Films reproduce stereotypes about science that have real world implications for the public. One of these is who gets to be seen as a scientist (usually White men). Another is a distortion of what science involves In Midsommar, social scientists are men who do whatever they wantpic.twitter.com/JTwD2BfVMj
-
-
TW suicide, DFV. Catalyst for the story is a murder-suicide by a mentally ill woman. Social science shows murder-suicides are gendered: women who die this way are the minority; overwhelmingly due to prolonged DFV. Still we repeatedly see violent images of these deaths
#BadSciFilmShow this thread -
TW suicide: Dani is a White woman who also has a mental illness. The film has some interesting commentary about women having to sublimate grief for the sake of selfish partners. Nevertheless, Dani witnesses ritual suicides & remains at the commune. Awful plotting.
#BadSciFilmpic.twitter.com/P9yTEil12jShow this thread -
The filmmaker, who is highly skilled, clever & a striking storyteller, has said the story operates as a break up film. Some viewers see it as fairytale (the origins of these are highly violent). None of this excuses the logic of whiteness & ableism used in the plot.
#BadSciFilmpic.twitter.com/c9E28JKpibShow this thread -
Aster's portrayal of White women's grief in his films is highly effective. Midsommar is also very precise in its depiction of the social experience of hallucinogenic drug use (norms about sharing the timing & policing their space 'Everybody lie down!' 'I don't like new people!').pic.twitter.com/k4BqqtpO7X
Show this thread -
Christian's cowardice (can't break up with Dani, but is planning to go overseas). Dani's obervations of her relationship (Christian doesn't remember her birthday, but 'it's my fault, I forgot to remind him'
). All smartly done.
Race & ableism are also choices. #BadSciFilmpic.twitter.com/sOhaKaGhqjShow this thread -
White male filmmakers can imagine all sorts of worlds. They read widely to flesh out ideas. They inject realistic details because it helps audiences suspend disbelief. But they fail to do diligence on race & disability. Social science is also shabbily treated. Why?
#BadSciFilmpic.twitter.com/4XURGV5mZfShow this thread -
In short, White men imagine that Black anthropologists would risk their lives, because White men don't have to think about race as they move through the world. They think women's experience of suicide is genderless, because men don't see how their gender shapes them.
#BadSciFilmpic.twitter.com/nBvsX7jCKqShow this thread -
White abled men think that creating a White disabled character who never speaks is a minor detail, even when condescending (he has 'pure' insight due to 'different cognition') and whose origins are socially engineered ('inbred' specifically to play this function).
#BadSciFilmpic.twitter.com/540vlYvgS3Show this thread -
The film is conscious enough of disability to include Auslan clapping as the primary way to show public appreciation, but disinterested in the lives of disabled people. They are just an oddity who exist to pass divination - that's then 'interpreted' by abled people
#BadSciFilmpic.twitter.com/vcXXjyUiB5
Show this thread -
In the end, social sciences provide plot fodder (Vikings were violent!), but the film sees no responsibility in depicting anything near actual social science, ethics of fieldwork, safety of
#POC researchers. Other sciences are poorly represented, but far worse for us.#BadSciFilmpic.twitter.com/ArehClMLkUShow this thread
End of conversation
New conversation -
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.