By Roger Diamond
A few nights ago I went out with a friend to the Labia Theatre, the only independent cinema in Cape Town, where we typically watch depressing environmental documentaries, the seats filled with liberal, erudite and pensive types. A few nights ago, however, my friend Rob suggested we see Avatar, which I keenly agreed to, thinking we were in for a good old-fashioned sci-fi blast with lots of special effects, great sets and a limited plot. We got all of that, but in amidst the arm-rest gripping scenes and even in the thick of the action I found an overwhelming sense of sadness.
For the story of Avatar is one of losing the connection. The protagonist starts off as one of the antagonists — the people who are mining, exploiting and actively, consciously causing immense environmental and social destruction. When questioned or challenged on this issue, the excuses are that they are merely obeying orders or are serving some greater cause, but that yes, they are trying their best to be nice, within the overall paradigm of destruction. The antagonists will provide schools and medical care in exchange for land. The parallels with globalised “Western” civilisation are so clear. Unlike Lord of the Rings — which has a similar good-and-evil message but is cloaked in mysticism — here the scriptwriters haven’t tried to conceal the simile with real life.
Without giving the story away, the protagonist goes from a state of wanting to serve the antagonists, to one of confusion, where he feels both a commitment to his past and upbringing as well as a sense of despair at what his culture actually stands for. He gets to see the world from the other side; he goes from coloniser to victim. But it is not so much his desire to side with the underdog but rather his realisation that the possibility of a more meaningful and rich life lies not in the military-industrial complex, gaining rank, monetary and material wealth but rather with people whose connection to nature is strong, complex and fulfilling.
Many of the film’s characters are a bit flat, with so much action allowing little time for character development but the protagonist amply reveals the difficult position many of us find ourselves in — particularly younger people and those in privileged positions with access to information, money and means. At some point in our lives, we realise a little bit of how the world works — what it takes to make a wedding ring or a motor car — and we then have to choose how to live our lives. There is a broad spectrum of choices for us, but in Avatar it has been cut down to the two extremes — give in to the antagonists and forever live in comfort, but emotionally dead and chasing distraction from the reality of what it takes to provide that personal comfort — or risk your life to save what you know is worth saving.
In the case of Avatar, with the happy Hollywood ending, the connection is restored and diversity, respect and nature win the day. But for reality, the destruction of our planet is continuing as before. The mass extinction is under way and we are causing it. Was I the only person who walked out of that movie feeling depressed? Did anybody else see the parallels? Surely! And hopefully it will shove people a step closer to making major changes in their lives to stop the destruction and restore the connection.
We’ve been waiting for Peak Oil Perspectives to tell what they think needs to be done. Come on guys, everyone else knows, its not a big secret, tell us how the oil industry propose to help save the planet.
I also noticed that a lot of the fauna and flora were borrowed from our own planet and just given an alien brush. Perhaps one TV program at least could be devoted to portraying the facinating, dangerous and often shocking lifestyles of our fellow Earthlings in an Avatar style. How about Sasol, BP, Caltex, etc. sponsor this to show us just how “green” their green intentions are as promised in their adverts?
Agreed and what concerns me is that no-one is taking note of this in a proactive way. The minister of Minerals and Energy has been told of the increasing pollution of Gauteng’s water by Acid Mine Drainage. Her response? “It is only affecting 945 people and is not a crisis”. Those 945 people are merely the tip of a very large iceberg – the part that we can see.
It is the same with the mayor of Madibeng and the sewerage spewing into Hartebeespoort Dam, polluting the agriculture downstream as well as the Kruger Park; ruining communities’ access to water for hundreds of kilometres – but it’s not a problem.
I can only respond with a question – when will it be? What does it take to make governments realise that we are in crisis? And for people to take action to change the situation through innovative new ways of behaving?
Nice article, I also got the message with Avatar.
The only issue was that I was given the 3D Glasses but after the show when I expected that they will take them back and recycle them, they didn’t. There was no container to put them in for recycling. I watched it at Zone in Rosebank Ster Kinekor. Next time they must be prepared for these things.
I have seen the film and was left with the feeling that the message was telling me that dumb American (1st World??) aggression is trampling all over our world which could be more peaceful if this aggression in the name of progress could be halted. I have lived with the destruction of WW2, seen Korea and Vietnam happening, then Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Just waiting for Iran to be on the list while lapdogs in Israel take care of another oppressed nation.
The film was trying to balance the violence with the softer experiences in life. Picking up on the remnants of the red Indian cultures (all but destroyed?).
Collecting all these awards, made me think (or hope) that the average American is slowly beginning to realise that the US is seen as an aggressor on a path to destroy the planet in the name of “business” be it oil, arms or any other resource. Water might be next.
The sound and film effects, not my usual cup of tea, were well used to make the point.
