The Psychology of the Joker: Nihilism and Hyper-sanity

The Joker has long cemented himself as batman’s greatest villain. In the ever changing tides of Pop-culture, the crown prince of crime has managed to even break away from his role as batman’s greatest foe and into a character most people are familiar with on his own and has seen many representation in TV, Movies and other forms of media well beyond his comic book origins, which has recently culminated in the recent Joker stand-alone film.

With the character being an ever-changing entity thanks to his “insanity” we have had many different representation of the character. Jack Nicolson’s joker was a gangster, Heath Ledger’s joker was an Anarchist and Jared Leto’s joker was unnecessary.

I just don’t buy the joker sitting patiently through all those tattoo sessions

So what characteristic is it that makes this compelling villain fit so many different roles? Or better put what particular form of insanity does the Joker represent.

While to a casual onlooker the answer may just be the Joker is insane. If pressed more one might say he is psychotic an anarchist or a sociopath serial killer. But I find that there is a better representation of what the Joker represents, an amalgamation of two key principles lets call  it Nihilistic Hypersanity.

Now that makes it sound like he’s the sanest person of them all and in a way he is. In an extremely twisted way.

What is Nihilistic Hypersanity?

Nihilistic Hypersanity can be defined as a state of being in which an individual is fully aware of his actions, and can distinguish right from wrong. But ultimately believes that right and wrong does not matter.