A lesson from Batman

I had an evening to myself the other day. No plans with friends or family, just some time to be alone. After doing some reading and writing for a little while, I decided to watch Batman Begins, a favorite movie of mine from childhood. I hadn’t watched it in quite some time. The premise of the film is brilliant. I’m sure most, if not all of you, are familiar with the movie and the story of Batman, but I’ll sum it up briefly anyway.

A wealthy young man, Bruce Wayne, leaves Gotham to find purpose and understand criminality after his parents' murder and his failed attempt at revenge. He feels lost, disillusioned with the justice system, and seeks a way to fight injustice. He travels the world, engaging with the criminal underworld and eventually training with the League of Shadows under Ra's al Ghul. Upon returning to Gotham, he determines that he can do more to fight injustice as a symbol, rather than just as Bruce Wayne. And from there, Batman is born.

To deflect attention from himself, Bruce adopts a public persona of a billionaire playboy, often seen at lavish parties. After one such event, Bruce passes his childhood best friend, Rachel Dawes, who calls him out for being too caught up in his carefree lifestyle to contribute meaningfully to Gotham. When Bruce tries to defend himself, saying, “All this, it’s not me. Inside, I am more,” Rachel wisely responds, “Bruce, deep down you may still be that same great kid you used to be. But it’s not who you are underneath, it’s what you do that defines you.”

That line has stayed with me ever since I first saw the movie. “It’s not who you are underneath, it’s what you do that defines you.” It’s a profound truth—and one that, unfortunately, our society is losing sight of.

In our current societal landscape I think that this principle matters more than ever. I think Christopher Nolan and David Goyer, the men who wrote Batman Begins must but Aristotelians. This theme from the movie, that what you do, matters more than what you believe has some Aristotelian roots. Aristotle said, "it is our choice of good or evil that determines our character, not our opinion about good or evil." This idea is important for anyone to understand themselves and who they really are. And its an important principle to understand as we work together in our communities, states and as a nation to build a future that protects freedom and is a sanctuary of human rights.

Over the last few years, I’ve noticed a growing rhetoric in our country that fights against this principle. There’s a cultural shift toward valuing who people say they are internally, often at the expense of holding them accountable for what they actually do. While it's true that we are more than just our past actions (as is evident in 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 8:16-17, Psalms 82:6, Doctrine and Covenants 18:10-13, Doctrine and Covenants 93:29) we are also commanded to act in accordance with our beliefs. As James taught, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:17 explore further with Alma 41:10, Mosiah 4:30, Doctrine and Covenants 58:26-28).

This principle—that actions matter more than words—is one that resonates deeply in American history. Abraham Lincoln warned, “Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” Like Batman’s choice to become a symbol rather than rely on his public persona, Lincoln reminded us that it’s not enough to appear virtuous; we must be virtuous. Similarly, George Washington wrote, “Actions, not words, are the true criterion of the attachment of friends,” underscoring that what people do reveals their true nature.

In today’s political climate, we’ve seen a troubling trend toward candidates emphasizing what they say they believe, rather than pointing to the tangible actions they’ve taken (or have not taken) to make a difference. This is a red flag. As citizens, we must be vigilant in evaluating not only what candidates claim they stand for, but also what their track records show. An old Russian Proverb made popular by Ronald Reagan says, "Trust, but verify." We must apply that same wisdom when choosing our leaders: trust their promises, by verifying their deeds.

This is particularly critical in today’s environment, where many are tempted to disengage from the political process entirely. As a 23-year-old attending university, I often hear my peers say, “I’m just not political.” But that’s a dangerous mindset. Choosing to remain politically aloof is still a choice—and it’s one that cedes control of our nation’s future to a few loud voices. Martin Luther King Jr. warned against complacency, famously stating, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Silence in the political arena, especially now, is a betrayal of the principles we claim to hold dear.

In the Federalist Papers, James Madison wrote, “The people are the only legitimate fountain of power.” For the American experiment to succeed, it requires the active participation of its citizens. As the Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley once urged, “We must get on our knees and plead for guidance, then we must get on our feet and go to work.” To sit back and refuse to engage in our democracy, to say that we’re “just not political,” is to abandon our duty to each other, to our country, and to the generations that will come after us.

Our generation, more than any other, must embrace this call to action. The future of the American experiment is in our hands. We must vote for leaders whose actions align with our values. We must demand accountability, transparency, and integrity. We must learn how our democracy works, why it was designed the way it was and our place in it. Most importantly, we must remember that we are defined by what we do and not by what we think we believe.