The Batman Effect And Our Behavior

Nothing is ever truly original and nothing ever arises without a reason. Every feeling and thought we have and every action we take has its origin in something we have felt, sensed or seen. I have written before about the impact The Hive has on those who first come here, and how that impact arises out of our own behavior towards newcomers. I have also written about the science behind the effectiveness of our behavior which exists and persists even if we are not aware of it.

None of us got here, to this moment in time, alive and relatively intact on the inside, without the effort, belief and support of countless others we met along the way. We owe it to ourselves to be the best version of us possible. Not just because that is the right thing to do but because in ways we may never be fully aware of, that is an effective way of giving back.

In a relatively new and novel experiment researchers carried out a test they called “The Batman Effect”. Basically they had someone dress up as The Batman and stand in a railcar in the underground. The person did and said nothing. Yet there was a measurable change in the behavior of those around them.

People behaved nicer to each other. Seats were given up to those who needed them. When people talked to each other it was in a much nicer way. Even more important for us is the fact that the change took hold even in hose who were unaware of the presence of the person in The Batman suit.

This shows a number of important things:

• We each have a personal struggle that consumes most of our attention. The moment something happens that breaks us out of this self-imposed prison we become more aware of the world around us and our role in it.
• Symbols are necessary. They stand for values we love, beliefs we support and help us take actions that are beneficial to those around us.
• The impact of behavior that helps others feel better is contagious. It spreads faster than we realize and it affects more people than we can know.

All of which basically leads us back to the here and now: Darebee and The Hive and you. Even if you do not actively think about what you do, if you become the best you can possibly be you are a symbol for those around you. You show them what’s possible. You make them think of how they too can improve. You become the reason for them to question their self-imposed norms and strive to become better.

The Batman Effect shows us that, at a root level, we are each responsible for each other.

 

[graoumia]

I was thinking about choosing a new picture, but maybe i will keep this one. Thanks @Damer , you are the best batman ever