Dear Editor,
I refer to Dr Steve Surujbally’s letter titled ‘Avatar creates a two-edged sword of cultural imperialism.’
Dr Surujbally’s disdain for the global hit movie Avatar is that it openly perpetuates racial superiority and, borrowing from New York Times columnist, David Brooks, the “white Messiah” fantasy. Maybe, the viewing quality of the movie that Dr Surujbally had in his possession was a bit blurred and he didn’t quite see various parts of the movie or he simply did not watch the movie to the end.
I say this because the Avatar I saw did not attempt to portray any racial superiority, but rather mechanical and technological dominance of one group over another.
If the demonstration of racial supremacy was the director’s objective, then he failed miserably. The so-called “white Messiah” got the entire clan roused up in a vehement orgy to defend (or take on) themselves against a stronger and more capable enemy. Without any scent of cocksure or bravado and sensing sure defeat, this ‘messiah’ made an impassioned appeal to the deity which the clan worshipped, to assist their cause.
Hardly a messiah, he got most of the clan members wiped out during the battle with the imperialists, then suddenly, the real messiah of the movie appeared, and that was some divine, supernatural force (the same one that was appealed to earlier) that propelled the animals of the habitat to assail the belligerent attackers.
I wonder if the lead actor of the movie was Denzel Washington (who could have easily fitted into the role), if Dr Surujbally would have posited the “white Messiah” theory.
Yours faithfully,
Clinton Urling
