The Dark Knight Was Joker really an anarchist?

[samsnee]

He kept saying he wanted disorder and chaos in Gotham. But he definitely did a lot of planning to get there. From the bank heist, to getting captured so he could get Lau out, to blowing the hospital... this isn't something someone can put together in just a week.

So is he really an anarchist or just someone who spouts those theories while manipulating the players?

 

[AnnAsakura]

An anarchist is someone who wants to abolish an authority as considering it useless. The Joker considers that the way these people (schemers) have every little detail planned is a 'pathetic attempt to control things'. He wanted to establish chaos by 'upsetting the established order' and in that way he took control of the situations, as you said, by planing to get caught to get Lau, the mob's money and being the ultimate Gotham's criminal. But what's more important, he planned all that to confuse Batman, and he did. He lied about Rachel and Harvey's location, bringing Harvey 'down to his level' proving that you're a 'hero today and gone tomorrow'. So for me he was a true anarchist, taking power by force through upsetting the established order. And it's true that people freak out when something does not come out as planned.
oh and I forgot, I just think it was genius the way he convinced Harvey. You've got the answer to your question in the hospital scene.But that's just my opinion

 

[Fudgie]

To create anarchy in a whole city ya have to plan out how to cause it. It doesnt just happen.

 

[diggerad]

I think the Joker never let anyone know what he was thinking or why. He has a different story depending on who he talking to that speaks to that person's fear or desire. He was a criminal genius, but never let a single person know what was really going on in that movie.

 

[HisMagicTrick]

In a way he is an anarchist, as AnnAsakura explained, but I’d probably be more likely to label him as a nihilist.

 

[QueenChaos]

An anarchist is one who is against authority/government as already pointed out. He is an anarchist in one sense but that isn't necessarily the ruling mindset influencing his actions. Nihilism certainly does play into this strongly as well, in regards to his view of things.

 

[The Joker]

An anarchist is one who is against authority/government as already pointed out. He is an anarchist in one sense but that isn't necessarily the ruling mindset influencing his actions. Nihilism certainly does play into this strongly as well, in regards to his view of things.

Exactly.

 

[Wolverine1988]

An anarchist is someone who wants to abolish an authority as considering it useless. The Joker considers that the way these people (schemers) have every little detail planned is a 'pathetic attempt to control things'. He wanted to establish chaos by 'upsetting the established order' and in that way he took control of the situations, as you said, by planing to get caught to get Lau, the mob's money and being the ultimate Gotham's criminal. But what's more important, he planned all that to confuse Batman, and he did. He lied about Rachel and Harvey's location, bringing Harvey 'down to his level' proving that you're a 'hero today and gone tomorrow'. So for me he was a true anarchist, taking power by force through upsetting the established order. And it's true that people freak out when something does not come out as planned.
oh and I forgot, I just think it was genius the way he convinced Harvey. You've got the answer to your question in the hospital scene.But that's just my opinion

I agree with everything , but for some reason to this day i have to buy into Joker convincing Harvey, i don't know maybe it's because i have difficult time understanding what he was trying to get across, at one point he was trying to be mischief and confuse him , another point he was straight up and saying he ****ed him over and to take it out on everyone...

IDK that is the one part of the movie that has all had me questioning, it seemed a little to easy to convince Harvey to commit into chaos.

 

[Cobblepot]

He was being sarcastic to Harvey in the hospital scene. He's obviously the grand schemer.

 

[Wolverine1988]

I understand that. but i still had a hard time believing that what he said was able to convince Harvey to give into his dark side and take vengeance.I thought the scene was iconic for sure, but thought he got persuaded a little to easy.

 

[The Joker]

I understand that. but i still had a hard time believing that what he said was able to convince Harvey to give into his dark side and take vengeance.I thought the scene was iconic for sure, but thought he got persuaded a little to easy.

Harvey was already angry and bitter about the whole thing before Joker arrived.

Gordon: "I'm sorry, Harvey"
Harvey: "No. No, you're not. Not yet"

Joker just added fuel to the fire. Harvey was shown to be irrational before, too. Remember when he abducted a suspect in ambulance and terrorized him with a gun in an alley just because Rachel was listed as being Joker's next victim?

 

[HisMagicTrick]

I understand that. but i still had a hard time believing that what he said was able to convince Harvey to give into his dark side and take vengeance.I thought the scene was iconic for sure, but thought he got persuaded a little to easy.

You've also got to remember that Harvey was in agonizing pain. That would only cloud his judgement further and distort his thinking.

 

[redhawk23]

Harvey was pathalogically obsessed with his interpretation of the concept of fairness. Joker pointed out to him the "fairness" inherent to the random actions of chaos. Thats how he appealed to him.