Title: The Lessons of Revolution in “Barbie” and “Star Wars”: Exploring Fiction for Real-Life Insights
Introduction:
Barbie dolls and “Star Wars” movies have been instrumental in entertaining and captivating generations of American children. However, these iconic brands offer more than just superficial enjoyment. They provide valuable insights into the dynamics and motivations behind revolutions. Drawing from the upcoming “Barbie” film and the “Andor” TV series in the “Star Wars” franchise, this article examines how these stories shed light on the path to revolution, the challenges faced by revolutionaries, and the importance of post-revolutionary governance.
Recognizing Oppression as a Catalyst for Revolution:
Both “Barbie” and “Andor” depict stories where the oppressed must first recognize their oppression before a revolution can occur. In “Barbie,” the fictional world of Barbieland initially portrays a seemingly perfect society led by women called Barbies, with men collectively known as Kens blissfully unaware of their political, economic, and social oppression. However, when the protagonist Ken leaves Barbieland and discovers the realities of the real world, he becomes aware of the oppression faced by men. This realization compels him to improve the lives of his fellow Kens back in Barbieland. Similarly, in “Andor,” the main character’s experience with the autocratic Galatian Empire gradually awakens his understanding of the oppression that drives him to join the revolution.
The Challenge of Mobilizing for Revolution:
Both fictional universes also highlight the challenges faced by revolutionaries in mobilizing and organizing others to join their cause. The cost of fighting against an oppressive regime may be high, as resistance could lead to imprisonment or execution. In “Barbie,” the Kens’ attempt to change the Barbieland constitution is met with a non-violent response from the Barbies, who cleverly sow division among the Kens rather than resorting to violence. This reduces the potential risk of revolution for the Kens, making it easier for the main character to rally others to his cause. On the other hand, “Andor” portrays a situation where the price of seeking change is death, resulting in a smaller number of people willing to join the revolution. It is only when the protagonist experiences severe repression in prison that he realizes the futility of doing nothing and decides to revolt.
The Power of Numbers:
Both “Barbie” and “Andor” demonstrate the importance of numbers in revolution. In real life, the higher the number of participants, the harder it becomes for the government to suppress the rebellion. The prison riot in “Andor” exemplifies this concept, as the main character convinces other prisoners to rebel by revealing that 5,000 people will fight alongside them. This knowledge provides the prisoners with a greater sense of confidence, as their chances of success increase while the risk of punishment decreases. By showing the power of collective action, these stories emphasize that increased participation can make a revolution safer and more likely to succeed.
Maintaining Peace After Revolution:
Both narratives also emphasize the significance of inclusive governance for sustaining peace post-revolution. In “Barbie,” after the Ken uprising, the Barbies involve the Kens in the government of Barbieland, indicating a shift towards gender equality and the sharing of power. Similarly, in “Andor,” the formation of the New Republic after the rebellion prompts political amnesty for former members of the Galactic Empire, aiming to prevent further violence. Research demonstrates that even in situations where one side emerges victorious, they must consider the needs and grievances of the losing side to prevent future conflicts. Ensuring equality, justice, power-sharing, and amnesty can significantly contribute to post-revolutionary peace, although challenges may still arise.
Conclusion:
The “Barbie” film and the “Andor” series offer valuable insights into revolution, from recognizing oppression and mobilizing revolutionaries to the importance of inclusive governance for sustained peace. By exploring these fictional narratives, we gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of real-life political movements and the challenges they face. As popular culture continues to influence our perceptions of revolution, it is essential to harness the lessons taught by these stories to foster a more informed and engaged society.
References:
Allen, M.A., & Allen, J.V. (2023, Month Day). The Lessons of Revolution in “Barbie” and “Star Wars”: Exploring Fiction for Real-Life Insights. The Conversation. [Link]
Note: This article was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
—————————————————-
table {
width: 100%;
border-collapse: collapse;
}
th, td {
padding: 10px;
text-align: left;
border-bottom: 1px solid #006699;
}
th {
background-color: #006699;
color: #FCB900;
}
| Article | Link |
|---|---|
| UK Artful Impressions | Premiere Etsy Store |
| Sponsored Content | View |
| 90’s Rock Band Review | View |
| Ted Lasso’s MacBook Guide | View |
| Nature’s Secret to More Energy | View |
| Ancient Recipe for Weight Loss | View |
| MacBook Air i3 vs i5 | View |
| You Need a VPN in 2023 – Liberty Shield | View |
Barbie dolls and “Star Wars” movies and toys have entertained generations of American children — in many cases well into adulthood. But the influence of these brands goes beyond a love of pink and lightsaber battles.
In particular both those “Barbie” Film, released in July 2023, and a “Star Wars” franchise television series called “Andor” offer important lessons about revolutions.
Hollywood has long been obsessed with revolutions. Riots also occur in other popular film series such as “The Hunger Games,” “Harry Potter” and “Avatar.”
In each fictional universe, an oppressed group stages a revolution fighting for political and economic freedom.
As experts in Violence And Democratizationwe have written about it how popular culture allows people to better understand real political movements and crises.
We also use films and shows in our lessons to teach students why revolutions happen.
Both “Barbie” and “Andor” are useful for those who want to understand why revolutions happen and what it takes for them to happen.
