The absurd about The Hunger Games

Okay. So, here is what I find utterly absurd about the kind of attention the Hunger Games has gotten, the fandom, et cetera, and why buying Mockingjay-pins made in China is so horribly contradictory.  Here we go.

We, here in the developed countries, are the Capitol. Ever thought about who plucked the fruit you eat? Who sewed your clothes? Who put together your computer? I’ll tell you who: the people in the Districts (aka the developing countries). In that way, one of the multiple issues of our society that the Hunger Games deals with is just that. At least, it is something that I thought of while reading the series, and it made me realise how very wrong it is. Sure enough, one can get a tank top at H&M for virtually nothing, and people are happy because we’re, for some reason, obsessed with money. But have you given any thought to how it can be that cheap? Well, because the workers have to work 13 hours a day, seven days a week, with minimal pay, of course. But hey, who cares? As long as it’s cheap, we’re happy. Except I’m not, because it’s so very wrong.

Let’s get back to the Hunger Games. I don’t think I’ve seen a single fan who doesn’t greatly dislike the Capitol and supports Katniss and those people. Yes, that’s all fine, I do that too, but what is not fine is not realising the connection between Panem and the world we live in today. Because the Hunger Games is not merely an awful story set in the future, but it also contains a shitload of critique toward our current world order, and I think that it’s important that we bring attention to that as well. I don’t think it’s wrong that it has a love-triangle and such elements, because if it wouldn’t, it probably wouldn’t have reached its current fame, but now that it is as famous as it is, it’s very important that we see beyond the love triangle and bring our focus to the actual, real life problems that the series deals with; one of them being how we let people work as slaves while we idly fret, not giving them a single thought. Seeing a label with the texts “Made in China” is so common people don’t even think to think on’t anymore. I can’t say for sure that this is something that Suzanne Collins is trying to tell us in the Hunger Games, but to me it is pretty damn plain and I’m surprised that more people doesn’t seem to see it. So, when buying a Mockingjay-pin that has been produced in China, rather than supporting Katniss, you contribute to the continued oppression of her and all the other people from the Districts. (Well, their contemporary counterparts, anyway.)

“BUT WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT ME TO DO THEN?” you might think. Don’t buy clothes from H&M, for example. Always choose Fair Trade. Buy second hand. Give a fuck about where the things you consume have been produced. Bring attention to this tragic world order. Do everything and anything. At least do something.

But, by all means, continue to buy clothes from District 8 while discussing the amazingly intriguing love-triangle that is, of course, the essential part of the series. (Psst: I’m being sarcastic in this paragraph. Don’t do that. It’s wrong.)

Marvel stop

I'm only slightly very pissed right now.

Here's three badass characters, yet only two of them get to actually look real badass, while the third... whips her hair?

What the fuck is up with that?

Natasha Romanoff is undoubtedly one of the most badass Avengers, yet does she get to look tough and menacing? No, she lookes like she's in a bloody shampoo commercial.

And what really pisses me off is that that's not even true to her character, at least not as she's been portrayed in the films. The Natasha I've gotten to know is tougher than most (tougher than Nick and Steve imo). It's really pleasant to see a female super hero who's only real purpose isn't to walk around and look sexy. Natasha is one of few really cool and well-treated female characters. She's a role model. An actual, good, female role model.

But, of course, we can't have that. In The Winter Soldier, she walks around having romantic relationships with multiple male characters, and of course, she has to walk around whipping her hair seductively.
On the both the Iron Man 2 and the Avengers poster she looked as badass as the male characters. But no, we can't have that anymore.

The only reason I wanted to see The Winter Soldier was because of her. But if this is what she's treated like, I'm not so sure.

Why fandom is important

Since I realised that there are more important matters to focus your mind on than whether the upcoming Star Wars trilogy will include my favourite character or not, I have felt a bit guilty spending time with anything that has to do with any of my fandoms*, because I have almost constantly been having thoughts like 'and while I watch this episode of Doctor Who 100 children are dying of starvation. But why spend your time helping them when you can sit on your fat arse, staring at a screen?', which is really rather unnecessary, seeing as I am unable to help those children from my current position, anyway. But I have been thinking a lot about it in attempts to justify my affection for various fandoms, and now I have found a way of doing it/ found the reason to why fandom is important to me.

*drum roll* It is, I believe, because of its similarity to religion. And no, I am not using this simile because my major fandoms happen to include god-like aliens flying around in blue boxes or Norse gods, but because it fills the same need for me as I can imagine that religion does for other people (or, one of the needs religion fill). I have never been particularly religious (currently I am agnostic/atheist), so I cannot tell what really believing in a certain religion is like, but from what I have gathered from my general experience of life and a very brief research ten minutes ago, the main needs that religion fill seems to be:

• Feeling that your existence serves some sort of purpose
• A sense of identity
• A sense of security and comfort
• Guiding in moral principles
• A sort of connection to a higher being
• A medium for socializing and a feeling of belonging
• [I probably forgot something]

Now, as for the first five needs, I have either filled them in another way or have no need for having them filled. It is when it comes to need number six that fandom comes in. See, what makes being in various fandoms important to me is exactly that; I feel like I belong somewhere, and it is a way to meet new people (I can not count all the friends I have just because we happened to like the same TV-show/film). This feels particularly important as I am a severely socially awkward person who experiences difficulties talking to certain people. Equal fandoms provide lots of topic to converse about. And there is that special kind of connection between two people who are in the the same fandom (fandom-people knows what I am referring to).

Come to think of it, it might also fill the second need, at least partially. Just take a look at my first post, wherein I presented myself as both a Whovian and a Ravenclaw. Hm.

So, thanks to this, I no longer feel as guilty devoting a bit of my time to fandom, because sometimes you are actually allowed to think of and prioritize your own well-being, and, as some wise tumblr-user who's username I have sadly forgotten once said, if doing something makes you feel good, whether it is spending some hours on tumblr, baking a cake, watching Doctor Who, or whatever, however meaningless it might seem compared to demonstrating for human right, do it. And my fandoms are just as important as religion; perhaps not to society, but to me.

(This turned out to be a rather confusing, cheesy and generally poorly-written ending, but I am severely tired so we will have to live with it.)

*What 'fandom' means

Not really a source but it helped me whilst writing this