People Are Nicer When Batman Is Watching
People Are Nicer When Batman Is Watching
Good morning!
Having Batman on your train makes people likelier to give up their seat to a pregnant woman, a new study has found. Why? Just what causes prosocial behavior is an intriguing question, and psychologists from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Italy found an odd way to test it: Add Batman.
The researchers ran 138 experiments on the Milan metro system to see who would offer their seat to a pregnant passenger. When another researcher dressed as Batman was present, it nearly doubled the odds that the woman would be offered a seat.
It’s likely not because people fear retribution from the Dark Knight. The researchers believe simply seeing something surprising might raise people’s awareness of their surroundings. “Say, for example, you’re zoning out to a podcast on your morning commute: you’re probably not paying much attention to your fellow passengers. But someone getting on the train dressed as Batman is likely to catch your eye—and suddenly you also notice a pregnant passenger who might need a seat more than you do” (Science Alert, November 28).
Another hypothesis is that the reminder of a superhero known for bold, chivalrous, prosocial acts might subtly motivate people to do something kind. To test this, the researchers want to follow up by testing their altruism in the presence of an antisocial villain like Darth Vader.
It’s a welcome reminder to pay attention and look for opportunities to practice etiquette and kindness.
Pope visits Erdoğan, commemorates Nicaea: World War iii has already begun, Pope Leo warned after arriving in Turkey yesterday. He said this war is being “fought piecemeal,” and the “future of humanity is at stake.” It’s a dramatic start to his first overseas trip and his effort to demonstrate the Vatican’s power as a peacemaker.
He met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan yesterday and discussed ways to bring peace to Israel. Erdoğan, an Islamist who has repeatedly sided with Palestinian terrorists against Israelis, praised Leo’s “astute stance on the Palestinian issue.”
Today, however, Leo focuses on reconsolidating the Christian world as he and other eastern Christian leaders commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.
We will be watching today’s events closely because the reunification of Christian churches under the control of the Vatican is a fulfillment of a critical Bible prophecy.
“The final—albeit short-lived—triumph of Catholicism is recorded in literally dozens of Bible prophecies. Right now—whether we want to believe it or not—the stage is being set for the greatest revolution in religion the world has witnessed. … The mighty problem of achieving unity is twofold. First, it involves reconciliation of the Orthodox Schism that officially commenced in 1054 and divided the churches in the East …. Second, it involves restoration to the Roman Communion all Protestantism which developed from 1517 onward” (Plain Truth, November 1963).
The Plain Truth and the Trumpet have consistently and repeatedly emphasized this prophecy for decades. The divide is now being bridged, paving the way for the Vatican to more heavily influence European politics and especially European unification. The Vatican will also be able to act as a peacemaker in the Middle East. This trip to Turkey and Lebanon is another step to reviving the Holy Roman Empire, a new crusade, and the culmination of World War iii. We’ll have more as the trip progresses, but you can learn about the significance of what the pope is celebrating today in “The True Legacy of Nicaea.”
D.C. shooter was an Afghan evacuee: An Afghan immigrant brought to the United States during Joe Biden’s chaotic and humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan shot two members of the West Virginia National Guard on Wednesday, about two city blocks from the White House. Sarah Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries on Thanksgiving Day, while Andrew Wolfe is fighting for his life.
The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, worked in Afghanistan with the cia before coming to America as one of more than 190,000 Afghans resettled in Operation Allies Welcome and Enduring Welcome. President Trump responded to the murders, calling them an act of terror and pausing immigration from Third World countries.
This shooting, which occurred two blocks from the White House, shows how Joe Biden and Barack Obama’s illegal immigration schemes put the nation at risk.
In his 2021 article on the disastrous Afghanistan evacuation, “This Isn’t Incompetence, This is Treason,” Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote:
I believe Barack Obama intended Biden to take the flak for what has happened here. Joe Biden has talked about getting out of Afghanistan for years. He really believed it was best for America. And now this man is rashly carrying out this policy in the worst way possible, both to humiliate America and empower our enemies, heedless of all the horrifying evidence of what tragedy it is creating.
Obviously, the same sinister spirit motivated Biden’s Operation Allies Welcome program. Some 190,000 unvetted Afghans were allowed into the nation, which is now paying for it, even on Thanksgiving Day, in blood.
IN OTHER NEWS
Anti-corruption investigations get closer to Zelenskyy: Today, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau raided the premises of Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukrainian legislators and anti-corruption groups had previously demanded that Zelenskyy fire Yermak amid an ongoing investigation into a $100 million energy corruption scandal. The investigations could end Zelenskyy’s presidency, leaving the country more vulnerable to a Russian takeover. The Bible shows that, one way or another, Russia is certain to make more gains in Ukraine.
France introduces new military service program: President Emmanuel Macron announced the program yesterday, open to men and women, mostly ages 18 and 19, who will receive 10 months of training starting in April. He claimed that the younger generation has a “thirst for engagement” and that they are “ready to stand up” for their nation. Although European militarization is regarded as a reaction to Russia, the Bible reveals that European military “engagement” is a threat to the U.S. and the world.
German lawmakers pass 2026 budget: After a lengthy conflict over pension reforms that threatened to topple the German coalition government, the legislature passed a $607 billion national budget for 2026. The budget relies heavily on new debt to finance increased spending on the military, infrastructure and social programs. Even with this budget passing, Germany still desperately needs reforms to its welfare state and stronger leadership overall.
A German astronaut is going to the moon, the European Space Agency announced yesterday. Artemis, a nasa mission in conjunction with agencies from Europe and nine other countries, is scheduled to reach the moon in 2027. A stronger European presence in space is “more and more important for security and defense, and it is a domain where Europe has to catch up,” esa Director General Josef Aschbacher said. Dr. Wernher von Braun, the Nazi rocket scientist who helped take the first Americans to the moon, stated years ago: “He who controls the open space around us is in a position to control the Earth.”
U.S. to take action “by land” in Venezuela: President Donald Trump said yesterday during a call with troops that he plans to conduct operations “by land” against Venezuela “very soon.” He has used anti-drug trafficking laws to strike Venezuelan drug smugglers at sea, killing more than 80, and has reportedly deployed more than a dozen warships and more than 15,000 troops to the region. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chávez, turned the nation into an enemy of the U.S., allowing cartels and terrorist groups to operate. The U.S. is finally taking action, but Bible prophecy suggests that this could lead to an even worse situation.
Court upholds $1 million fine for Donald Trump: A federal appeals court has upheld a $937,989 fine assessed by a district court for filing a “frivolous lawsuit.” Trump’s suit accused former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, former fbi Director James Comey and others of racketeering, due to their conspiracy to frame him as colluding with Russia. This fine is roughly nine times the amount assessed against Kevin Clinesmith for forging information to spy on the Trump campaign or against the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee for involvement in the collusion accusation. No other conspirators have been fined, and none have been imprisoned.
