mrmiaggy on Nostr: “There is a difference between you and me. We both looked into the abyss, but when ...

“There is a difference between you and me. We both looked into the abyss, but when it looked back at us, you blinked.”
-Batman

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths

quoting note1gem…ckmg

There was a scene in some random cartoon DC movie from 2010 that stuck out to me for over a decade now, mainly because it involved Batman, and I really like Batman. It referenced Nietzsche, as all good kid movies should do.

Batman was fighting some evil version of himself from an alternate universe, heard the alternate’s explanation for why he was evil, and said back to him:

“There is a difference between us. We both looked into the abyss, but when it looked back, you blinked.”

That always stuck with me. Oddly deeply. On one hand, it’s a really good statement for people who deal with darkness or frustration at times. You have to be able to look into the worst things, don’t fall prey to nihilism from doing so, and choose better. That’s your strength and your purpose. On the other hand, and perhaps more importantly, it explains why you simply don’t fuck with Batman.