To Be or Not To Be (Politically Correct)
"Political correctness does not legislate tolerance; it only organizes hatred."
- Jacques Barzun
Maybe we can't wait for spring.
There was a time when there was no need to be mindful of others, when being politically incorrect was considered a stroke of genius. Monty Python, for instance, became renowned for that. If they got away with "Life of Brian", which poked fun on the life of Jesus Christ, then why can't the rest? The 21st century is supposed to be an era of open-mindedness and progressiveness, but judging from recent news, it seemed like the populace became more sensitive. It may be something else.
For instance, being short doesn't make one inferior. (Napoleon Bonaparte was proof of that.) If a diminutive person would be offended because other people called him short, then how about being described as vertically challenged? It sounded awkward, if not hilarious. This brings us to the latest news on Rooney Mara, on being chosen to play Tiger Lily in the live-action version of "Peter Pan". The "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" star seemed like a good choice, except that the character was a Native American.
Let's give Joe Wright, the director of the upcoming film, the benefit of a doubt, as he may have difficulty in finding a GOOD Native American actress to play the role. Then again, he may be pressured to put some star power into that movie, which would ensure its box-office success. In the case of J.M. Barrie's novel, this wasn't the first time that there was an attempt to do a live-action version. (Australian filmmaker P.J. Hogan did it in 2003, with Jeremy Sumpter in the titular role and French actress Ludivine Sagnier as Tinker Bell.) Don't be surprised if Hollywood is the least concerned for such things. (The stereotypical depiction of Mexicans hardly change through the years, the only difference is producers nowadays prefer Mexican-born actors.)
It would be interesting to know what Mara have something to say. After all, she earned an Academy Award nomination for playing Lisbeth Salander, an introvert and computer hacker, someone hostile to men who abusive women, even taking pleasure in punishing them. Lisbeth's feature belie this, a reflection of the sexist world where she lives by. Maybe in time. This political correctness also extends in American history, if the book by Thomas E. Woods, Jr. is of any indication. "The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History" debunked some myths in American history, such as the Founding Fathers were not revolutionaries, but rather conservatives. This is rather debatable, another subject for another post. It brings us back to Mara's casting.
What if the editors (who posted that piece on Mara) couldn't think of a better story? The Winter Olympics concluded weeks ago, which was quite a bummer. (Many juicy side stories.) The FIFA World Cup is a few months away. The same news, here and overseas. Nothing exciting in entertainment. So could this be a case of being trivial? Are they trying to stretch this news a bit, making it sensational?
Maybe we can't wait for spring.
