Moral Justice or Vigilantism? Lessons from Watchmens Lack of Diversity

Abstract

A Clash Between Morality and Justice Being part of a group gives people more confidence to act morally, which leads to what people perceive as Justice. Still, it can also lead to immoral behavior due to group polarization. Individuals' confidence in a group setting makes them feel as if they are serving Justice by doing what is ethically correct, even when it may be incorrect for everyone outside the group. Such is the case in Alan Moore's Watchmen comic. A group of masked vigilantes combat crime to make the world a better place but eventually contradict themselves due to group polarization and ignorance. It is an example of why does the lack of diversity in opinions and demographics in the security guard's organization make it susceptible to group polarization and the anonymity aspect escalated the danger, brilliantly showcasing the subjective and at times contradictory nature of morality when it comes to law. The vigilante Watchmen organization's lack of diversity in opinions and ethnic backgrounds showcases the dangers of unanimity in human affairs. Shared ideas and like-mindedness are often seen as solid qualities in a group. However, the complete lack of diversity is dangerous when relating to organizations such as Watchmen vigilantes as they deal with other humans and the concept of Justice. The vigilantes presented in the comic Watchmen comprised two groups: Minutemen and their successors, Crimebusters, consisting of mainly white male vigilantes. Every other ethnic group and their experiences were underrepresented and non-existent, despite the New York setting, a culturally diverse location. More so, every member shared a similar opinion, they "fought crime because it was fun and because it needed doing and because [they] goddam felt like it" (Moore 33). Some members, such as Hooded Justice, Comedian, Rorschach, etc., even preferred to fight crime with "such intensity and savagery”(Moore 34) that made their actions extremely violent. Such behavior was normalized in the group with no one to challenge it due to the lack of perspectives. They fell into the trap of being surrounded by like-minded people. In this case, however, it soon turned to be dangerous as they compounded a solution that omitted everyone else's opinions and experiences but theirs. They had unanimously decided on a method to fight crime. Yet, the method was not of high quality, which should be the standard in organizations dealing with complex topics such as Justice. Research shows that "the greater the variety of perspectives on a problem within a group, the more creative the group is and the more likely it is to generate a high-quality solution”(Austin 348). Compared to less diverse groups, the "solution effectiveness and feasibility”(Austin 349) were higher in groups that varied in people and opinions. Thus, the demographic of the Watchmen organization translated into a dangerous situation for the people they ought to protect from crime. The insufficient presence of female characters and their misogynistic portrayal and treatment raises concern for the morality of the organization in charge of public safety. Two women are mainly shown and somewhat developed throughout the story, yet it is always in a negative light when they are mentioned. For instance, one of the vigilantes, Laurie, is portrayed as overly emotional and constantly needing to be with a man by her side. After a fight with her partner, Dr. Manhattan, with whom she was placed on living, she "turned up in hysterics”(Moore 80) at another vigilante’s, Night Owl’s house, with whom she eventually got together. After some time, Laurie encourages him to take his superhero “ship out [to get himself straight]”(Moore 227), ending up in a rescue mission. Her character goes through gender exploitation, her “energy[y] and power expended…to the benefit of [Night Owl] by releasing them for more important and creative work”(Richardson 4). She is portrayed as a vessel to encourage men to act on something, or "providing them with …emotional service”(Richardson 4), not as a fully developed "heroic" vigilante character as the men are. Another area to discuss is the treatment of women, for example, victim shaming and even murder. As the story unfolds, the history of Laurie's mother, Sally, with the Minutemen is also shown. A scene showing her attempted rape by the Comedian is portrayed, where he shames her for her costume, implying that she "gotta have some reason for wearin’ an outfit like this”(Moore 43). Eventually, another vigilante comes to a stop, the Comedian, telling her to "cover [her]self’(Moore 45). They blame her for the revealing nature of the costume instead of the Comedian, the cause of the issue. Sadly it is one of the many cases of mistreatment, with another ending in the death of a pregnant woman. As a woman, pregnant with Comedian's child, confronted him about leaving, slashing his face, he turns to her and mercilessly shoots her in rage. Dr. Manhattan, standing next to him and having the ability to change the situation's outcome, "didn't lift a finger”(Moore 52), shining a light on his questionable moral values. It is clear that most male characters "differentiate between good women and bad ones, and punishes the latter”(Richardson 8). They have no trouble harming, even murdering women they deem wrong, absolutely lacking respect for the female gender. The vigilantes revealing their proper morals and opinions on women raises tremendous public safety concerns. Women deemed bad by these men will see no justice and have a risk of becoming victims themselves. An organization, Watchmen, mainly consisting of bigoted individuals, reveals the contradicting relationship between their morality and Justice. Undoubtedly, such composition led to group polarization, enabling members to commit more extreme acts in the name of Justice. Because each member had agreed and extended ideas of Justice in the group, the remaining members had also adopted a similar, now more extreme viewpoint. This resulted from the lack of diversity of viewpoints and opinions in the group, also known as group polarization. For instance, some members had questionable views and morals, striving to achieve their idea of Justice through any means. The Comedian, one of the vigilantes, demonstrates his extreme methods when dealing with protesters demanding the end of Watchmen. He is seen throwing gas bombs to calm down the public, yet it should be noted that he seems to enjoy causing havoc, shouting “run, you suckers” (Moore 54) to the hurt crowd. The Watchmen organization, including the Comedian, had been there to protect the public yet ended up harming them instead, to the point of riots against them. Collectively they caused enough fear and harm for the public to protest against the police back, showcasing the dangers of their decided methods as a group. Rorschach, another member, is also known for his violent ways. For instance, people fear him as he walks into a bar to get information out from someone in one scene. The atmosphere turns tense as some ask him to "please [not] kill anybody" (Moore 17). However, he proceeds to carelessly "break [some] gentleman's little finger" (Moore 18) for insulting him under his nose....