How “Joker” can help to reframe our approach to difference

I finally got around to seeing “Joker” at the cinema last week, and wow! For me it certainly lived up to the hype. It’s cinematography and use of music were stunning, and Joaquin Phoenix’s performance as the protagonist Arthur Fleck (who becomes Joker by the end of the film) was truly astounding. Give that man an Oscar!

As all great films do, “Joker” has stayed with me since. I have found myself in quiet moments over the last few days going back to this or that scene, remembering how it made me feel and finding myself analysing the parallels with society today. For me, ‘Joker’ is fundamentally a film about difference - and the dangers of disregarding difference.

Without spoiling the plot for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet, one of the most poignant scenes happens fairly early on when Arthur Fleck is on a bus travelling home. A clown by day, he pulls faces for a small child sitting in the seat in front of him. The child’s mother doesn’t welcome Arthur’s attempts to make her son smile and chastises him. Arthur then begins to laugh uncontrollably, which irritates the mother further. 

This is Arthur’s tic and he produces a laminated card from his jacket pocket, which he hands to the woman. On it is a typed message that explains that Arthur has a psychosis that causes him to laugh uncontrollably. The woman reads the card, then turns her back to Arthur and carries on the journey in silence. 

This to me epitomises the feeling of isolation and “being alone in a crowd” that pervades the entire film. Arthur was trying to achieve a connection with the small boy on the bus, but his difference – in this case, an uncontrollable laughter – marked him out to the mother as someone not worthy of engaging with: in fact, someone to be actively avoided.

It made me think about difference in society today. The old saying is that “variety is the spice of life”, but how often do we actually embrace and champion people who are perceived as different from the norm in some way? Isn’t it more often the case that they are ignored or even in danger of becoming invisible in society? 

As part of my ongoing quest to understand and address my own unconscious biases, I’m currently reading a book called ‘Rewire’ by Chris Yates and Pooja Sachdev, which proposes a radical approach to tackling diversity and inclusion today. In the book’s preface, Yates talks about difference. He says that “the fear of difference both protects us – and is sensible sometimes – and yet blocks us.”

Essentially, the book espouses, if we let our fear of difference stop us from experiencing each other as individuals, then stereotypical views of difference (whether skin colour, sexual preference, religious beliefs, impairments, socio-economic background, political views etc.) will persist. We will stick to hanging out with, hiring, listening to “people like us.” And that kind of echo chamber is bad for organisations, communities and wider society too. 

That's why, for me, difference isn't something to be feared. Difference is a huge untapped source of potential, creativity, innovation and energy. And that's why I want to tap into other people who are helping – or want to help - normalise difference in society.

So, if you’re trying to build a more inclusive culture within your organisation or champion difference in your community, I’d love to hear from you - get in touch!