Social 10-1: Position Paper
By Jeri Blackmore
Globalization in its simplest terms is the combining of cultures for the overall growth of society via cultural contact. James Cameron directed the movie Avatar with ties loosely relating to globalization through the western colonialism theme. Throughout this essay I will be exploring the key concepts of contact between cultures: ethnocentrism, marginalization, and colonialism relating back to the film. Avatar conveys key plot lines from important events in history and how they shape our overall worldview in this time period.
In history, Europeans always thought of themselves as the greatest and most deserving species. Natives were forced out of the land the tribes lived on to assimilate and become more like the English. Ethnocentrism is shown through the lack of accommodation and respect for the native peoples freedom and culture. In Avatar, the Na’vi live peacefully off of Pandora as the Natives did on our land until the sky people (humans) decide to brutally take away their home for the use of natural resources. The sky people knew that their machinery and weapon technology was far advanced from the Na’vi’s that they would have no chance to win. Land to humans is power. The superiority of a race was based on the material aspect of having land and making money before any empathy was shown to people who had a life there.
James Cameron used marginalization to show the human dominance over the avatars. The humans were obviously more powerful as they pushed aside the inhabitants to get to and profit from the Hometree. Residential Schools were also a form of marginalizing as for they took children away from their homes and families for the integration into a Canadian society. This was supposed to be a way to depopulate the natives and strip them of their individual beliefs and values. Marginalization of a group, race or culture prohibits globalization and development of any kind.
Control from the government can strictly decide the freedoms a person or group may possibly obtain. Before and during the early 1900’s in a colonialism attempt to gain more control the government strictly regulated the existence of First Nations tribes. In the film, the army has more control than the scientists because of weapons. Controlling the Na’vi population was easy for the humans. Confusion stopped the avatars from identifying the threat and having a chance to remain in control. Dominance of people results in power is the colonialism theme we’ve witnessed in avatar and history. The influence a governing system broadcasts is the general view society will absorb.
Cultural contact diminishing equality between races is not okay. Marginalization, colonialism, and ethnocentrism were used in history to forge a divide between humans. Avatar is a form of entertainment that shows some flaws in our history. Historical events created our way of life and worldview. The globalization of society continues to grow today through contact between cultures. Reminiscing on the past, we can learn from the mistakes and educate ourselves so division of this extent will not happen again.
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