The point of Avatar, why empathy is important and why humans are like cancer

[The_ModeRazor]

The only problem with feeling bad for the natives that I had was the fact that the film cost 250 million dollars. I mean couldn't the money be used for a REAL cause like helping 3rd world countries or feed starving African children or maybe using the money to establish charities to do that work for you instead of making a film with pretty CGI while we fight about whether we should give a flying crap. Its like eating a mountain of chocolate cakes in front of strapped in African children with their eyes stuck open then making a film about the plight of the giant Smurfs with tails who ride dragons going back and rubbing the money on their corpses

I think the way you're putting it is a bit excessive, but yeah, that crossed my mind too.

 

[Chaos-Spider]

The only problem with feeling bad for the natives that I had was the fact that the film cost 250 million dollars. I mean couldn't the money be used for a REAL cause like helping 3rd world countries or feed starving African children or maybe using the money to establish charities to do that work for you instead of making a film with pretty CGI while we fight about whether we should give a flying crap. Its like eating a mountain of chocolate cakes in front of strapped in African children with their eyes stuck open then making a film about the plight of the giant Smurfs with tails who ride dragons going back and rubbing the money on their corpses

I think the way you're putting it is a bit excessive, but yeah, that crossed my mind too.

I also thought of something like this when I saw Moviebob's review of the movie (which was before seeing the actual film). This thought also came up some years ago when they paid an obscene amount of money to the people from ABBA to have a reunion concert in Europe.

B Goy's analogy sounds extreme, but isn't that what wer'e realy doing with this film?

 

[Chrono180]

Speaking as someone who relies on technology to stay alive and sane, I think anybody who believes that trees should have the same rights as human beings should be taken out into the street and shot.

Edit: to clarify, why I react so violently is because when you say "humanity is bad, nature is good, you are essentially saying "technology is bad" and by that token you are basically saying that I am not fit to live.

Double edit: Don't forget also that nature has tried to kill us with hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods Etc etc. Even back before civilization was really prevalent. So considering that natures started this war between it and us, maybe we should finish it.

 

[MaterialDefender]

The only problem with feeling bad for the natives that I had was the fact that the film cost 250 million dollars. I mean couldn't the money be used for a REAL cause like helping 3rd world countries or feed starving African children or maybe using the money to establish charities to do that work for you instead of making a film with pretty CGI while we fight about whether we should give a flying crap. Its like eating a mountain of chocolate cakes in front of strapped in African children with their eyes stuck open then making a film about the plight of the giant Smurfs with tails who ride dragons going back and rubbing the money on their corpses

The only problem with your post is that it took 5 minutes of time. I mean couldn't your time be used for a REAL cause like helping 3rd world countries or feed starving African children or maybe using your money to help establish charities to do that work for you instead of making a post with pretty hyperboles in our fight about whether we should give a flying crap. Its like eating a mountain of chocolate cakes in front of strapped in African children with their eyes stuck open then making a post about the plight of the society and blaming everyone else and going back and taunting their corpses by listing how you could have helped them instead of making a hypocritical post on an internet forum.


Here's the short version for those who didn't care to read the preceding two paragraphs:

Anyone posting in this forum about how terribly we treat the Earth, etc. is a complete hypocrite. Your internet connection is provided by a crapload of cables crossing environments, servers & other electronics using energy (often coal power), and electronic components likely made, assembled, and shipped from China (yes, the China that pretty much deforested itself and is polluting its direct environment).


Shorter version:

By your very ability to read and post to this website, you are using vast amounts of resources (your time, your money, etc.). You COULD be directing those towards nature and Africa and wherever else you feel all that money should go. You're NOT.


Most straightforward version:

No one on this forum has any right to complain about others being mean to the Africans and the environment unless they are currently in an African camp after carrying in nature-friendly supplies themselves and posting to this forum by rubbing together some sort of magical, natural materials that can somehow change data in the Escapist servers.


Shortest version:

Dumb hippies.

 

[JWAN]

If you cant look past the stupid bullshit message put together by people who build gigantic houses and burn gas like its going out of style then you are totally lost in candy land. That movie was a thinly veiled attempt to bastardize humanity (especially my beloved Marine Corps, and for that he should rot in hell) and to make the guy who made it into some kind of hero for the environment.

Copenhagen should help you realize that no leader truly believes that global warming stuff. And if they DID they would stop everything that they were doing and work towards a solution (that they are claiming to do but Obama is too busy with scandals and scamming the country out of another trillion dollars). Take Al Gore for instance. He owns 20 houses and did a majority of his film "An Inconvenient Truth" either driving his SUV or flying in his private jet. Even Oprah, the queen of "Climate Change Awareness" has her own leer jet to take her shopping at all the hot spots in the world.

