Ideas have power
I saw Zootopia yesterday. It is as beautiful, funny and moving as everyone else says. The animation is great. The animals are very anthropomorphised but at the same time all the little movements - like the nose twitches - are so very animal like. And the ideas behind the world design were beautifully realised too. All the climate zones and different sizes of habitats and equipment for different sizes of animals. You can just get lost in the designs.
But the best part is the story.
[Spoiler (click to open)]
Everyone talks about how great this film is about showcasing different kinds of prejudice (from bunnies to predators to sloths) and how even if you are discriminate against doesn't mean you don't hold preconceptions and aren't a subject to confirmation bias. It was heartbreaking to see Judy fell into it when she was always saying to everyone it is a wrong thing to do. But this is also the best part.
She tells her parents not all foxes are bad and they shouldn't believe in stereotypes but their warnings and prejudices do get to her. Like a little voice in the back of her head that makes her doubt the very things she says she believes in. So she took that fox repellent, told all about predators not being able to help their DNA, got scared of Nick. Because even if you try to not let the prejudices get to you if something is said often enough you internalise it eventually. Especially if you also fight the stereotypes about yourself.
But just like their words got to her so her words got to them. Her parents tried to follow her see beyond their prejudice and work with Gideon and see not all foxes are bad even if they were bullies as kids. So even if she cannot always stick to her ideals it still matters to say it. Even when you fail at them others can keep them going and that spreads around too.
It matter that she believes those things - both because when she treats others with care and respect it gets back to her (saves her life really) and it lets her s keep trying even when others (even her parents) don't believe in her. It's important that Judy recognises her mistakes and realises the horrible consequences of her prejudice. But for me it was even more important to see the positive ideas she believed in change the people around her. Because nobody can do it alone. And that cooperation how she managed to solve the case.
Oh, and my favourite in joke - was the ad for Moana (one of the not yet released movies Duke Weaselton was selling was Zootopia version).
But the best part is the story.
[Spoiler (click to open)]
Everyone talks about how great this film is about showcasing different kinds of prejudice (from bunnies to predators to sloths) and how even if you are discriminate against doesn't mean you don't hold preconceptions and aren't a subject to confirmation bias. It was heartbreaking to see Judy fell into it when she was always saying to everyone it is a wrong thing to do. But this is also the best part.
She tells her parents not all foxes are bad and they shouldn't believe in stereotypes but their warnings and prejudices do get to her. Like a little voice in the back of her head that makes her doubt the very things she says she believes in. So she took that fox repellent, told all about predators not being able to help their DNA, got scared of Nick. Because even if you try to not let the prejudices get to you if something is said often enough you internalise it eventually. Especially if you also fight the stereotypes about yourself.
But just like their words got to her so her words got to them. Her parents tried to follow her see beyond their prejudice and work with Gideon and see not all foxes are bad even if they were bullies as kids. So even if she cannot always stick to her ideals it still matters to say it. Even when you fail at them others can keep them going and that spreads around too.
It matter that she believes those things - both because when she treats others with care and respect it gets back to her (saves her life really) and it lets her s keep trying even when others (even her parents) don't believe in her. It's important that Judy recognises her mistakes and realises the horrible consequences of her prejudice. But for me it was even more important to see the positive ideas she believed in change the people around her. Because nobody can do it alone. And that cooperation how she managed to solve the case.
Oh, and my favourite in joke - was the ad for Moana (one of the not yet released movies Duke Weaselton was selling was Zootopia version).