The Philosophy of District 9 - Freedomain Radio Movie Review

[RenaissanceMan1993]

The Change from being human to slowly becoming alien and how life changes as result reminds me of Metamorphosis Franz Kafka.

[Ilissill]

Remove the summary please, it is redundant -- people watching this video have seen the movie.

[AscendingAshTree]

Personally, I like your metaphor/similie (not sure), but i personally thought that he was abusive of power eg, when he says he won't kill people, then goes killing mercs more or less unnecessarily and mocking it, it more seems to be abusive. But, i guess he isn't supposed to think about things, just realise them, or like you said, his relapse into violence, OR more probable, it's a movie, so they need booms. Nice outlook on the film, and great summary of society!

[Seraphoid]

your right, ripping those elctrodes out and becomeing one with yourself is hard when all you do is try to conform to fit in and it would be a nice change of pace to be actually comfortable in one's own skin than hide behind a facade... :)

[Seraphoid]

damn you stateism and the quick fix! i really liked this video! it really helped me get a good understanding and guide on how to write or structure my review! (an essay for college) and i will so cite you XD

[stefbot]

@mysweetverona the newer one?

[Entropy56]

I think this movie is about Obama being half white and half black.

[Entropy56]

That is to say, that he is allowed to advance his statist agenda under the pretense of fairness and empathy.

[generalkoffi]

It's a common misperception that District 9 is set twenty years ago, in the waning days of the Apartheid regime. It's set in August 2010. You can tell by a date referenced in the movie, the technology that's around etc. It's a commentary on the xenophobic attacks which have afflicted parts of South Africa in the 2000s, especially towards the end of the decade. In fact, the photos of the new camp Christopher shows his son are actual photos of a government housing project in SA.

[noteamoahora]

I think your view is a little negative--he wasn't ejected from the higher class of society because he was empathetic to the victims, he was ejected because he had a huge alien arm that everyone wants to use to shoot guns. I think talking about the humans' reaction to his arm would be supported better factually by the film than your empathy theory.

[natmanprime]

damn stef has has someone been persecuting you???

talkin bout turnin guns on you with the haunted look and shit

and individuation therapy what the hell is that???

[TheSupremeSkeptic]

@15:00

I use to have the exact same dream.

[booptin]

You used a lot of big words there buddy. It was a great review tho

[chimichangadeadpool]

One thing I didn't like about the movie is the way the Dutch are portrayed as coldhearted rasists

[CodyAllenmusic]

@chimichangadeadpool it's not about the dutch... It's just about humanity.

[chimichangadeadpool]

how hard is it to pronounce Wikus? It's not Wykus, but Wikus. Like Wicca. His name was sayed a hunderd times in the movie. So why do you say Wykus?

[Gromitdog1]

who cares, the general idea is conveyed.

[rickyrico80]

@chimichangadeadpool You should blame the director of the movie, not Stef. I'm dutch too, and our letters just sound different. I must say it annoyed me too. If the director wants to portray a dutch guy, then at least get his name right :)

[Will762]

To dismiss religion, nationalism and patriotism as forms of pseudo-morality, and hinge an entire system of ethics on 'empathy' requires, I'm afraid, at least some definition of the term. And furthermore, I feel Stephan must fill out the claim: a brief survey of this suspiciously Humean-sounding system of morality is required.

[tegf4]

Dude, what you are trying to say has been written in the bible.

[RoyvanKeulen]

The container definitely stands for the power to emphatize, to see the world through someone else's eyes. That's all that is sure to me.

[Jobana]

2009 year of release + 3 years for wikus getting 'fixed' = 2012

I am just saying :P

[DRfronkensteen]

It takes place in 2010 though.

[Jobana]

@ DRfronkensteen:

Nope, its January 2008, You can see that at the begining of the film when Wikus is putting the microphone on, There's a desk calendar of MNU.