Am I saying that we shouldn't take care of our planet? No, I'm a conservationist, I harvest most of my food directly for myself. I know exactly what I am eating and exactly what I'm doing. I believe in green energy, and I believe we need to pursue it in every form that's viable. What I don't believe is some fucking politician or actor who piss and moan on the rest of society for not doing enough and then they turn around and screw around until the issues are beyond even their monetary reach (although it never is beyond fiscal reach, its ALWAYS beyond their grasp of WORK ETHIC).

I guess what I'm saying is, I don't believe you have any strength in your convictions. I bet you live in a house made of wood. I bet you use electricity generated by a coal plant and I bet that those veggies that you eat are fertilized by animal dung and sprayed by a variant of agent orange. Your living in a horseshit world created by a bunch of people who want to make money so they can build more homes and burn more gas in sports cars.


[/quote]The thing I find even more amusing is that that speech was doubly wrong. Humans are perfectly capable of maintaining their environments, and animals are perfectly capable of draining them entirely. Anyone who thinks humans are the only ones that can change ecosystems aren't aware of Australia's rabbit problem, or cats in the Galapagos.[/quote]

^ or deer in the Midwest contracting CWD because of over population.

 

[JWAN]

The only problem with feeling bad for the natives that I had was the fact that the film cost 250 million dollars. I mean couldn't the money be used for a REAL cause like helping 3rd world countries or feed starving African children or maybe using the money to establish charities to do that work for you instead of making a film with pretty CGI while we fight about whether we should give a flying crap. Its like eating a mountain of chocolate cakes in front of strapped in African children with their eyes stuck open then making a film about the plight of the giant Smurfs with tails who ride dragons going back and rubbing the money on their corpses

The only problem with your post is that it took 5 minutes of time. I mean couldn't your time be used for a REAL cause like helping 3rd world countries or feed starving African children or maybe using your money to help establish charities to do that work for you instead of making a post with pretty hyperboles in our fight about whether we should give a flying crap. Its like eating a mountain of chocolate cakes in front of strapped in African children with their eyes stuck open then making a post about the plight of the society and blaming everyone else and going back and taunting their corpses by listing how you could have helped them instead of making a hypocritical post on an internet forum.


Here's the short version for those who didn't care to read the preceding two paragraphs:

Anyone posting in this forum about how terribly we treat the Earth, etc. is a complete hypocrite. Your internet connection is provided by a crapload of cables crossing environments, servers & other electronics using energy (often coal power), and electronic components likely made, assembled, and shipped from China (yes, the China that pretty much deforested itself and is polluting its direct environment).


Shorter version:

By your very ability to read and post to this website, you are using vast amounts of resources (your time, your money, etc.). You COULD be directing those towards nature and Africa and wherever else you feel all that money should go. You're NOT.


Most straightforward version:

No one on this forum has any right to complain about others being mean to the Africans and the environment unless they are currently in an African camp after carrying in nature-friendly supplies themselves and posting to this forum by rubbing together some sort of magical, natural materials that can somehow change data in the Escapist servers.


Shortest version:

Dumb hippies.

^this, if you cared about the environment you would get your own food e.x hunt and gather. Get off your computer, make a shit and straw hut and move in. I don't claim to be perfect but when I hunt i use everything I get. The Venison sausages I get are made from the intestine, I use the leather to make/repair everything from my backpack to filling in air gaps in my door jams.

I use what I need and I get everything directly from the planet. Of course we need to preserve nature. I believe in pursuing viable green energy but I also know we need to run our cars on something until we get to the point we can switch over. We need to make light cars so we need plastics therefore we need oil. Not everything can be recycled or made from milk plastic. And those people who made the movie don't give a shit about nature. If thy did they would recognize the United States Marine Corps conservation records that have done more for the environment than the damn Sierra Club.

 

[Asimov]

Holy shit. It's been like 2 days, I didn't even notice the replies to my thread here. I think this is the point where I give up because I could probably respond to every post with a good argument, I don't have enough time to respond to like 250 posts. Sorry, but I surrender to the tsunami of text.

 

[MaterialDefender]

I could probably respond to every post with a good argument

No you can't. If you can, the only way to prove it is to do it. Have fun with that.

if you cared about the environment you would get your own food e.x hunt and gather. Get off your computer, make a shit and straw hut and move in. I don't claim to be perfect but when I hunt i use everything I get.

Are you directing this towards me or agreeing with me?

If you're directing that to me, I was being overly accusatory in an attempt to get the "cutting down trees is cutting down people" fringe to shut up. I wasn't saying that I would give up my life for a "natural" one (I like my computer & microwave).

If you're agreeing with me, <high-five>!

 

[Kamaitachi]

Am I the only one Who was Atleast, Slightly turned on by the Na'av?
Anyone?....







This Is why I have no Friends

 

[Reliq]

This is why we need to learn from our mistakes rather than perpetuating them throughout history.

Exactly. This is how humans have managed to come so far as a species.

Come so far? In what way?

Our technology has evolved, but the way we treat eachother, and act towards our surroundings is basically the same as it ever was. As a species we have done nothing but capitalize on single unique idividuals bright ideas, and even then we whine about how everything changes and strive backwards. We still have wars over religion, we still have slavery, we still have opression of minorities, we still exploit less fortunate people for our own benefit (Nice Shoes, what asian child made em?) .

