Avatar: marxist utopia or ultimate capitalism?

[exostrike]

When you start thinking about this question it becomes increasingly more complex.

At first glance Avatar does appear to be a marxist utopia where everyone shares and produces for the community and all are content.

However the Na'vi tribes ultimately are in competition with each other for hunting grounds, population and military supremacy yet uses negotiation to avoid direct confrontation and its people specialise in a particular skill, while everything being led by one person. Which is a very abstract description of a major corporation.

There's even some objectivist tones in there, the best (and most productive) hunters rise in authority and prestige while the mediocre ones languish in insignificance. Then theres the thing about the weak being weeded out via the environment.

While you can swing the facts either way when you analyse Na'vi culture, its alot harder to say where it is on the poltical/idelogical spectrum.

[Eternal Enigma]

Are you trying to say the Na'vi are more like us than we care to admit?

[exostrike]

when you break it down the closest description I can come up with for Na'vi society is co-operative capitalism. Thats where internally everything is shared between the group, but externally they're just as competitive as everyone else.

on a sidenote, if the Na'vi ever advanced to something like the modern day, you have in effect megacorps that while looking after thier own will screw everyone else, whether your in another megacorp or not.

[Tsyal Makto]

I'd call it a form of libertarian-socialism. There isn't really much (if any) scarcity on Pandora, so the nature of any competition between tribes is undetermined. I'd say it's more playful than anything, like was the case with some Native American tribes (and war being an honor-test rather than a competition to see who can kill the most).

Also, capitalism ultimately comes down to individualism in the end, which is why even corporations are highly stratified (and thus a poor comparison to a tribe, which is mainly egalitarian with maybe an elder as a leader). This sort of individualist attitude isn't something I've seen anywhere in Na'vi society.

[ScottWashburn]

Na'vi society seems very much like most human societies at a similar stage of development (neolithic, permanent villages with domesticated animals and agriculture supplemented by hunting/gathering). You've got a tribal structure with leaders and specialization of labor. The leaders have special privileges and more property (notice how Moat and Ek'utan have the fanciest clothing and decorations). The one BIG difference is, of course, Eywa. Unlike Earth societies, on Pandora you do have one supreme authority who works her will through the tsahiks and, when necessary, through Toruk Macto.

[exostrike]

Na'vi society seems very much like most human societies at a similar stage of development (neolithic, permanent villages with domesticated animals and agriculture supplemented by hunting/gathering). You've got a tribal structure with leaders and specialization of labor. The leaders have special privileges and more property (notice how Moat and Ek'utan have the fanciest clothing and decorations). The one BIG difference is, of course, Eywa. Unlike Earth societies, on Pandora you do have one supreme authority who works her will through the tsahiks and, when necessary, through Toruk Macto.

So its very early feudalism (but still very tribal) combined with a form of christian christendom.

And yes I do have a good reason to use christendom. See traditionally Christianity rejected all other religions as false while almost all others accommodated other religions in some way. This lead to alot of persecution of and by Christianity over history.

[ScottWashburn]

Hmmm, possibly. Except in Christianity (like every religion) you have a set of 'lawgivers' who claim to be passing along the word of god and the followers simply have to take their word for it. If the lawgivers are liars, frauds or madmen, the rank and file have no higher authority to appeal to. On Pandora, while the tsahiks appear to have similar power, Eywa is on hand to rein in any abuse of that power. We've seen that Eywa WILL intervene when it suits her and not just in a big way. Does anyone think that the atokirina that stopped Neytiri from shooting Jake just floated there by chance?

And tribalism is not feudalism. In tribalism the authority is determined by family ties among the whole tribe. In feudalism you have a ruling class who's power is based on military strength. They protect the people in return for labor and obedience. I don't see the Na'vi society in that form.

[exostrike]

Does anyone think that the atokirina that stopped Neytiri from shooting Jake just floated there by chance?

well if you consider the infinite possibilities of the multiverse either ewya, natural chance, or manipulation by a bunch of interdimensional spies sitting in a bunker trying to modify the timeline so it happenes like the first option.

And yes, I will be expanding this into a fan fic (if I can stop procrastinating about it)

[Porthos1]

^Well said.

[_Omaticaya_]

Well considering Marxists just believed in work, submit, work, submit, work, submit, just to gain your own 'freedom', I don't really agree. Not to be fussy, but I just don't think the Na'vi's social/political 'views' or organization can be labeled properly, not with any of our modern systems at least. They just live counting on each other as a closed tight-knit community. When people have firm positive Values in their lives, and new generations are brought up the right way, then there's no need for such oppressing and controlling and bureaucratic systems like ours, the Na'vi don't need it, they just work together and live it out. Ironically infact, 'tribal' life in general is one of the 'easiest', or better 'shorter' jobs so to speak, meaning it ain't no ****ty Minimum Wage 9 to 5. The only Real job they have is to hunt and gather food and keep their habitat and families safe and sound, and the rest is just pure Life.