But its interesting how the remark 2012 because they obviously knew that the movie was coming out in 2009, thats why i commented the numbers one month ago.

[DRfronkensteen]

I re-watched it recently, it does take place in August of 2010. If you pause the movie during any of the "security cam" feeds, you can see a time/date stamp.

[furbe]

That's were the movie starts to fall apart. He goes to personally get the signatures of 1 million aliens for eviction. Yeah, okay.

Meanwhile, the trigger happy South African military (which is made up of no more than 10 thugs apparently) , is all too happy to shoot prawns without justification.

We send a moron to get 1 million signatures, while giving the military the authority to shoot at will.

And that's just the start...

[DRfronkensteen]

I do have to say I enjoyed D9 a lot, as well as this movie review. It ranks right up there with The Matrix and V for Vendetta in my opinion.One thing I would like to mention is the fact that the "mercenaries" and company are stripping the aliens of their weaponry. I know that the company wanted the weapons for profit, but I see another allusion to govt. today. The disarmament of a people almost always happens before a war or genocide. I don't know if anyone else noticed this, your thoughts?

[TruthSurge]

A movie's PRIMARY goal is to entertain, no? I don't think D9 really came through, at least not for me. Perhaps whatever social commentary they were aiming for at the end clouded it for me but maybe I was just looking for a good sci-fi movie instead of a commentary on South Africa and by extension, all governments. ? So, if you weren't being hateful in your first comment but just trying to be funny, then my apologies.  I just didn't really like D9.

[DRfronkensteen]

Thats alright, its not for everyone. It did what it was suposed to, which was entertain me. But I always get political with stuff, thats just the way I am. And you could watch any movie and blow all kinds of holes in the plot.

[VisitingXenoc133]

Stef, this is a little off topic but I highly suggest you read and review the book "City of Pearl" by Karen Traviss. It is highly philosophical, though I don't agree with it, and quite anti-human and anti-human freedom since the plot revolves around a cynical human and her alien friend. The book and its sequels are about how earth and its people keep screwing up and the more "moral" aliens must intervene to protect the environment and all the innocent little animals. Have a great day :-)

[Sean2046]

you should do one of these for Watchmen! oh i'd love that!

[DJMattB241]

When I saw this movie, one of the first things I thought as I left the movie theater (stunned, I might add) was "Stef is going to eat this one up"

:)

[sylgr84]

Extra-terrestrial contact on earth happen in 2010

[RPFS2008]

I loved District 9 (actually watched it just last night) so I appreciate your view on it.

I'd love it if another alien civilization visited earth, tho I can't see it happening for a long time (if ever) I suppose that is probably for the best as I worry how a world so full of superstitious thinking and nationalistic fervor would handle it.

[legittoquit]

Good video, though I didn't understand if stefbot meant:

1) These are metaphors that I perceive in the movie

2) The writer wanted to convey these metaphors

[stefbot]

1) :)

[harryogre]

well done Stef!

Well said!

[Uaz31]

Your an alien arn't you? I kept expecting you to pull off your face and show us your true alien face.

[wreckerpecker]

There hasn't' been one film that comes even the slightest bit close to either the reality or the speculation of it, when it comes to ET's.

These films may however provide a level of entertainment and provoke a thought or two within some sickness towards a deeper one.

Yuck

[DCLugi]

Is there a known "reality" concerning ET's? Seems more important to learn about ourselves through film.

[wreckerpecker]

I can speak beyond myself like "ourselves" but it IS the drawing of your own in this future. That is perhaps as close as I can get without destroying your potential.

The "reality" amongst ET is guilt in responsibility for thought. Same as for you and me and all of eternity.

Does soap opera make healthy marriage?

[DCLugi]

I'll, uh...I'll have to get back to you on that...

[PulsarFusion]

Good analysis of the movie, I liked it.

[StrafingMoose]

Awesome review Stef!

But I'm suprised you didn't touch on this facet thouh; the state, yet again, messing with free trade.

