets hooe we see Batman beating on the orange cheeto soon. An estimated 600,000 kids have died since the suspension of USAid

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  • [–] 9 points 11 months ago (4 children)

    Now they need to use other characters and see who's the best known/most inspiring! How would Spider-Man rate?

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  • [–] 8 points 11 months ago (3 children)

    He's a local so not as special.

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  • [–] 3 points 11 months ago (2 children)
  • [–] 6 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    Yes, that Batman...

    I'm pretty completely sure it was in fact not that Batman.

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  • [–] 4 points 11 months ago

    This must be what people at church feel when they must behave on Sunday after the invisible man in the sky was watching them.

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  • 13 comments in c/wildfeed@sh.itjust.works view that post
    [–] 15 points 11 months ago

    This is the human version of having a plastic hawk on a tree to scare away pigeons.

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  • [–] 6 points 11 months ago*

    Oh, it's the study from the meme.

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  • [–] 4 points 11 months ago (1 child)

    I remember when Batman, after I didn't give up my place to a pregnant woman, beat the shit out of me in an alleyway, while scolding me screaming.

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  • [–] 5 points 11 months ago (8 children)

    How's about an AI robot dressed up as Batman ?

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  • [–] 3 points 11 months ago (4 children)

    Now there the version of Robocop I want to see. We release a bunch of robots into public places. Except they're not there to enforce law; they're there to enforce politeness. If they see you being rude, they won't arrest you. They'll just beat you senseless. Everyone will be extremely polite to one another, terrified of setting off the manners-enforcing robots.

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago (3 children)

    Musk has said that instead of prisons they should release everyone but force them to have of robot stalkers enforcing good behavior.

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  • [–] 3 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    You sure he said that? That's ripped straight from slap drones in the Culture novels.

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 child)

    I'd believe it. He's a sci fi nerd, all his ideas are ripped from popular novels.

    edit: could be legit: https://electrek.co/2025/11/06/elon-musk-says-let-criminals-out-of-prison-and-give-them-a-robot-stalker-instead/

    Electrek reportedly broke the story but they're not a great source.

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