Their basic point: Before a revolution can begin, the oppressed must do so First, recognize their oppression.
Repression leads to radicalization
“Barbie” begins in the fictional, very pink and California-perfect Barbieland. Almost everyone is either a version of a Barbie doll or a Ken doll. And the women – all called Barbie – are in charge of Barbieland. But the men – all collectively called Ken – are blissfully unaware that they are experiencing political, economic and social oppression.
These men are not part of the Barbieland government. You are not working. The main character Ken, played by actor Ryan Gosling, describes his job as a “beach”. It was unclear where the Kens even lived, as only the women lived in the perfect plastic houses.
Only when the main character Ken leaves the Barbieland universe and accidentally enters the real world does he realize that men are oppressed at home.
Ken realizes that men have power in corporate offices and other places in the real world. He returns to Barbieland with a desire to improve the lives of other Kens. The Kens then claim all of the Barbies’ houses for themselves and take over all the important jobs in Barbieland. Then they try to change the constitution – but the Barbies ultimately stop them.
Meanwhile, the main character Cassian Andor from the “Star Wars” universe had a similar experience. Andor lives under the autocratic Galatian Empire. Unlike the Kens, Andor is somewhat aware that the Empire is oppressive. At a young age, Andor witnesses how the army of the Empire, the “Imperials,” kills his friend. When he resists, he is sent to a “youth center”. comparable to a juvenile prisonsince three years.
But instead of becoming a rebel in old age, Andor quietly exploits the system and makes money by stealing from the Empire. Only when he experiences severe repression in prison does he actually try to overthrow the empire.
Bottom-up revolutions are a challenge
These fictional universes also show how difficult it is for revolutionary leaders to recruit and organize others to help fight for their cause. Sometimes, The cost of fighting may be too high, since the government in power could imprison or execute anyone who tries to change the system. This discourages participation in the revolution. If costs are lower, it might be easier to recruit revolutionaries.
When the Kens in “Barbie” try to change the constitution to give all power to men, the Barbies don’t fight back with violence. Instead, they cause the Kens to be jealous of each other so that they divide and cannot work together to change the Constitution. This lack of violent reaction from the Barbies reduces the potential risk of revolution for the Kens. Therefore, it is easier for the main Ken to recruit other Kens to change the system.
This is not the case in “Andor”. The price of seeking change is death, and few people join the revolution.
Only when Andor goes to prison does he come to the conclusion that the price of doing nothing is greater than the price of joining the revolution. As he sits in prison, he realizes that no matter what he does, the Empire will kill him by making him work himself to death. He then decides to revolt with other prisoners.
In real life, recruiting others to participate in a revolution can become easier over time if More and more people are joining in. The more people there are, the harder it is for the government to punish all people who rebel. This, in turn, makes it safer to join the cause, meaning more people may join.
The prison riot in “Andor” illustrates this point.
Andor persuades other prisoners to rebel by telling them truthfully that 5,000 other people will fight with them. He explains that the number of prisoners would significantly exceed the number of prison guards. All the other prisoners then decide to fight back and escape, as their chances of a successful escape are higher and their chances of punishment are lower.
Keeping the peace in real life
Both “Barbie” and “Andor” also teach us what it takes to maintain peace after a revolution: it is important to include the opposition in government.
After the Ken revolt, the Barbies bring the Kens more into the government of Barbieland. The narrator suggests that the Kens will eventually gain as much power and influence as “women have in the real world.”
Following the uprising of “Andor”, a government called the “New Republic” forms after the uprising, realizing that it must give in to maintain peace political amnesty to former members of the failed Galactic Empire.
Most civil wars end with One side wins, and few end with a negotiated peace agreement.
But even if one side won the war, Research shows that the winning side still has to take this into account Losing side to prevent further violence.
After a revolution or civil war, a government policy aimed at creating something Equality and justice, Share power with marginalized groups and give Amnesty for the opposition can do a lot to prevent future violence.
However, maintaining peace after a revolution has occurred is still a challenge. The civil uprisings in Afghanistan From 1992 to 1996 it was Central African Republic from 2012 to today and Syria from 2011 to today all show that it is difficult to maintain peace after a civil war. Violent uprisings broke out in all three locations to challenge control of the government. Violence and political instability are also widespread in these three countries, all of which are internally divided and controlled by different governments and militias.
One of the best predictors of civil wars is whether a country has experienced a civil war Civil war within the last five years. The risk of civil war decreases over time the further a country is from its last internal conflict.
In Barbieland, the Kens need to feel like they have a voice and some control over their lives once the Barbies come back to power – otherwise they could see another Ken uprising. This is concerning because the president is rejecting the Kens’ bid for a seat on the Supreme Court, saying instead that it could potentially lead to a judgeship on a lower court. Could this be a sign of more trouble to come in Barbieland?
The revolution doesn’t dissipate in “Andor” either, and we have to wait until “Return of the Jedi” for the rebellion to end. However, the New Republic that eventually emerges is unable to stave off the conflict, as in the seventh Star Wars film, the First Order rises and destroys the New Republic Senate.
While revolution is hard, governance is harder.
Michael A Allen is a professor of political science, Boise State University And Julie VanDusky Allen is assistant professor of political science, Boise State University.
This article was republished by The conversation under a Creative Commons license. read this original article.
—————————————————-