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fandomhigh2015-01-16 06:52 am
stillamthenight.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2015-01-16 06:52 am
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The Living City: Change and the Urban Environment, Friday, Period 3
"Our first topic for this semester is a city near to my heart," Bruce said, diving right into it. "I want you to understand both where I'm coming from and the degree to which a city can leave an impression on you, so we'll be discussing Gotham City. Specifically, the Gotham City of my younger days, which roughly lines up with the technology and social construction you're familiar with from 2015 America."
"At this point, Gotham was the second largest city in my America with ten million residents, most of whom had been touched by crime in some significant way. There was always corruption in political circles and law enforcement, and that only got worse when my parents were murdered when I was a child," Bruce explained. "Wayne Enterprises and its subsidiaries employed a large percentage of the city. The Wayne Foundation used my family's fortune to bring social relief to as many people as possible. But there's only so much a corporation can do when it's not being led by someone pathologically dedicated to trying to help people.'
"Eventually, Gotham turned a corner. The zeitgeist was for strong, dedicated personalities to change things. The police commissioner was incorruptible. The district attorney refocused efforts to rehabilitate criminals. I came of age and did what I could with the Wayne name by giving more people employment and putting charity efforts to as many causes as possible."
"But it would be the height of ego to claim that any of that was the most important thing that happened," Bruce said, keeping his mind blank in case anyone was a telepath who might call him out on secretly going to an even bigger egotistical place. "The two things the Gotham of this time are best known for are crime and costumed vigilantes."
"A man called 'The Batman' started it off, taking on the mobs and doing what the police couldn't as a supplement to police efforts. But this changed crime. As the common criminals were brought down, only uncommon criminals were left standing."
"The Joker, a homicidal clown - literally, a clown - who threatened the city on a regular basis with toxins, bombs, brainwashing, and simple terror. Killer Croc, a hulking reptile-man. Mr Freeze, a scientist who lost his wife and ability to feel emotions at the same time, and who tried to freeze the entire city multiple times. The Riddler, a brilliant criminal who left clues because he was confident nobody was smart enough to figure out what he was doing."
"Eventually, most of the organized crime ran through colorful criminals like those men. The odds were much lower that you'd be mugged walking down any street at night, but much higher that a giant jack-in-the-box would eventually try to shoot you. The amount of crime dropped, but the spectacle of it rose."
"That is the city I grew up in. That's where I made my name. Next week, we'll visit it. And later in the semester, we'll look at how it's changed by my time."
"But to take up the rest of our time today, you have a discussion. This will be the case during our lecture weeks, so be prepared moving forward," Bruce warned. "You will be looking at your city - or wherever it is that you would consider your primary home - and tell the rest of the class what the worst thing about it is. In case it's not clear, the worst thing about Gotham is the historic levels - and audacity - of crime."
"At this point, Gotham was the second largest city in my America with ten million residents, most of whom had been touched by crime in some significant way. There was always corruption in political circles and law enforcement, and that only got worse when my parents were murdered when I was a child," Bruce explained. "Wayne Enterprises and its subsidiaries employed a large percentage of the city. The Wayne Foundation used my family's fortune to bring social relief to as many people as possible. But there's only so much a corporation can do when it's not being led by someone pathologically dedicated to trying to help people.'
"Eventually, Gotham turned a corner. The zeitgeist was for strong, dedicated personalities to change things. The police commissioner was incorruptible. The district attorney refocused efforts to rehabilitate criminals. I came of age and did what I could with the Wayne name by giving more people employment and putting charity efforts to as many causes as possible."
"But it would be the height of ego to claim that any of that was the most important thing that happened," Bruce said, keeping his mind blank in case anyone was a telepath who might call him out on secretly going to an even bigger egotistical place. "The two things the Gotham of this time are best known for are crime and costumed vigilantes."
"A man called 'The Batman' started it off, taking on the mobs and doing what the police couldn't as a supplement to police efforts. But this changed crime. As the common criminals were brought down, only uncommon criminals were left standing."
"The Joker, a homicidal clown - literally, a clown - who threatened the city on a regular basis with toxins, bombs, brainwashing, and simple terror. Killer Croc, a hulking reptile-man. Mr Freeze, a scientist who lost his wife and ability to feel emotions at the same time, and who tried to freeze the entire city multiple times. The Riddler, a brilliant criminal who left clues because he was confident nobody was smart enough to figure out what he was doing."
"Eventually, most of the organized crime ran through colorful criminals like those men. The odds were much lower that you'd be mugged walking down any street at night, but much higher that a giant jack-in-the-box would eventually try to shoot you. The amount of crime dropped, but the spectacle of it rose."
"That is the city I grew up in. That's where I made my name. Next week, we'll visit it. And later in the semester, we'll look at how it's changed by my time."
"But to take up the rest of our time today, you have a discussion. This will be the case during our lecture weeks, so be prepared moving forward," Bruce warned. "You will be looking at your city - or wherever it is that you would consider your primary home - and tell the rest of the class what the worst thing about it is. In case it's not clear, the worst thing about Gotham is the historic levels - and audacity - of crime."
Re: Discuss!