Superheroes and Social Justice

Batman, Superman, and Catholic Social Teaching: Seeking Justice

I was worried that my students wouldn't be interested in a discussion on Justice.  They've heard it before and their textbook is rather wooden.  I had enjoyed great success with comic-book analogies in other classes so today I took a chance and did a discussion on Justice through the lens of superheroes.

I began class by writing 'justice' on the board.  The class groaned.  I chuckled,  "I don't want to hear ypur definition of justice," I said, "neither do I want a textbook definition.  I want to hear, according to you, what Batman's definition of justice is."

And we were off.  Batman seems to believe in good and tries to help people by saving them from criminals.  He does believe some people are evil and must be stopped.

Does he believe in legal justice?  He doesn't kill but rather leaves criminals tied up for the police.  It is legal in the US to stop a crime in progress.  However, you are required to identify yourself and testify as to your conduct.  Batman hides his identity.  Furthermore, he breaks the law by using illegal equipment, conducting illegal searches, even beating up people for information.  Thus he has some idea of justice that is beyond the law.

Superman seems to uphold the law and encourages good citizenship.  Again he conceals his identity and perhaps doesn't adhere to certain legal restrictions on travel.  Most often though, he responds to legal authorities.  However, would superman obey an unjust law?  He seems to believe there is more to justice than legal justice.

Is there such a thing as an unjust law?  I gave the example of the legal sale of water rights by a government to a corporation.  Locals may be unable to access their water or have it sold back to them at inflated prices.  We the church believe that all human beings have a natural dignity and are therefore entitled as a right to access the basic resources needed to survive.  Water, for instance, might better be considered the property of all people than of a government.

So we got to thinking about distributive justice.  It's fair if we all have equal access to resources, that seems just.  However, said one student, what about super powers.  Why should some have access to them and others not?

If we all had powers, another student replied, some of us would be heroes but many of us would be villains.

"I'd be a villain," I said, "just look at my beard."

My example was that mere distributive fairness was insufficient for justice.  Suppose one person had a broken leg and among the ten of us we had one wheelchair.  Strict distributive justice gives us all equal access... perhaps we'd each use the wheelchair one tenth of the time.  This seems unfair because the one with the broken leg has a greater need.

At this point I had to break and look through my notes for a second.  I asked the class who would win in a fight, Batman or Superman.  There was a moment of silence, then a quick eruption as factions broke out.  Every class I've ever been in has become fierce and passionate on this issue.  I think perhaps the two heroes are a reflection of who we identify with and what we admire about ourselves.  Anyway, it's totally Batman :)

I also described commutative justice.  This basically means the fair assigning of the use of goods and services.  It's not purely distributive but rather involves giving and getting and trading by using our freedom.  Two dollars for a loaf of bread.  The free market works this way and gives us easier access to many things.

I brought up the moral problem of someone be stranded and starving.  I might sell him the loaf of bread for ten thousand dollars.  If he has the money, it might be worth it for him.  But something about the example doesn't seem fair.  So too, the free market can prevent the poor from accessing basic necessities to the benefit of the rich.  I don't propose we abandon the free market... but something greater than commutative, legal, or distributive justice is needed.

Social justice is interesting because it tries to change the conditions of society that lead to problems.  For instance, it might regulate a higher minimum wage.  Batman and Superman both work for social justice.  Batman's wealthy corporations create fair working conditions and contribute to many charities.  Superman, as Clark Kent, is a reporter who increases awareness in the world of social problems.

A question was asked, "is social justice like Robin Hood?  Robbing from the rich and giving to the poor?"

"Or the Green Arrow?" we suggested.

I remarked that our Christian understanding of human dignity includes not only that we have the right to basic necessities, but we also have God's gift of creativity.  Most all of us are able to work in order to supply our needs.  Robin Hood tactics undermine this dignity because people get something without having to work.  Not so bad, but according to our belief system, it would be far better if people got a decent wage for the work they did do.  The question of social justice is not 'how do we get money to the poor?'.  Rather it is, 'why is there poverty to begin with?'.  Most often the social and structural causes are complex and require a lot of work to understand and fix.

We had a lot of fun going back and forth in these discussions and I think we all learned something in class today.  Eventually, I'd like to make the case that divine justice is that which we must all seek.  But first we have to try and explore what we mean by justice.