The latest instalment of Star Wars written and directed by Rian Johnson, Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), can be read as a deeply political text in which an essentially liberal Resistance force contends with an expansive and oppressive totalitarian regime, the Empire. Hope is a central theme in the film, as it is used as a political tool of the Resistance and constructed as a threat to the ability of the Empire to maintain control (Johnson 2017). In this paper I will demonstrate that hope as a political tool, especially as it is employed in The Last Jedi, can be used to transcend the limitations of contemporary political fear, and that only in the unification of political love and political fear can hope be functional in motivating a liberal …show more content…
While one may argue that it is possible to hope for the cessation of some negative experience or for an individual gain, our perceptions of the goodness of political actions are developed in reference to the principles we hold supreme. Centering these principles as a motivator for political action is what concerns Nussbaum’s (2013) book on the politics of emotion. For Nussbaum, we are only sufficiently motivated to stably uphold our principles when we truly love them, and have generated a surrounding political culture rooted in justice (2013, 6-7). Similarly, in The Last Jedi, resistance leader Vice Admiral Holdo remarks: “in every corner of the galaxy, people know our symbol and put their hope in it. We are the spark, that'll light the fire, that will restore the Republic” (Johnson 2017). The Resistance and Nussbaum’s work both make the argument that political emotion can be used to ensure the stability and unity of liberal societies, and should be encouraged through symbolism based upon the ‘overlapping consensus’ on liberal principles within the society (2013, 6-7). It is due to shared principles that the mere symbol of the Resistance is enough to invoke hope across the galaxy, even when the Resistance is not strong enough or in near enough proximity to invoke hope of a personal nature. This …show more content…
However, Nussbaum and the hope of the Resistance demonstrate that placing politics before fear can change the nature of fear itself, and thus the type of political response that is generated. Hope is the force that reconfigures the current political arrangement of fear Robin asks us to reject, transforming it into a unifying experience. When the possible destruction of our principles causes us to be afraid, we resist domination in their name. The Empire finds its normative commitment in the continuous acquisition of power and the growth of their ability to control and dominate the galaxy. This central commitment to power, and not a set of collective principles, is what leaves them susceptible to the fear in liberalism that Robin describes, a fear of sanction and loss of ability (2004, 18). While the Resistance is also afraid, their fear is transformed into a stable political emotion, hope, because their political claims are rooted in a deep love of shared principles to which they can aspire. This is why Kylo Ren murders the leader of the Empire in a sort of coup as an attempt to gain control, while the Resistance is a unified political force despite their relative weakness, diversity of personal motivation, and practical disputes. Both forces use the fear of loss as a motivator, though one uses the fear of losing power and the other, the fear
Finally, the film “The Patriot” by Robert Rodat uses the archetypes of the quest for revenge and the fall to reveal how we as humans are willing to go to war for freedom, and for family, and unite people together under one cause. People are willing to go to war for family, freedom, revenge and to bring together a country or group of people.
this book helps readers see the opportunities that are shown together. even though liberalism faded away due to conservatives it did exist and played a huge role in shaping the diverse population and
Unlike during the Unmentionable Times, when men created “towers [that] rose to the sky,” it is an affliction to be born with powerful intellectual capacity and ambition in Ayn Rand’s apocalyptic, nameless society in Anthem. Collectivism is ostensibly the moral guidepost for humanity, and any perceived threat to the inflexible, authoritarian regime is met with severe punishment. The attack on mankind’s free will and reason is most evident in the cold marble engraving in the Palace of the World Council: “We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever” (6). Societal norms force homogeneity and sacrifice among all people.
With injustice and cruelty running rampant in the world, it is unsurprising that people become determined to make things better for tomorrow. The cliché saying that the ends justify the means is often quoted by those aware of the moral greyness of their actions. Commendable yet unreasonable, leaders whose sole purpose in life is to fix what they see as “wrong” with the world fall prey to thinking there is only ally or enemy. In the long run, they harm those they try to liberate.
