Focusing on similarities rather than differences...

[Hudsonbob]

I think one thing is clear in Avatar: the Na'vi, generally speaking, see humans as morons, "those who do not see", beings who come from a world that is totally diferent from theirs. In the context of Earth in the movie that is mostly true. Hell, even in the context of 2011 -real world Earth, it is to some extent true.

But it is not like Earth an Pandora do not share things in common. I think the RDA should have done 2 things diferently dealing with the Na'vi on Pandora:

1) No killing them, no slaughtering children at Grace's school.... that one is obvious. Treating them as equals, respecting them.... Ok fine, but also...

2) Showing the Na'vi how similar they are to us. You read me right. In the context of the movie, Earth is in a worse shape than now, but even then, there must be plenty of suitable footage and pictures to show them just that.

What if the Na'vi saw footage and pictures of tropical rainforests on Earth? Of tribal dances in parts of Africa , South America, or Oceania? Of (human) people riding horses?

Of tigers, panthers, plains, mountains, monkeys, fish , seas, lakes, deserts , birds....

I really think this could have gone a long way towards showing the Na'vi that we are very similar and that we can understand each other, if both sides keep an open mind... that is what should have been done, provided the people who made the decisions even cared or respected the Na'vi. But I am pretty sure the relationships between our 2 people would have been so much better.. And who knows, maybe some of them could have been sympathetic to the humans' plight in return and help them locate some place where they could mine for their unobtanium without any territorial conflict....

[seykxel txe´lan]

I think, like you said, the RDA didn't really care, most of them probably just saw the Na'vi as an obstacle or a set back

[MarkD]

The Na'vi would be surprised by that. Though that everything on our planet is a lot smaller than what they are familiar with.

[HufweMakto]

I think one thing is clear in Avatar: the Na'vi, generally speaking, see humans as morons, "those who do not see", beings who come from a world that is totally diferent from theirs. In the context of Earth in the movie that is mostly true. Hell, even in the context of 2011 -real world Earth, it is to some extent true.

But it is not like Earth an Pandora do not share things in common. I think the RDA should have done 2 things diferently dealing with the Na'vi on Pandora:

1) No killing them, no slaughtering children at Grace's school.... that one is obvious. Treating them as equals, respecting them.... Ok fine, but also...

2) Showing the Na'vi how similar they are to us. You read me right. In the context of the movie, Earth is in a worse shape than now, but even then, there must be plenty of suitable footage and pictures to show them just that.

What if the Na'vi saw footage and pictures of tropical rainforests on Earth? Of tribal dances in parts of Africa , South America, or Oceania? Of (human) people riding horses?

Of tigers, panthers, plains, mountains, monkeys, fish , seas, lakes, deserts , birds....

I really think this could have gone a long way towards showing the Na'vi that we are very similar and that we can understand each other, if both sides keep an open mind... that is what should have been done, provided the people who made the decisions even cared or respected the Na'vi. But I am pretty sure the relationships between our 2 people would have been so much better.. And who knows, maybe some of them could have been sympathetic to the humans' plight in return and help them locate some place where they could mine for their unobtanium without any territorial conflict....

I'm sorry for using the TvTropes term for it, but it basically comes down to They (The RDA)Didn't Care. They didn't care about teaching the Na'vi about anything other than what the scientists there could or where allowed. In fact, I think the original scriptment they were trying to get the Na'vi to mine Unobtainium for them! Yes, sounds familiar to those who studied history?

[Hudsonbob]

Sure sure, the RDA decision makers didn't do it right, I'm just saying what I think should have been done , and what the reaction of the Na'vi might have been...

[RuthlessGravity]

There is no doubt that they tried (Avatar Program) to make a connection with the Na'vi. In the end, there was a demand on Earth and the colony was their supplier for their energy needs. When it came down to it, sometimes time was against you and people above you will make dumb mistakes in favor to relieve the pressure from the top, pressure from brokers, pressure of schedules, or just for the sake of seeking revenue from it all.

In my point of view, the RDA tried hard to make a connection with the Na'vi; the mistake was lying to them because some (not everyone) believed the Na'vi were merely backwards in terms of technology - therefore believing that you really cant connect with someone who doesn't understand the situation back home. So how the hell can you tell the Na'vi that you need unobtanium? How can you tell them that if they don't get this stuff back home, they would die? How can you tell these natives about the procedures of a corporation or how currency works or how advance their technology is on their level?

For the Na'vi its a bit difficult to swallow because remember these aliens are... aliens. They come from the sky, but where? What is their home? Where is their home? What is it like? Pictures from both the past and present I believe were offered to the Na'vi. To grasp on the imagination of Earth.

Then suddenly they start digging into the dirt that their relatives have lived on for generations and the Na'vi view the humans as a threat to their land. A threat to their very existences. The RDA only see it as a way to retrieve unobtanium for their survival, but the RDA lies to them in an effort to mine unobtanium while believing the Na'vi cannot fully understand or comprehend. Still the RDA persist in trying to connect with the Na'vi through the use of their drivers. But you really can't do much when you're considered the enemy in their eyes.

In the end, neither parties understand eachother fully. Only those who've took the time to know one another can fully understand that they are just alike; albiet different. Its an asymmetrical relationship with the gap widen by the bias and opinionated mind of both the Na'vi and Humans. If the RDA had originally taken it one step at a time to learn about the Na'vi, both the RDA and the Na'vi could see past the alienating differences and see that they are one way or another the same.

[_Omaticaya_]

I see you Hudsonbob, I totally agree, i think that you wrote is really good. I believe too that Na'vi and humans aren't that different in the end That's why I try to be one on earth ^_^ There's places of almost equal beauty all over the Earth, mountains, waterfalls, forest, jungles, animals, Earth is beautiful, so is Pandora, the difference is us, our society, and I can't deny the Na'vis 'xenophobia', seeing people coming on your planet with huge gunships, pointing guns at you, destroying your land? Holy land? Who wouldn't hate them.. Pity humans couldn't set aside their money interest and just enjoy having discovered such a Beautiful new population in space, the Na'vi, and how not melt at the sight of Neytiri I don't know...

[Sanjwale]

like all the others I agree with you. your first point was their biggest mistake. but they should have been started with point 2.

[HufweMakto]

I'm starting to wonder if the RDA just didn't care, even if it was an alien race, the only other form of sentient life other than us. I mean, watch District 9 and see what they did to the Prawns (poor guys).

[Ja'k Dawsiin]

the thing that is never really talked about,is humanity's tendency to think we are the dominant lifeform both on terra and the galaxy,a species above the rest,while the Na'vi co-exist with their enviroment and realize their place in the universe,another link in the chain. it is the primary difference,humans with their ego,conceit,and arrogance,and the utterly honest and straight-forward Na'vi,who have no concept of a lie or deliberate subterfuge,something that humans are masters at. for all the supposed similarities,this one difference is the absolute unbridgable gap between the two sides.

human history is filled with lies,arrogance,sheer hatred,pettiness,racism,and a whole rat's nest of contemptible attributes and villany...we ARE the aliens.