Comments | movementmvt: class consciousness IN SPACE

be_themoon in movementmvt

class consciousness IN SPACE

Nov 18, 2009 20:19

So, I've been watching Stargate: Atlantis recently because it's November and I procrastinate in November. A lot. And I just got to Season 2 Episode 15, which is called The Tower and has a lot of class politics going on in it ( Read more... )

Comments 5

zempasuchil November 19 2009, 06:13:29 UTC

That is really interesting because they make it part inherent nature (the gene) and part universal ability (technology). Also the weird thing is that there is one big oppressor but the inequality highlighted here is between the two unequal classes that lie below the one big oppressor! It's like, like when two parts of the working class are turned against each other in competition for jobs when if they just worked together they could solve this problem! It's like exclusive unions! It sounds so weird!

as to your last question, I kind of want to do Avatar meta on the social and political structures of that universe, particularly the imperialism of the Fire Nation and the oppressive Earth Kingdom, and how all the groups see each other.

be_themoon November 19 2009, 17:17:03 UTC

Yeah! Interestingly, they don't really know much about the technology, but they do know enough to defend themselves. And yes! It's this, we'll keep you safe from the really bad guys if you give us half your food and let us brutalize you. It's a fantastic set up for the bad guys - the people have to obey them or they'll get culled by the Wraith, which, uh, nobody wants to happen to them. Interestingly enough, the actual fight starts when Ronon (a member of Sheppard's team) stops a soldier who was intimating that he was going to rape a girl - I guess that was the point at which he decided he wasn't going to stand by anymore ( ... )

zempasuchil November 19 2009, 19:08:29 UTC

Is the Wraith like this inhuman force outside of society? Or is it part of society? This sort of sounds like feudalism almost, where the feudal lord is like, Farm my lands and pay me tribute and I'll protect your families from bandits and other feudal lords ( ... )

be_themoon November 22 2009, 21:54:07 UTC

It's inhuman, yeah. They're life-sucking aliens who, uh, suck the life out of you, physically aging your body. They feed on you, and even if someone manages to get them off before you die you're still likely 60, 70, 80 now.

It was kind of cool, because I didn't get the feeling that there was a huge amount of class consciousness in the Fire Nation, or maybe rather that it was all based on army ranks, which makes sense because they're a war-based nation, and have been for about three generations now. Whereas Ba Sing Se is so strictly separated and controlled.

yeah! opposing powers, balance and all that - it's pretty big on balance, especially with Zuko's story. (OMG ZUKO BB.) Something I really would have liked to see - that the Fire Nation has also been drained of men and resources over time, and maybe are forcing Earth Kingdom soldiers into their army, or doing parole because they can't feed all their prisoners - because 100 years of war, one nation against 3, and then 2? advantage or no, they have to be having problems too.

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