Roger – An excellent reading of Avatar. I hope some of the people in the oil industry read it – it is about time for humanity to realize that all the wealth being generated out of oil is just not worth the destruction of the planet. As far as I know, alternative sources of energy have existed for some time already, and alternative ways to power motor cars have been put on ice by the car manufacturers, because it is still too easy to make money out of fossil fuel-driven cars. I recall going to the launch of new Audi models in the middle 90s, and being told there that Audi already had nature-friendly technology. The launch was called, if I recall correctly, the Terra Nova (new earth) launch, and we were given tops bearing the images of a leopard and a white dove carrying an olive branch in its beak – all symbols of nature restored. I wonder what has happened to all those (implicitly) good intentions. Surely the present oil industry could take the lead in the development of nature-friendly technology that would ‘stop the destruction’, as you put it?
I definately saw the parallels you speak of,Roger. Whilst watching the movie, I was reminded of the myriad of smokescreen pretexts for invading countries for their mineral resources. For more on this persepctive, read Loretta Napoleoni’s book, “Modern Jihad – Tracing the Dollars behind the Terror Networks” a well as “Rogue Economics”.
I find that most people I know don’t have a sense of urgency about our environmental problems, if they even sense there is a problem at all. It is very frustrating.
Why must we wait for Governments, instead of yap yap start doing eg:
- use public transport or bicycles
- change your mobile phone once every 5 years, max.
- do not, repeat do not buy every new IT gagit produced
- do not use one plastic bag ever again, full stop.
- use the internet/computer max one hour/day apart from work, switch off all unused lights plugs always.
- plus thousands of other little things times millions of people making them huge things then there would not be the need to further exploit the Earth resources.
Western countries use +- 50 times per person the Earth’s resources compared to 2nd/3rd world peoples.
These resources are being exploited because you and me use so much more than is required, so the baddies are US not the people doing the exploiting on our behalf.
Brent
I also found it very interesting how the protagonist went from “colonizer to victim” (very nicely said), but you fail to recognize the truth: he did it for the sex! Make environmentalism sexy, and we’ll all be rooting (rutting?) for mother earth
oh, and about that happy hollowood ending: no military leader will send the defeated commander back home…Human Earth will return will a vengeance, a BLOODY VENGEANCE, something like Ninja Assassin on that planet
Nice article. I too saw the message of lost-connectedness. What irks me is how so many of us sit around sighing with despair about this, but my question is what do we actually do about it instead of sitting around waiting for those reaping the profits, who don’t give a damn, expecting them to have an epiphany and give up their profits in favour of the greater good of the planet.
It’s all about demand and supply. Stop supporting the oil industry. Stop supporting the meat industry. Stop the consumerist frenzy. Walk lightly on the planet and remember that connectedness extends across the board.
How many of you are recycling? How many of you are vegetarian or vegan? How many of you are happy to use the same cellphone you’ve had for the last 5 years? How many of you boycott slave labour?
Start with the man in the mirror people!!! Greedy oil industry is not your caring uncle who wants the best for you.
I fully agree with the view of the writer. Avatar is the best movie I’ve see (and probably will ever see in my lifetime). It saddens me to think that we are trapped in this viscious cycle and the result is more money and less time. The fact is that we do not know how long this planet can continue sustain the destrcutive ways of our (so called intelligent) species. Greed/money, of course, is at the centre of it all. The wool has been pulled over our eyes – and it’s only the brave that can sit down, appreciate what is going on around them and witness the harm we are inflicting on the planet (and each other) with our destructive behaviour. The only way we can break free is to break away (easier said that done, after all, we, unfortunately need money) from this cycle. Few of us have the guts to do it, but there are individuals whom have taken THE bold step. The one thing Avatar did, was to realise that we have a inherent bond with this planet – it speaks to us in ways we know, but refuse to listen – instead we ‘develop’ property/land that was not intended to be destroyed. Looking at Charles Darwin’s theory, we have evolved as a human race, but towards what? At the expense of this planet? Let’s just hope the animals on this planet won’t drive us out, as what happened in Avatar…
I took my 85 year old Mum to a movie house here in Sydney…. she loved it. We both see the colonial parallels with first nations decimation … be they Bushmen, Sioux or Aboriginal. “I see you” is the Zulu greeting… Sawubona. Avatar is the ancient Sanskrit doctrine where creation in duress unites and appeals for help, and a Saviour, a Messiah, an Avatar is sent to help. Even Hollywood blockbusters can contribute to emerging consciousness. A wonderful world full of potential for us to do what we can, where we can, with what we have.
@Di – I quite agree with the don’t wait for government approach but while we are about it can we please be careful what we believe and preach. Having less children and supporting the better harversters should be higher on the agenda than eating no meat. I really do not see what eating meat have to do with anything except good mental health, especially non-factory produced “free-range” meat.
Please stop badgering meat eaters on the evidence of very unscientific facts. BTW I do recycle, have one kid and grow my own veg (eggs are next). My dustbin is emptied only once a month since everything else but metalised paper is recycled, for now.
oh avatar is thee movie,but I must admit I found it very sad form the begining even from the end,but it is a lovely movie after all