Tell me again. How, exactly have we changed in any way other than we noticed the resources going dry and tried to save our own arses? Like we always do, when our future prosperity is in jeopardy.

 

[B Goy]

Alright someone here seems to have misinterpreted me I at no point said this thread is pointless in fact I applaud people questioning this film but that's what this is a film. About giant Smurfs with ponytails riding dragons fighting us. Also you're saying in the five minutes I had I could go on a airplane (not likely in Britain) go to Africa do all that and then go back and type this?

I'm not Superman if I was I'd assassinate George Bush and Tony Blair as soon as I realised 'War on Terror' and Iraqi War sounded a bit fishy seeing as being a terrorist is a choice. Besides am I the only one at one point who was a bit bored when they mentioned the situation in Africa or the Middle East for the billionth time no offence I believe that aid should be given although where it goes is a question that pops in my mind but again if you believe we are the cause of all this then oh I don't know join a group that goes to Africa and HELP instead of just saying it on the internet

 

[Internet Kraken]

This is why we need to learn from our mistakes rather than perpetuating them throughout history.

Exactly. This is how humans have managed to come so far as a species.

Come so far? In what way?

Our technology has evolved, but the way we treat eachother, and act towards our surroundings is basically the same as it ever was. As a species we have done nothing but capitalize on single unique idividuals bright ideas, and even then we whine about how everything changes and strive backwards. We still have wars over religion, we still have slavery, we still have opression of minorities, we still exploit less fortunate people for our own benefit (Nice Shoes, what asian child made em?) .

Tell me again. How, exactly have we changed in any way other than we noticed the resources going dry and tried to save our own arses? Like we always do, when our future prosperity is in jeopardy.

You only focus on the negative aspects of society, whilst ignoring all the amazing things about it. Yes we still have all of the problems you mentioned but they are not nearly as prevalent as they used to be. Our species is far more capable of working together to strive for a better future than ever before.

No one can honestly say that we have not advanced since the early stages of civilization. If you truly believe that our society has not changed just because those problems have not magically gone away, then you are just fooling yourself. I am not saying humans are perfect. I am not saying that everyone on this planet is living a good life. But I will not just spit in the face of every achievement of our species by saying we have not evolved as a society. It's simply not true.

 

[BGH122]

-snip-

No, I most certainly do not think you're pompous. You've actually been very polite and, more importantly, informative. I will be going into medicine myself next year, but I've always wondered what it is that drives veterinarians. I'm glad that it's not just "awww look at the fuzzy wuzzy..." and is instead quite well reasoned.

 

[Reliq]

This is why we need to learn from our mistakes rather than perpetuating them throughout history.

Exactly. This is how humans have managed to come so far as a species.

Come so far? In what way?

Our technology has evolved, but the way we treat eachother, and act towards our surroundings is basically the same as it ever was. As a species we have done nothing but capitalize on single unique idividuals bright ideas, and even then we whine about how everything changes and strive backwards. We still have wars over religion, we still have slavery, we still have opression of minorities, we still exploit less fortunate people for our own benefit (Nice Shoes, what asian child made em?) .

Tell me again. How, exactly have we changed in any way other than we noticed the resources going dry and tried to save our own arses? Like we always do, when our future prosperity is in jeopardy.

You only focus on the negative aspects of society, whilst ignoring all the amazing things about it. Yes we still have all of the problems you mentioned but they are not nearly as prevalent as they used to be. Our species is far more capable of working together to strive for a better future than ever before.

No one can honestly say that we have not advanced since the early stages of civilization. If you truly believe that our society has not changed just because those problems have not magically gone away, then you are just fooling yourself. I am not saying humans are perfect. I am not saying that everyone on this planet is living a good life. But I will not just spit in the face of every achievement of our species by saying we have not evolved as a society. It's simply not true.

Id say you have a point. But still, in my eyes the reason why those problems are not as prevalent as they used to be would be due to stricter laws and punishments for those actions rather than the nature of humanity as a whole changing. Hence the "saving our own arses" bit. We are really good at doing good when it helps ourselves in the end.

I might be an idealist at heart and just dissapointed that those problems havent "magically gone away". And at the current rate of humanitys progression I doubt they ever will, since the majority of humans only look towards making the world a better place, for themselves.

We idolize people who do retarded things and crusify people who do smart things that we cant understand, or threaten our way of life. We live our lives in corporations modelled from that nature, that have no other objective but profit. When that objective is compromised, anything goes.

I wish I could agree with you, I really do. But from what I see, read and hear. Humanitys nature has not changed, only the ways we force that nature upon the world has.

Did you know by the way, that we as a species currently have the technology and resources required to make sure that every living person on the planet has food, shelter, clean water and education. And the possibility to make those a reality within a few years. Do you think they will become a reality within that time limit? Do you think they ever will?