Comments on: Pandora’s Pagan Paradise? Spoiler Alert – Avatar Review http://enfolding.org/pandoras-pagan-paradise-spoiler-alert-avatar-review/ tantra, history, gender, occulture & other queer assemblies Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:17:46 +0000 hourly 1 By: Phil Hine http://enfolding.org/pandoras-pagan-paradise-spoiler-alert-avatar-review/#comment-32 Phil Hine Tue, 19 Jan 2010 08:32:26 +0000 http://enfolding.org/?p=930#comment-32 Jenny We watched Avatar over the weekend, and it reminded me very much of a short story by Poul Anderson <i>Call me Joe</i> written in 1957 (i'd just re-read it, as it happens). Other people have <a href="http://io9.com/5390226/did-james-cameron-rip-off-poul-andersons-novella">pointed this out</a> of course. I thought the "colonial critique" aspect of Avatar was interesting - the corporation's incredulity -that despite their best efforts to bring the Na’vi the "benefits" of civilisation - they remained unashamedly "primitive". Also Sully's initial fact-finding mission as a form of knowledge-management - brought to mind the East India Company's commissioning of Max Muller to translate the Vedas - in order to manage the natives appropriately. Jenny
We watched Avatar over the weekend, and it reminded me very much of a short story by Poul Anderson Call me Joe written in 1957 (i’d just re-read it, as it happens). Other people have pointed this out of course.
I thought the “colonial critique” aspect of Avatar was interesting – the corporation’s incredulity -that despite their best efforts to bring the Na’vi the “benefits” of civilisation – they remained unashamedly “primitive”. Also Sully’s initial fact-finding mission as a form of knowledge-management – brought to mind the East India Company’s commissioning of Max Muller to translate the Vedas – in order to manage the natives appropriately.

]]> By: Jenny Peacock http://enfolding.org/pandoras-pagan-paradise-spoiler-alert-avatar-review/#comment-30 Jenny Peacock Tue, 19 Jan 2010 01:29:05 +0000 http://enfolding.org/?p=930#comment-30 Yes indeed. As you did Lonnie, I fell in love with Pandora - head over heels. I'm still having fun arguing about it. A pretty puzzle - anarcho-primitivist philosophy embedded in Coca-Cola tie-in entertainment product. I've noticed that some reviews refer to Neytiri as a Na'vi "Princess" and as the biological daughter of the clan shaman-ess and clan "leader". This hierarchy/ fairy-tale framework is, of course, familiar to us and Cameron cleverly calls on that, but he also mixes it up. Neytiri is the Omaticaya's shaman-in-waiting and, at least as I read it, a chosen spiritual rather than necessarily a biological daughter. Therein lies a hierarchy of course (so not pure anarcho-primitivism) but it's a hierarchy not of blood but of "calling", an anarcho-pagan-primitivism. Depending on your perspective that's either the beginning of religious tyranny or, as the name "Pandora" sets out to suggest, the beginning of hope; the very last thing to fly out of the box of horrors, rejuvenation for the hearts of tired aliens from a tired Earth. Yes indeed. As you did Lonnie, I fell in love with Pandora – head over heels. I’m still having fun arguing about it. A pretty puzzle – anarcho-primitivist philosophy embedded in Coca-Cola tie-in entertainment product. I’ve noticed that some reviews refer to Neytiri as a Na’vi “Princess” and as the biological daughter of the clan shaman-ess and clan “leader”. This hierarchy/ fairy-tale framework is, of course, familiar to us and Cameron cleverly calls on that, but he also mixes it up. Neytiri is the Omaticaya’s shaman-in-waiting and, at least as I read it, a chosen spiritual rather than necessarily a biological daughter. Therein lies a hierarchy of course (so not pure anarcho-primitivism) but it’s a hierarchy not of blood but of “calling”, an anarcho-pagan-primitivism. Depending on your perspective that’s either the beginning of religious tyranny or, as the name “Pandora” sets out to suggest, the beginning of hope; the very last thing to fly out of the box of horrors, rejuvenation for the hearts of tired aliens from a tired Earth.

]]> By: Lonnie http://enfolding.org/pandoras-pagan-paradise-spoiler-alert-avatar-review/#comment-23 Lonnie Thu, 14 Jan 2010 07:17:57 +0000 http://enfolding.org/?p=930#comment-23 Excellent article! It seems you have taken away the same impression of the movie as I did. I fell in love with Pandora. I was envious of the tendril connection all living things seemed to share. I couldn't stop imagining how wonderful that could be in our own culture. I gave the film two thumbs up. Any work of art that generates so much discussion is a treasure. On a side note, I have similar pain killer and sofa debates with my recon friends. They claim they would toss aside all the comfort and medicine of modern life for the way back when machine. I doubt most of them know how to hunt. Great post and good read! Thank you for sharing your thoughts. --Lonnie Excellent article! It seems you have taken away the same impression of the movie as I did. I fell in love with Pandora. I was envious of the tendril connection all living things seemed to share. I couldn’t stop imagining how wonderful that could be in our own culture. I gave the film two thumbs up. Any work of art that generates so much discussion is a treasure.

On a side note, I have similar pain killer and sofa debates with my recon friends. They claim they would toss aside all the comfort and medicine of modern life for the way back when machine. I doubt most of them know how to hunt.

Great post and good read! Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

–Lonnie

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