In July 1977, New York City was plunged into complete darkness due to a citywide power outage that lasted 25 hours, caused by a severe thunderstorm. This unexpected event sparked a wave of crime, looting, and vandalism, resulting in millions of dollars in damages. The blackout and its aftermath raised important questions about human ethics and the nature of order: in the absence of laws and authority, would people follow their moral compass, or would they give in to primal instincts, leading to chaos?
Filmmaker Christopher Nolan explored these themes in his well-known movie “The Dark Knight.” He depicted the conflict between order and morality through the “Prisoner’s Dilemma,” which comes from game theory. In this scene, the Joker, as a symbol of chaos, creates panic and forces authorities to evacuate Gotham City. Civilians are put on one ferry, while prisoners are placed on another. Each ferry has a bomb on board and a detonator for the other ferry’s bomb. The Joker offers each group a choice: they can save themselves by blowing up the other ferry, or if neither group takes action before midnight, both ferries could be destroyed.
The Joker bets on the idea that, in moments of extreme fear and disorder, people’s morals will collapse, famously saying, “When the chips are down, these civilized people will eat each other.” But in the end, the scene shows humanity’s resilience, as the passengers choose not to harm each other. Nolan suggests that people, even in the worst conditions, can still make moral choices.
Returning to New York’s 1977 blackout, this event also shows the complex relationship between order and morality. Some philosophers, like Immanuel Kant, argue that ethics are unchanging, remaining strong even under pressure. Kant believed that people could control their impulses and resist wrongdoing, as seen in the passengers’ choice to spare one another.
Meanwhile, realist like Thomas Hobbes view things differently. He argues that people are naturally chaotic and selfish, so ethics alone aren’t enough to keep society balanced. Instead, he believes a powerful central authority with strict laws is necessary to manage human behavior.
In my view, harmony between order and morality is essential for a stable society. If we assume humans are naturally good, then morality can help build a positive environment, encouraging constructive behavior and supporting society’s progress. Morality, in this way, provides a foundation that allows a system to create laws that both support society and control those who act against it.
Reflecting on that dark night in New York, we see that society didn’t completely descend into chaos; it was a smaller group that caused trouble, while many still followed their moral principles. This highlights the need for strong governance to restrain those who threaten social order. Morality and order are both essential for any human community, working together to create stability that withstands crises and overcomes chaos, even in the darkest of times.