It seems to me that all these aliens really wanted was catfood, old computer parts, guns and to reproduce to be able to live peacefully and integrate the local economy.

Of course, you can see the main character often talking about permits, licenses and things alike when he's "cleaning up" the shanty town, going door to door.

[stefbot]

An excellent point, thanks for posting it! :)

[KevinSolway]

The way you describe it, the movie sounds like an ordinary mindless Hollywood blockbuster.

[jupiviv]

It does, and it is to a large extent a mindless entertainer, but it's better than most movies I've seen(and I haven't seen many.) I have a good opinion of it. I think it's about individuality, but I may just be projecting.

[KraljevicPavle]

Beautiful interpretation of a fascinating film. I'm not sure, however, if this metaphor was intentional by the writer or just an enormous coincidence.

[stefbot]

I think the metaphors were largely unconscious - movies are like dreams...

[DCLugi]

Some might say the modern mythology.

[ocelot814]

Aw so let me get this straight. State power = bad. But corporate or private power = good. Stupid anarchist ideals.

[Bakuninite87]

youre an idiot

[ocelot814]

Wow what an argument. I feel so owned. You must be so educated. Subway?

[Bakuninite87]

point proven

[StrafingMoose]

I think you didn't nail the proper definition for "power" yet. Once you do, I doubt you'll even ask the question.

"Power" has this mythical ring to it which obscure the debates of what it really is.

[ocelot814]

Power - the ability to limit others to rules that one is not limited to. If this guy is so anti-state why does he pay taxes? Use state services? It's because He tries to convince others to limit themselves to their own detriment while he know damn well if he uses state run institutions.

[StrafingMoose]

So your point is that Stef made all these videos and podcasts just so he doesn't have a waiting line when he uses government ran services voted in by people like you ? Why do you even bother to comment here if you think he's simply full of shit ? Your comment should then have been shortened to "This guy is full of shit." and then deal with the outcome of saying what you really think.

[ocelot814]

I like to learn about all ideas out their even the dumb ones. Again Stefbot does not have to use these state services or adhere to the limitations of the state yet he does does he not. 

In other words he is full of shit.

[StrafingMoose]

Thanks for showing the real motivation of your constructive input. That way, nobody will lose time arguing with you!

Great courage!

[RPFS2008]

How can a normal everyday person NOT use state 'services? Besides using something that you've been forced, at gun point, to pay for is hardly some crazy immoral action - especially considering that most cannot afford to pay for a service twice over, even if the 2nd option would be the better option.

[zardozcs]

RPFS2008: 'How can a normal everyday person NOT use state 'services?' exactly! The morality of using state services turns on your beliefs. If you support state health, education, etc then it is immoral to use them because you have robbed to obtain them. If you do not support welfare, then it it moral to use them because you have been robbed to provide them.

[RPFS2008]

Please tell me how I can not use state roads....

[ocelot814]

Excuses excuses. Your the anarchist figure it out on your own. You reject the state not me.

[zardozcs]

ocelot814: If your comment was directed to my reply, I'm not an anarchist. I believe the state has a role, just not in health care, etc. I suspect you were commenting on RPFS2008 but YouTube commenting has gone horrible lately. Enjoy your Life!

[zardozcs]

RPFS2008: There's nothing wrong with using state roads IF you don't support them ideologically. You use the roads but you advocate for them to be made private. If you really feel strongly about not using them then move to the wilderness. I'm not an anarchist BTW, I beleive there is a role for the state just not in housing, roads, medical services, etc.

[RPFS2008]

Sorry, nevermind, I mixed you and Ocelot up :)

[zardozcs]

ocelot814: 'Stefbot does not have to use these state services or adhere to the limitations of the state yet he does' The morality of using state services turns on your beliefs. If you support state health, education, etc then it is immoral to use them because you have robbed to obtain them. If you do not support welfare, then it it moral to use them because you have been robbed to provide them.

