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"Avatar" in Regards to Iraq

George Edwards
Dec 28, 2009 at 8:01 AM

What does the movie "Avatar" really say about the war in Iraq? 

Growing up I've tended to interpret things as either effrontery to Christianity, the opposite, or benign.  Nowadays I would describe my passions as more towards politics, economics, and philosophy.  However, when I saw James Cameron's "Avatar," I was impressed by the political extremism that spoke to my passions.  This movie was visually stunning and bravely outspoken against war.  "Avatar" articulated a point to the audience that will probably NOT be reduced to an accurate analogy.

I would say that Cameron's analogy can be generalized as follows:

If soldiers invade a land for marketable resources, then the natives and surrounding populations have the right to defend themselves with force.

Furthermore, it is honorable for soldiers to turncoat on their chain of command and their fellow soldiers in order to defend a subjugated population.

Cameron's analogy is much too ambiguous to extrapolate much more from the content of the film, but the anti-corporatist message is clear.  I enjoyed the film and the message thoroughly.  Others didn't.  Of course we could forgo the discussion of whether or not violent actions for or against empire are justified if just we get rid of empire altogether.  Bring the troops home -- we don't need or want people dying to defend corporate interests.

What did you guys think the message behind the movie was?

The most striking point was the belief in a higher power and faith the hero showed, although slanted towards polytheistic diety the implication is still there and not offensive to a mature Christian.

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More importantly, and something many more people need to realize:

If soldiers invade a land, then the natives and surrounding populations WILL defend themselves with force.

Equality 7-2521's picture

Keep in mind James Cameron is an extreme environmentalist. 

Cody London's picture

Is he?  I guess he could be saying that Native American like societies are better than highly industrialized societies.  The Natives in the movie seemed a lot like Native Americans.

George Edwards's picture

For all of the rhetoric that James Cameron has expressed regarding his love for the environment or whatever.... I think he misses his OWN point that the movie makes very clear.  The Na'vi in the movie clearly had homesteaded property rights to the area they inhabited (hometree) and had every right to defend themselves from foreign invaders.  As the main character articulated, the "skypeople" had nothing that the Na'vi wanted and it was pointless to try to barter a treaty for trade to the mineral rights.

Property rights should be one the corner stone principles of protecting the environment and we as conservatives/libertarians/anarcho-capitalists need to get the message out about how Avatar illustrates these points.

~Andy

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