God that title makes me wanna puke….so smugly unclever.
I will preface this entry by stating that I have not read the books. Until a short while ago, they were not even on my radar. I am sure I passed them in the bookstore (before it went bankrupt) and briefly glanced at the cover and moved on to other fare. What I did not know was that this is EXACTLY my sort of book: a good one with a message. How can I know this without reading it? The Movie.
This film has a lot happening in it. On the surface it is a Battle Royale meets Running Man film where 24 kids must battle to the death, on television, for the world to see. Underneath there is an wonderful anti establishment commentary that every young person should be exposed to in America.
Watching this film, I was taken aback by the amazing fashions in “Capital City”. It is as if Lady Gaga were given free license to completely redesign the world. No….literally.
The Capital is an exciting place! The colors, the art, the music, the energy! I have always loved cities, and it is a place I would want to live in. As attractive as it is, the film shows that the truth is more complicated. The Capital is populated by brainwashed “haves” who are taken in by the glitzy glamor of reality tv and the pop culture world, as the “have-nots” toil away to provide the labor needed for the rich to live in their world. All the while, the administrators of this society keep them controlled and enthralled by “bread and circuses” while others suffer through brutal lives. This is not a new idea. It gave rise to socialism and the labor movements across this world. That this film could be made in 2012 and resonate so clearly to the average person is astonishing. A few decades back, this film would not have worked. It would not have been made, and its message would have been lost. But its time has come again.
As in the early years of the 20th century, and for a time in the 60;s and 70’s, American society is facing change. People are out of work, and the poor get poorer while the rich get richer. This is a political film. It is not necessarily a Liberal film, nor is it a Conservative film. It is a film that imparts a central truth that both parties ignore: The Establishment wants us to be stupid, we are easier to control that way. The endless bickering between politicians and the foolishness of our popular culture (of which I am an admitted sheeple) are blinding us. We, on the blogosphere, are constantly reading of the erosion of our Constitutionally granted rights by Bush and Obama. The Internet is becoming more controlled, we can be labeled as terrorists and detained forever or even killed without warrant. Young liberals are blinded by the “more government to control evil business” rhetoric, and conservatives calling for “less evil government to protect victim businesses” All the while, both lose nothing, and only gain power.
Young people: There is nothing wrong with enjoying reality tv, the latest movie, or music craze, but don’t let that be ALL you expose yourself to. Learn about our country, its history, and what is happening in the world. For every Kardashian or Jersey Shore you watch, wikipedia American social history. Make an effort to educate yourselves. Hunger Games, which bridges both of those choices, is a great place to start.
The Skinny from the Fatty 
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