Kinda a bad way to discuss Avatar
Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2024 4:58 am
https://youtu.be/j9L3RNmG7a8?si=O82tdghqmwlKfAsO
This isn't a bash thing, I do wanna state the fact that I am not a fan of her content of videos, but I was intrigued with seeing a take on the Avatar live action that I knew would not bash the show for... having women in it. Now some stuff, I was intrigued by, but later and later... the video just went off and off and eventually I gave up. The issue being, when one wishes to talk about a subject, one should very much just be ABOUT the subject. An anecdote or here is fine, I mean I watch SF Debris for a reason. But it soon became clear the reason this video was made was to make a broader point that didn't FIT in this type of show. I'm not even AGAINST most of the arguments here, it just seemed like you didn't want to talk about Avatar, but how media is... pro capitalism, I guess? Which is when you really lose me in going Breadtuber mode, but the main point is, when you want to discuss the merits of a live action version of the show, you need to STICK with what the show itself is, and not the broader culture. Before one argues that such a broader culture HAS to be talked about... I think you need to bring a stronger argument than 'This show likes cool things, ergo, it's pro-capitalism and colonialism.' I will defend though her points on how removing Sokka's sexism is actually REINFORCING said sexism, but that is where her arguments were strongest and should have stuck to that. How attempting to whitewash bigotry in media will, in fact, only REINFORCE it. The show doing so angered me because it was important to show how backwards Sokka and his culture was, and make clear that this was a show where the female characters were CHARACTERS and not just there for the 'real' (AKA men) talked down too.
In fact, look at Toph. As much as Toph is brought up as a huge tomboy who hated how feminine she was made... she also DID like to dress up in one episode, and it was clear she hated the babying of her parents, not the fact she wore a dress. Toph is masculine, but not without some feminine traits. Just as Sokka is, despite his macho attitude. It's what it should be, a balance. That is something that can be brought up, but going on to how media is just ruins the point of the Avatar discussion, and really undersells how badly handled gender relations in media is. I ADORE TOS, but it can be VERY sexist at times, and subtley sexist. Uhura was FIFTH in command of the ship, but NEVER EVER got close to being 2ND IN COMMAND, no less in command. That was overt sexism, but more subtle sexism, is the fact that when a female crew member is to be married, all the men talk of how she must quit. Why? Why should SHE quit? Because that was the culture of the 60's. It wasn't as bad as the 90's with TNG, but it was still there. Butt robics with Troi and Crusher, much of Troi's wardrobe, hell season 1 had as SF Debris put it best, the planet where the women of the crew were ALLOWED by the MEN to PRETEND TO BE IN CHARGE! Which, as the episode later showed, was also a lie. It's absolutely sexist, but it wasn't presented that way. Having that challenged is good, and that's what should be the focus with Sokka and Avatar. It was also interesting how the Water Tribe was inherently sexist, yet the Fire Nation... was rather accepting of female soldiers and Azula's command. While true that Azula was princess and we never saw female commanders or admirals, their was never an implication that women were below men in the society. Now true, all the people in charge were men, which shows some inherentness of male dominance, but it wasn't as overt. That can be an interesting subject, no? How a society says it IS gender equal, and yet, who are in charge but all men? But that's a sidetrack, the reality is this.
When you say Jet was badly treated for wanting to blow up a whole town of people... yeah ya lost me. Yes I will end it this clunkily, I can do whatever I want.
This isn't a bash thing, I do wanna state the fact that I am not a fan of her content of videos, but I was intrigued with seeing a take on the Avatar live action that I knew would not bash the show for... having women in it. Now some stuff, I was intrigued by, but later and later... the video just went off and off and eventually I gave up. The issue being, when one wishes to talk about a subject, one should very much just be ABOUT the subject. An anecdote or here is fine, I mean I watch SF Debris for a reason. But it soon became clear the reason this video was made was to make a broader point that didn't FIT in this type of show. I'm not even AGAINST most of the arguments here, it just seemed like you didn't want to talk about Avatar, but how media is... pro capitalism, I guess? Which is when you really lose me in going Breadtuber mode, but the main point is, when you want to discuss the merits of a live action version of the show, you need to STICK with what the show itself is, and not the broader culture. Before one argues that such a broader culture HAS to be talked about... I think you need to bring a stronger argument than 'This show likes cool things, ergo, it's pro-capitalism and colonialism.' I will defend though her points on how removing Sokka's sexism is actually REINFORCING said sexism, but that is where her arguments were strongest and should have stuck to that. How attempting to whitewash bigotry in media will, in fact, only REINFORCE it. The show doing so angered me because it was important to show how backwards Sokka and his culture was, and make clear that this was a show where the female characters were CHARACTERS and not just there for the 'real' (AKA men) talked down too.
In fact, look at Toph. As much as Toph is brought up as a huge tomboy who hated how feminine she was made... she also DID like to dress up in one episode, and it was clear she hated the babying of her parents, not the fact she wore a dress. Toph is masculine, but not without some feminine traits. Just as Sokka is, despite his macho attitude. It's what it should be, a balance. That is something that can be brought up, but going on to how media is just ruins the point of the Avatar discussion, and really undersells how badly handled gender relations in media is. I ADORE TOS, but it can be VERY sexist at times, and subtley sexist. Uhura was FIFTH in command of the ship, but NEVER EVER got close to being 2ND IN COMMAND, no less in command. That was overt sexism, but more subtle sexism, is the fact that when a female crew member is to be married, all the men talk of how she must quit. Why? Why should SHE quit? Because that was the culture of the 60's. It wasn't as bad as the 90's with TNG, but it was still there. Butt robics with Troi and Crusher, much of Troi's wardrobe, hell season 1 had as SF Debris put it best, the planet where the women of the crew were ALLOWED by the MEN to PRETEND TO BE IN CHARGE! Which, as the episode later showed, was also a lie. It's absolutely sexist, but it wasn't presented that way. Having that challenged is good, and that's what should be the focus with Sokka and Avatar. It was also interesting how the Water Tribe was inherently sexist, yet the Fire Nation... was rather accepting of female soldiers and Azula's command. While true that Azula was princess and we never saw female commanders or admirals, their was never an implication that women were below men in the society. Now true, all the people in charge were men, which shows some inherentness of male dominance, but it wasn't as overt. That can be an interesting subject, no? How a society says it IS gender equal, and yet, who are in charge but all men? But that's a sidetrack, the reality is this.
When you say Jet was badly treated for wanting to blow up a whole town of people... yeah ya lost me. Yes I will end it this clunkily, I can do whatever I want.