Guest Post by E.J., INTJ

Batman Trilogy

Dominant Si: Gordon takes a very traditional approach to his job. He resists the corruption around him–despite the fact that his partner pressures him to join in–but he also accepts the Gotham police department as it is and does not attempt to actively fight the corruption. It takes him some time to grow used to working with Batman, but once he does, it becomes habit. Gordon has trouble adjusting to changes in Gotham’s crime rate. He learned his job in a corrupt, crime-ridden city, and when the crime rate goes down after the Joker is recaptured, Gordon does not change strategy. He nearly loses his job as police commissioner because the city authorities are tired of him behaving as though the city still has a serious crime problem.

Auxiliary Fe: Gordon’s compassion for others is evident the first time he meets Bruce Wayne following Thomas and Martha Wayne’s murder. Gordon senses the disorientation Bruce is probably feeling and finds a way to make Bruce feel more secure. When Gordon initially gets to know Batman, he shows an appreciation for the support Batman offers, even though he thinks that Batman is probably crazy. He values the practical help Batman gives him later on, but he also likes the feeling of emotional support: someone, somewhere, cares about Gotham like Gordon does. He follows Batman’s instructions and lies about Harvey Dent’s death because he believes that everyone will be safest and happiest if he does so. (Nevertheless, he feels guilty perpetuating the falsehood because of his personal connection with Batman.) Gordon is prone to stress and tends to take his work home with him. His limited ability to deal with tension leads to the collapse of his marriage.

Tertiary Ti: Gordon does not usually explain his reasoning process for other people. To some extent, this serves him well–he does not accidentally share his plans with potentially corrupt members of the police force. It also means that others do not understand what he is thinking, however. As a result, they do not always take his concerns seriously, assuming that Gordon is simply being inflexible and emotional.

Inferior Ne: Beyond his obvious desire to solve crimes, Gordon is not a particularly curious person. He does not want to know who Batman really is, and he never attempts to figure it out. When Blake expresses curiosity about Batman’s identity, Gordon discourages him from trying to find the answer. If traditional solutions fail, Gordon is willing to try unconventional alternatives, but he generally does not come up with those new ideas himself. Gordon appreciates symbolism: for instance, he finds the bat light fixture reassuring.