[moshe88]

It's not often I feel teary-eyed watching a YT video and it seems to happen very often while watching yours, Stefan. Very compelling.

[slimsephy]

How about "A philosophy of District 9" instead of "THE philosophy of District 9"

I think you're missing a huge point of phil 101

[TruthSurge]

district 9 sucked.  Started off promising but it just died. The lead is an ass the whole time and suddenly, without warning, I'm supposed to feel sympathy for him at the end? HAHAHAHA don't waste your time!

[Ghastendee]

Go watch meet the spartans

[TruthSurge]

what is that?

[DRfronkensteen]

@TruthSurge Meet the Spartans is an excellent movie, you would like it.

[TruthSurge]

After viewing the entry on IMDB, I can only assume that your suggestion was intended as a sly insult. 40,000 votes and a rating of 2 stars. I guess your comment is as funny as the movie, eh?

Hey, there's some slime on the street from a homeless person's nose. It is an excellent source of protein! You would like it! HAHAHAH so hilarious.

If you had an argument, you would have used it.

[DRfronkensteen]

@TruthSurge I call it sarcasm........ I just thought it was funny when someone said you should watch Meet the Spartans. You might actually like D9 after seeing that one...... Just a thought. (I know I would even rather watch a double feature of Oprah and the View with Bill O'Reilly in place of commercials than see Meet the Spartans again.)

[wrhall]

i don't think you were ever supposed to empathize with him. i think the real protagonist was always the alien named Christopher.

if you watched it presupposing humans are supposed to be the good guys, I'm afraid you went in with too closed a mind to fully understand or enjoy it.

[TruthSurge]

No, I just watched it to see what would happen. Apparently you didn't see that they tried to play the empathy card when he was getting shot up at the end but it fails because he was an ass from start to finish. IOW, he didn't learn anything or change yet they shoot him up and make a long drawn-out affair of it. As an analogy of real life, I think it fails. we already know it's an us and them affair. Entertain me, gawd dang it.

[RPFS2008]

He wasn't an ass from start to finish at all. It was realistic precisely because he didn't suddenly become a saint and never look back.

[marklethanarkle]

great analysis, stef. glad to see that you're still making vids!

[newperve]

The thing about having to call the military "mercenaries" is not quite true. You can call them "militia", "secret police" or (naturally) terrorists. But you're quite right you can't call them "the military". Unless the film is set in Germany 1935-45.

[SpokoynayaNoch]

They were mercenaries...

[dakatesr]

Great review! I thought it was interesting that the name of the human, Wikus van der Merwe, had a much more alien sounding name than the very familiar name of the alien, Christopher Johnson.

[stefbot]

That is an excellent point, I had not thought of that, though it is a pretty South African name...

[nonantianarchist]

I dunno, sounds like a pretty normal Dutch/Afrikaner name.

[nathanjonessr]

Christopher is a derivative name of Christ, meaning a chosen saviour, the one chance to be saved. Christopher was the only hope for the freedom of his people.

Metaphors can be drawn and intererpreted however we want to, to serve our agenda. That is the power of rhetoric, I urge you stef, to wield that power of rhetoric with slow prudence. Sometimes you are over the top in your criticism of religious people, not everyone was abused by religion.

I liked the movie also, but I hate the shaky-cam

[totdos]

I am a South African. Those "shanty towns" are called shacks and "plakkerkampe", people who live in them, are not places there by the government, the just don't have the means to get out of it or simply don't want to, the unemployment is over 22%, and have over 3 million illegal immigrants so they are the very poor and uneducated. And the government is to corrupt and broken to fix these places, ironically the governments biggest supporters come from these "plakkerskampe".

[prodigy00073]

Can you review Michael Moore's new movie, Capitalism: A Love Story

[tpsisokayiguess]

In the metaphor, what does the company trying to use him and experimenting on him to gain his powers stand for?

