Originally Posted by
bat39
Absolutely.
Disillusionment with the justice system and the desire for vigilante justice are pretty universal.
Though I do think that a certain form of 'liberalism' that's become prevalent in the US and across democratic countries over the past few decades may have played a role in amplifying these sentiments.
A 'liberal' society is fundamentally supposed to be a society that values individual freedom and liberty, but such a society is only possible for everyone if there is rule of law. Upholding the rule of law, and enforcing the law, thus becomes vital to the survival and functioning of a liberal society (or for any society really).
The problem arises from the belief that upholding/enforcing the law is inherently a right-wing idea or even a 'fascist' one. It arises from the idea that individuals are not responsible for their actions and that 'society' is to blame. When you take it to its extreme, it comes down the idea that 'society' is inherently evil in some way (its either racist, or unequal, or whatever) and that therefore true 'justice' involves completely ignoring the norms of society. In fact, lashing out against society and law-abiding citizens, including law enforcers, becomes something 'virtuous'.
Some of this came from a place of genuine compassion. Placing an emphasis on rehabilitation, rather than just punishment, is a laudable objective of criminal justice reform. Acknowledging the fact that there are societal factors that drive criminal behavior is only logical if one wants to address the root of the problem. On some level, it is understandable for a civilized society to want to break the cycle of violence by treating even the most heinous criminals with a modium of compassion. And of course, ensuring that they have access to all the rights they are entitled too as criminal defendants in a court of law.
But somewhere along the way, the scales have been tipped and we now have, in many parts of the world, a criminal justice system that is more focused on the needs of perpetrators than delivering justice to the victims and their loved ones. We have crimes, including violent crimes, being lightly punished, overlooked or sometimes even justified on the grounds that society is inherently discriminatory against the criminals (or rather the groups that the criminals represent) so those inequities need to be addressed by not punishing their crimes. We've entered a new paradigm where criminals are viewed as sympathetic figures, while law enforcers are viewed as monsters. And there are plenty of influential and powerful politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen and celebrities who, one way or other, endorse some of these ideas.
This in turn leads to a lot of anger at an individual and at a societal level. You see it in acts of vigilantism. You see it in political violence. And sometimes it just simmers under the surface and people consume media that reflects the way they feel about these issues, or serves as an outlet to blow off some steam. Or rally around someone, real or fictitious, who's doing what they wish they could do.
Like Punisher.