In Star Wars IV New Hope you see several things that are like our world. Like how people negotiate business deals with each other. In the video, Han Soto reminds me of a used car salesman. Trying to convince you that this vehicle is a life changer with stories about how great it is. It sounds all good until he tells you the ridiculous price.
Title Michel Foucault once said, “There are forms of oppression and domination which become invisible. . .” The government, in Ayn Rand’s Anthem, is long since corrupt and has perverted their original idea of equality. Even though true equality will never be, this government has completely taken over all aspects of their citizens’ lives and the people do not acknowledge anything wrong. Oppression has become the normal reality for the citizens crushing their spirit until someone started to break the mold. Equality 7-2521 slowly confronted the injustice in his pursuit for knowledge.
Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else.” and everyone is as identical as possible (Vonnegut 1). This creates the citizens to cower from this oppression and to rebel to neutralize their power. In the world of
Hope can be a driving force in our lives. It can pick up the phone to call that one girl back for a second date. It can move our fingers to type the first few words of a novel. It can push us to do more and be more than we ever thought we could be. On the other hand, hope can be like an opiate.
In 1984 by George Orwell and “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut they show how blind faith in a government leads to the psychological manipulation of the mind to make sure there is absolutely no chance of rebellion. In 1984, the Party and Big Brother are the supreme beings of Oceania and they change the way people think to suit the Party’s needs. The Party has consistently made the citizens feel like they have everything they need and that they are winning all the battles to boost morale. “Returns now completed of the output of all classes of consumption goods show that the standard of living has risen no less than twenty per cent over the past year.” (Orwell 58)
Each belief obtained in this world is mirrored by its opposite allowing those to decide which reflection they choose to abide to. In America, one’s perspective defined what each person stood for. During the Civil Rights Movement, controversy stood at the base of the country as many chose “a side” to be on as an argument of what was deemed constitutional and unconstitutional continued. However, although many may have had their separate beliefs, the common ground consisted of the principles of democracy written in the Constitution. Although, it was a less popular belief highlighted during the Civil rights movement, the whites too faced issues with the loss of their principles of democracy as the federal government continuously abused their power.
It made us human.” I think this is Hans Hubermann’s “political ideology”—to be human in the midst of
Patriotism is the love that people feel for their country; in the novel 1984, George Orwell consistently utilizes a three sentence slogan to illustrate a world with patriotism taken to the extremes. These sentences are “War is peace” where individuals accept the constant warring, “Freedom is slavery” where the people ignore their own thoughts, “Ignorance is strength” where the individuals blindly follows the Party’s orders. Through this slogan, Orwell describes a future where the ignorant and loyal prevail and support an endless war. The first phrase “War is peace” advocates war because it promotes patriotism and devotion to the country.
In the 1984 society , people are purposely left to feel alone to make them fear getting caught by the Party. Although many people commit thoughtcrime, they will remain silent because they know the consequences of engaging in rebellion. This constant source of fear holds the community together and manipulates people’s thought processes. The government often leaves the people
Since May 25, 1977, people have marveled at the epic space operas and cheered on the Jedi in all six films. However, ever since the ‘Expanded Universe’ started up on November 19, 1978, the history of the galaxy has been building up as well. Here it can be seen that the Sith was not always the “Bad Guys” and the Jedi’s practices actually are more questionable than they seem. Way back in the day, several colonies of various Force-Sensitive species on the planet Tython formed the Order of the Je’daii (later known as the Jedi). Their goals were to balance the light and dark side of the force.
While the protagonist, Alex, may choose vicious acts, he chooses them with a clear ethical capacity. On the other hand, when being controlled by the government, he loses the part of him that makes him human. Individuals may not always make the best choice, but humanity comes from a human’s ability to choose between right and wrong. In this case, the destruction of Alex’s humanity proves that it is better to be bad by choice, than to be good by government coercion.