Joker

I watched the "Joker" twice late last year. Twice, because I wanted to understand it better than I would have done by watching only one time; and I also was accompanied by a friend the second time who is quite left-leaning or liberal (though I would not consider her "woke"). Afterwards, we sat together and discussed the movie for quite some hours. As my friend had experienced quite a share of bullying in her life she identified with the Joker character pretty much (like in feeling victimized by peers & society) - at least initially (another friend of hers said later, that the Joker character is not someone to be pitied and she concured). I also experienced bullying in my life, but since a couple of years I do not identify that much with it anymore - probably also due to the Work in relation to this forum. Thus identification with the Joker mostly did not happen in my case. However, in opposite to my friend, I also had the background information given by SOTT and other sources about this film and thus have had more opportunities to define my position in relation to this movie.

My friend also is a very principled person and said, she would not resort to violence in any form in order to "justify herself" and take revenge on society like Arthur Fleck did, thus becoming the Joker. We also discussed other points and aspects of the movie and went home with quite some insights. Later we even talked about possible scenarios like that one: If Arthur Fleck followed opportunities like walking in nature or meditating or joining a choir or whatever, he might have taken another course instead of continuing his life in this destructive bubble or being immersed in the "Mind of Cain" as Jordan Peterson would put it. Especially this kind of exchange made for a pretty inspiring Joker experience, I found.

I also surmised that Joaquin Phoenix would be "anti-woke". And that's why reading about Joaquin Phoenix and his speech was somewhat disappointing - because his attitude seems to run counter to the intention which director Todd Phillipps pursued with this film, as much as I had understood (I even thought Phoenix got involved due to the course Phillipps intended). And that's probably one reason Phoenix fit his role so totally well - if he literally was so much identified with it due to his own attitude. I also wondered if Joaquin Phoenix would have taken a similar course like Arthur Fleck, if he would have been sharing his narrative, conditions of living and history of mental illness.

Just a few thoughts of mine on that recent matter, fwiw :-)
 
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