While watching Avatar for the second time, I noticed many things that I did not notice the first time. The most prominant idea in the movie that I noticed was anthropocentrism, and a great deal of it. Nearly every minute of the movie showcases anthropocentrism. All of the trouble, violence and destruction was caused by the master narrtive of the human society. The desire to do whatever necessary to manipulate nature in order for it to be most beneficial for humans use took over. Throughout the movie there were a few paradigm shifts by several characters. Jake Sully begins by working with the "sky people" but realizes as it goes on that he can not go against the Na'vi people and destroy the land in which they survive off of. Along with Jake, Grace Neytiri and other members of the human military team experience similar paradigm shifts. The paradigm that is held by the most powerful people in this situation is a mechanistic worldview. "Both order and power are integral components of the mechanical view of nature" (Merchant, pg. 53). The military leaders and scientists supporting the destruction of the planet Pandora are viewing this planets resources as more mechanical and interchangable, rather than viewing it as a living organism that is supporting life. The Na'vi people environment is reduced into the rare "unobtanium", that is said to be there, and ignored in order to obtain this rare element for science.
The reigning narrative in this movie is the idea of humanism. There is a constant conflict involving the humans, doing what they want and what they feel they need to do in order to most benefit human societal advances. This becomes such a conflict because the involvement with nature is the narritave self of the Na'vi people. Humanism is also an idea discussed alot in the Merchant reading, Radical Ecology. In this reading there is a lot of history on how nature and wildlife have been percieved far in the past and throughout the years. In the Merchant reading it discusses how nature has been viewed as a machine. I feel that this idea prevails throughout the movie. To the men in the military, Pandora is much like a machine that they wish to get their use out of. The "sky people", or humans in Avatar are largely associated with war, large weaponry, destruction and a harsh appearance. While the Na'vi people are the epitome of peaceful, nature loving creatures (with their skin color being the color of calmness, blue). The Na'vi people see the beauty of nature and they love and appreciate it very much. While humans are depicted to be hateful, destructive and completely careless. The idea atomism seems very prevalent as a part of the Na'vi lifestyle. They analyze nature through the very distinct, fundamental cmponents; breaking it down in order to see and appreciate it for what it really is.
Avatar displays much of everyday life for the Na'vi and human people showing how each group interacts with the environment that surrounds them. This is what I feel most relates most to the ideas discussed in the Merchant reading. It is very easy to distinguish those who apreciate and coexist with nature from the ones who do not at all. In the eye of the human, they are doing what is most important for the individual. But what about the ones who rely on this environment to live? It does not seem right that only the desires of one group are considered in this situation. After reading the Modern Thought article, watching Avatar forced me to question 'If earth and nature are our "mother" then why do we harm them so badly?' It appears to me as though we would all be more similar to the Na'vi people if we actually were to treat nature well as though it is our "mother nature".
The ultimate dualism in the movie is good vs. evil, nature vs. human. As well as in Avatar, this is a continuing, everlasting battle in todays society. In the eyes of the Na'vi people, nature is viewed more favorably over humans. While on the other hand, from the humans point of view, their needs are put at a higher priority than that of nature of the Na'vi society. In my opinion, a great form of reductionism describing this is like a child playing with a magnifying glass burning ants with the heat of the sun, taking no consideration for how the ants may be feeling about this or what of their homes and families he may destroy. Though its on a much smaller lever, I feel that the two can be very similar. Avatar along with the Merchant reading, Radical Ecology present a very important message about how we all, as humans, treat nature along with a solution to how we should view and treat our mother nature. The environment is a crucial part of our lives that would be nonexistant without wonderful natural things. Reading and understanding Radical Ecology has urged me to view nature as more precious and valuable than I already view it. Avatar sends a really great message through the storyline about how nature should be valued and treated truly as though it is a living breathing organism that is providing an abundance for all of us, rather than something mechanical to use and dispose of.
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