It’s the Humanity, Stupid: a Conservative Dissent on Avatar

Hot Air ^ | posted at 10:00 pm on January 8, 2010 by CK MacLeod

[Perdogg]

ping

[Jim W N]

Tempest in a teapot...

[dr_lew]

The conservative complaints are spot on. This article merely points out the futility of advocating the truth. Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.

Proof positive: “The charges of being anti-American and anti-military might seem more significant, but they’re harder to take seriously in relation to a film that includes exactly as many references to the United States of America as Podhoretz says it has jokes: Zero.”

HAH! ( That’s a Gene Wilder “HAH!” )

[Perdogg]

I haven’t seen the movie, so I can judge the veracity of his comments.

[rlmorel]

I read that commentary, what a steaming pant load.

If people want to see the movie, that is their business.

But if I don’t want a single penny of mine to go to see what another conservative’s kid called “Pocahontas with Blue People”, then that is MY business.

This guy Cameron has a STATED agenda, and who knows what he does with his money. For all I know, he may spend it on hookers, gambling or drugs. I don’t care. But I don’t want to give him one red cent to apply to his anti-American Marxist causes.

I had to wait nearly six months to get a copy of Alinsky’s “Rules For Radicals” from the library. But wait I did, and after reading it, I was glad that I did. I didn’t want any money that I worked for to go to his descendants or foundations that might reap the benefits of such a reprehensible book, and propagate its principles through those profits.

That is MY choice, as an American.

[MrEdd]

[rlmorel]

ROTFLMAO! I guess that Freeper’s kid who said it was “Pocahontas with Blue People” was spot on!

[rlmorel]

That is a keeper...

[rockrr]

I’m sure we’ll get over it...

[Perdogg]

what is it about his commentary that is a pant load? He never said anyone was forced to see the movie. Be more specific in your criticism of his criticism.

[flowerplough]

Ain’t seen Avatar, and have only seen little bits of the kiddy cartoon “Ferngully”, but a movir fanman I know and trust has seen Avatar and told me that the (conservative) critics are right. Gene Roddenberry pitched Star Trek as “Wagon Train to the Stars,” and Avatar could have been pitched as “The Last Samurai of the Ferngully Who Dances with Wolves in Space.”

[rlmorel]

Sorry, Perdogg. There is just way too much to rebut there, that was extraordinarily long-winded. Not worth the effort.

[GeronL]

blah blah

Dances with Wolves in Space.

Rent the DVD “District 9” instead. Its pretty darn cool. Love the imagery of aliens=illegal aliens

[rlmorel]

To summarize, the reviewer is saying that a cigar is sometimes just a cigar, and the conservatives are being juveniles for thinking otherwise.

I say that conservatives are saying a cigar is sometimes an intentionally presented phallic object, and they are right, as Cameron readily confirms in his statements about his movie.

[Perdogg]

okay I understand the semiplagerism. I was hoping that people would comment on what CK MacLoud said instead. Last Summer I saw Terminator and wrote a review of it and had very specific issues that some people address and some people did not like.

How can people criticize Avatar without seeing it?

[domenad]

I was not offended as a conservative in the slightest. I was offended as a science fiction geek.

• The humans have mastered interstellar travel. Couldn't one or two orbital bombers have cooked these fools from high altitude?
• Why the hell would a mech carry a knife?
• Just exactly how much "bad press" makes its way back to Terra, a planet four years of interstellar travel away?
• High tech heat seeking missiles are needed to kill a tree? Anyone ever heard of Round-Up?

[rlmorel]

"...Just exactly how much "bad press" makes its way back to Terra, a planet four years of interstellar travel away?"

Good grief, you amateurs, you.

Don't you know ANYTHING about communication protocols that leverage black holes? Sheesh.

[rlmorel]

Granted, it TAKES them four years to physically DO anything about that instantaneously black hole transmitted bad press, but, hey...you can still do a lot in four years!

[Timmy]

Interesting that I saw this article now. I took my three youngest kids to see the movie today. I was ready to be disappointed by the story and wowed by the effects. First of all, it's the most spectacular movie experience I could imagine (we saw it in 3-D). My kids said it reminded them of the way liberals say we treated the Indians. Well, yeah. I think that was the intent.

But, to be fair, it wasn't as bad as I expected. Sure, it was simplistic liberalism showing us the indigenous people in total harmony with nature, but, hey, it's fantasy and I really, in the end, enjoyed the movie a great deal. This "harmony" is not so much spiritual as it is physical. And the "god," in the end, actually intercedes for the people.

I guess I would tell conservatives who haven't seen it, don't hold off just because we're supposed to recognize the simple plot as mindless, liberal utopia. While the criticisms are legitimate, I don't ever want to see us act like those who reflexively revile conservative movies like Passion of the Christ. I mean, we've seen conservatives act pretty silly over Walt Disney and Harry Potter movies. It is, after all, just make believe.

Please don't mistake this as criticism of those who have seen the movie and dislike it. I just think it's OK to see and enjoy it if you want to. I did.