[gosmokesome]

im having a quick fix right now. argh

[prodigy00073]

12:44 whats that word mean

[tpsisokayiguess]

eviction; expulsion, banishment, ejection

[rjtoten]

I like how both the government/corporate scientists, and the mystical priests, both had the same methodology in regards to his ability to use alien technology. They both attempted to harvest his body in order to gain his powers.

[stefbot]

Totally right, well put! :)

[DaveDoggOwns]

Another interesting metaphor I found was then the corporation tried to use his alien hand for weapons research this can be seen as a metaphor for how the ruling class tries to use philosopher kings and those with empathy increase their power.

[TokDiYel]

Did you know that the government of Nigeria banned this film because of its portrayal of Nigerians, and that the name of the criminal gang leader, Obasanjo, is the name of a former president of Nigeria.

I tend to think that the ulterior motive of Nigeria banning this film is what it reveals about the government, not the people. They are fearful that people will draw the obvious parallels.

There's some sad irony for you.

[gerry2345]

Interesting review......I enjoyed it.

[DaveDoggOwns]

I gave this movie a 56/100. There were too many plot absurdities to make this a 4 Star or 5 star movie.

For example, why would the missle launcher launch a missle when the ship flew for the first time but not when the mothership was hauling it up? If the aliens knew the missle launcher was there why would that one alien even bother to be attempt to reconstruct his ship in the first place?

How could the corporation not have safeguards against intruders using the airducts?

[Adipatus]

Violence is a quick fix that fails.

[Individualism101]

Stef, in your series of interviews perhaps you should seek to interview the writers of District 9?

According to wikipedia: D9 Written by Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell

[LiberalofLiberty]

it only took me two years to finally accept anarchy

[Cailwyn]

I really enjoyed this movie.

The TV series The Wire, which I've recently started watching, also covers many of these themes. I've never seen a movie or TV show that more realistically portrays the ghettos, or the casual corruption of the police. It's characters are human and, unlike most crime dramas, neither the police or the gangsters are romanticised.

[ForOrAgainstUs]

That sounds really cool. Thanks for the recommendation of the wire. I'll definitely have to check it out.

[bawokoroma]

If this is what you want to get out of this film then good for you. I found your interpretation very interesting.

[baggytheo]

I'm so glad to hear that you decided to see the film despite the violent content, Stef! Very interesting review, thank you for posting it.

[IcarusMoonsight]

Simply powerful. Now I have to see it. Yeah, I'm fine with spoilers. It's like going to see a movie based on a book that you read. Still enjoyable, well, most cases anyway.

[galikazoid]

thanks for the in-depth review of the philosophical content

[robinsoncrucify]

just watched it, it almost maked me cry at the end. I liked the way that guy said fuckin. That's my review.

[ForOrAgainstUs]

I wrote a short review and a few response posts on the IMDB website for the movie right after I watched it because it moved me so greatly. The post is called "Shields Down, Captain," and I think that's what the movie did by using metaphors.

[MaikUniversum]

I loved this movie too :)

[endesigner]

Superb review :)

[Fetchdafish]

Oh, that really is what it feels like. Those tidal waves. Learning the truth about how the world really works, which I think I did about three years ago, was the most painful experience I have ever had. I mean I called myself a Fascist. I read Mussolini and Oswald Mosley. To be such a pretentious little misanthrope suddenly humbled by insight... and faced with the drastic, complete philosophical 180 I was going to have to pull... I cried for three days. I could barely go to work.

[summergiles]

I feel you.

[Freemarketeer81]

Thank you for your honesty. =o).

[sonofagunM357]

the moral of the story - dont get them to point the guns at you and everything will be fine

[Rugob]

You can attack the military if your film is called 28 Weeks Later.

[bunabayashi]

Outstanding review, thank you so much. One particularly disturbing moment for me was when the protagonist began threatening to take the 'prawn's' son away, it really angered me...