Overthinking

Lately, the news has become obsessed with over-talking topics to the point people would rather watch paint dry. For instance, Tiger Woods was giving 15 (or more) days of fame as opposed to the standard 15 minutes. Why? There was nothing else to talk about...

Another such over-talked topics is the "hidden message" of James Cameron's Avatar.

On a side note, I simply love how people must refer to the movie as James Cameron's Avatar to avoid confusing it with the amazing TV show Avatar the Last Airbender.

At first, people were upset Avatar's message criticized white settlers for basically exterminating native populations. I use the word exterminated because I grow bored when people use euphemisms. Now, people call the movie racist for having a white guy save the day. They clearly did not pay attention to the movie. Clearly, the white guy preferred his wildly realistic, 10-foot tall, blue skinned, 3-dimensional Na'vi avatar!

I saw the movie twice, so I understand why people are so upset. How dare a guy make a movie with leftist beliefs and biases! What's all this protect the environment, love nature, life is a balance of energy crap? Clearly, box office hits are only allowed to include supernaturally sexy, unbelievably moody vampire boys!

Here's my honest, humble opinion. It's a work of art. I see Avatar in the same light I view Lord of the Rings. It's a wildly fantastic work of fiction, not an allegory. Cameron says he never intended Avatar to be viewed as racist, or as an allegory for settlers conquering natives. Tolkien insists Lord of the Rings is not an allegory for World War II. Both artists created new worlds to explore, filled with new races and new languages. Their creativity and their ability to share their creations with the world make them unique and worthy of praise, not of such rash criticism. I marvel at the power of their imaginations. To be able to form entirely new worlds, beings, languages, and weave it all together with a fascinating story is, in my eyes, an ethereal achievement.