James Cameron's Avatar and racism.
Jan. 12th, 2010 03:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
flamingswordAs a person of pallor, I am concerned about what people are saying about race and class issues as displayed by the movie. And so I have decided to play devil's advocate over on io9's article about the racism inherent in Avatar's handling of the film's themes.
In his off-screen backstory our protagonist, Jake Sully, went from being one of the most entitled class of 'haves' to being a pitiable 'have-not' by being a Marine who has lost the use of his legs. He had been an able-bodied white male of above-average attractiveness from an educated family, so he had most of the favorable attitudes our culture has available going for him, and then was forced to deal with how much of what he had was unearned when all those privileges were taken away. The discrepancy between what our culture says it is and what it shows to minorities was painfully revealed. Then he was immersed in a radically different culture in which he had to earn his place by working for everything. Considering the emotional satisfaction of hard-earned success versus how his previous existence showed itself to be a false victory with all attendant disappointment, how is it surprising or racially motivated that he defected to a more rewarding culture?
Rich people of any color, people who are attractive or educated, people who are of the racial majority in their culture: anyone who has privilege can have it taken away. Achieving success after you've had a brush with the flawed standards of our culture has got to feel like being a kid and winning a chess game with your uncle. No matter how much he insists that you did it all by yourself, his compromised credibility takes all the savor out of the game.
So here's the thing: some privileged people are tired of privilege. When people of privilege realize their success is a sham, life's accomplishments become unsatisfying. Most people of ethical caliber will then seeka level playing field to prove themselves on and become part of a meritocracy. AVATAR is their story.
In his off-screen backstory our protagonist, Jake Sully, went from being one of the most entitled class of 'haves' to being a pitiable 'have-not' by being a Marine who has lost the use of his legs. He had been an able-bodied white male of above-average attractiveness from an educated family, so he had most of the favorable attitudes our culture has available going for him, and then was forced to deal with how much of what he had was unearned when all those privileges were taken away. The discrepancy between what our culture says it is and what it shows to minorities was painfully revealed. Then he was immersed in a radically different culture in which he had to earn his place by working for everything. Considering the emotional satisfaction of hard-earned success versus how his previous existence showed itself to be a false victory with all attendant disappointment, how is it surprising or racially motivated that he defected to a more rewarding culture?
Rich people of any color, people who are attractive or educated, people who are of the racial majority in their culture: anyone who has privilege can have it taken away. Achieving success after you've had a brush with the flawed standards of our culture has got to feel like being a kid and winning a chess game with your uncle. No matter how much he insists that you did it all by yourself, his compromised credibility takes all the savor out of the game.
So here's the thing: some privileged people are tired of privilege. When people of privilege realize their success is a sham, life's accomplishments become unsatisfying. Most people of ethical caliber will then seeka level playing field to prove themselves on and become part of a meritocracy. AVATAR is their story.
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no subject
Date: 2010-01-13 07:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-13 04:45 pm (UTC)That he had no possessions wasn't held against him, neither did anyone else (as denoted by communal sleeping arrangements), so it can't be any form of plutocracy or aristocracy. What they held against him was that he was a walking liability with no skills to offer. The Na'vi seem to have an oligarchy of the best hunters and tree-speakers as their ruling class, and Neytiri may be the daughter of the rulers, but she also shows her capacity to do every skill that needs doing and teaching. A society that ranks people according to their accomplishments as such is a meritocracy. I stand by my assertions.