Friday 23 April 2010

Cyborg & Avatar: what's wrong with us?

What have the Navi in common with Arnie, or Cyborgs with Jake?

Cameron doesn't seem happy with humanity, whether the threat or rescue plan involves evolving technologically into a better species. Why do we have this malaise about our humanity? One might say that the humans with the disatisfaction are more likely to breed well and thus perpetuate the psychological phenomenon. And yet animals don't appear to have existential or racial crises of conscience.

Perhaps, it's the truth that we surpress which bubbles up to the surface of the swamp and stinks - just every so often. That uncomfortable scent of a memory that God had a better plan for us than this.

I confess that I haven't yet seen Avatar. But Vinoth Ramachandra (Sri Lanka) has got round to watching it, and reflects on how - when that memory wafts painfully up our nostrils, that all is not well with the human race - there is a solution, better than cyborgs and avatars. Better than spiritual escape to outside our world, or technological domination from the future. Better than fleeing pain to enter a perfect virtual world. One from outside our world, entering our world fully and in pain to redeem this physical world to what it should be. Read on chez Vinoth...

2 comments:

Chris O said...

ah rose do anything you can to see it in 3d. I hadn't seen it either until recently. The plot is utterly predictable, basically the scene with the ewoks in Return of the Jedi crossed with Dancing with Smurfs. That said, it is Lovelock on film, and very postmodern (think Ellul) - the "inconvenient truth" motif isnt even subtle, rather tiresomely explained time and again for american viewers...but then, well...it's a U rated film.

But it's the beauty and skill of the cinematography that's worth seeing. Genuinely incredible. It's the first film I've not been able to tell what is CGI & what's not. beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Good post, good observations.

I haven't seen Avatar either, but it's been a while since I've heard of a film dividing opinion so dramatically - even amongst Christians. I'm intrigued!