Do I look like some kind of weirdo?
Nov. 2nd, 2006 12:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bluegargantuaHi,
OK, so here's a study done to try and determine how kids perceive fantasy and reality. Specifically, how well kids perceive multiple fantasy worlds:
http://scienceblogs.com/cognitivedaily/2006/10/halloween_special_does_batman.php
The basic gist being if Batman and Spongebob are both fictional, does Batman think of Spongebob as real or fictional. And basically, adults said, "both are fictional, but in Batman's world, Batman is real and Spongebob is fictional and vice versa".
[an aside to my Amber homies: Are really real fake Batmans more heroic than fake real Batmans?]
The initial study suggested that not only did kids think that Batman thought Spongebob wasn't real, Batman thought Robin wasn't real either.
The scientists did a follow-up study and tried to formulate the questions in a better way. This time, it seemed that both kids and adults had the same general concept of multiple fantasy worlds.
But I think the coolest idea to come out of this is in the first study:
Batman doens't think Robin is real!
This would explain so much. Why does Batman run around with a pre-teen kid? Why does he have him chase down psychotic and dangerous villians? How is this not child abuse?
Easy -- Robin doesn't really exist! Or at least, Batman doesn't think so.
And it doesn't matter which way it goes -- maybe Batman thinks Robin isn't real and Robin is, in fact, a figment but he's got this Tyler Durden kind of thing going. Or maybe Batman thinks Robin isn't real, but he is and Bats is just in denial.
Either way, so much fun to think about!
I'm Batman! And this is Robin.
What? There's no one there.
Are you calling me a liar?
N-no, sir.
That's right.
Tom
OK, so here's a study done to try and determine how kids perceive fantasy and reality. Specifically, how well kids perceive multiple fantasy worlds:
http://scienceblogs.com/cognitivedaily/2006/10/halloween_special_does_batman.php
The basic gist being if Batman and Spongebob are both fictional, does Batman think of Spongebob as real or fictional. And basically, adults said, "both are fictional, but in Batman's world, Batman is real and Spongebob is fictional and vice versa".
[an aside to my Amber homies: Are really real fake Batmans more heroic than fake real Batmans?]
The initial study suggested that not only did kids think that Batman thought Spongebob wasn't real, Batman thought Robin wasn't real either.
The scientists did a follow-up study and tried to formulate the questions in a better way. This time, it seemed that both kids and adults had the same general concept of multiple fantasy worlds.
But I think the coolest idea to come out of this is in the first study:
Batman doens't think Robin is real!
This would explain so much. Why does Batman run around with a pre-teen kid? Why does he have him chase down psychotic and dangerous villians? How is this not child abuse?
Easy -- Robin doesn't really exist! Or at least, Batman doesn't think so.
And it doesn't matter which way it goes -- maybe Batman thinks Robin isn't real and Robin is, in fact, a figment but he's got this Tyler Durden kind of thing going. Or maybe Batman thinks Robin isn't real, but he is and Bats is just in denial.
Either way, so much fun to think about!
I'm Batman! And this is Robin.
What? There's no one there.
Are you calling me a liar?
N-no, sir.
That's right.
Tom
