Me gushing about Avatar

I fucking love Avatar. And I fucking hate our world.

Avatar made me cry both times I've seen it, which is a huge deal because I am a tough movie critic. But this movie is so beautiful and so sad, I can't help it.

The scene where the "Sky People" (a.k.a. us) destroy Home Tree, and all of the people of the Omaticaya tribe watch on helplessly, sobbing and screaming in pain as the ashes of their burning home fall around them... Man, it gets me. It gets me because this is what we do in real life to other people.

The US marches in and destroys everything in its path, bombing peoples' homes, murdering innocent men, women, and children, all because we have this false sense of entitlement and this misguided "mission" to reform the rest of the world, when we are actually probably one of the most flawed and fucked up nations. We totally disregard the notion that there are other cultures, traditions, and values out there besides our own that mean the world to the very people whose lives we are destroying.

Go us. No wonder most of the world hates us.

Not only am I disgusted with my nation, but I'm disgusted with humanity in general. We are killing the very thing that gives us life - our Earth! Why can't we all just listen to Michael Jackson and take care of our world?!

What about sunrise? What about rain?
What about all the things that you said we were to gain?
What about killing fields? Is there a time?
What about all the things that you said was yours and mine?

Did you ever stop to notice all the blood we've shed before?
Did you ever stop to notice this crying Earth, its weeping shores?

What have we done to the world? Look what we've done.
What about all the peace that you pledge your only son?
What about flowering fields? Is there a time?
What about all the dreams that you said was yours and mine?

Did you ever stop to notice all the children dead from war?
Did you ever stop to notice this crying Earth, its weeping shores?

I used to dream, I used to glance beyond the stars.
Now I don't know where we are, although I know we've drifted far...

"Earth Song" -- Michael Jackson