After months of avoiding the hype, I
finally came around to watching Avatar a couple weeks ago and its impact
on me was far greater than most films I've watched in recent years.
There's that particular phrase which you become familiar with
throughout the movie that has surfaced again and again for me after
first hearing it... “I see you.”
The significance of that statement for
the people of Pandora represented a perspective that ultimately
separated their worldview from the humans who show up only interested in stripping the valuable resources from their planet.
The film was a provoking metaphor and poignant reminder regarding this idea that how we see takes precedence over what we
see. Before describing or making judgements regarding what we see it is vital to recognize and own our preferences and biases that cloud how we see. This important process of recognition and owning is also known as humility.
There's a song we used to sing in Sunday School growing up...
“Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world.
Red and Yellow, Black and White they're all precious in his sight.
Jesus loves the little children of the world.” And somewhere along
life's journey, unfortunate stereotypes and assumptions eventually creep in and what we see in external appearances begins to impact our judgements on whether
or not an individual or certain group of people belongs.
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