The ineffectiveness of inaction and misguided action

Inaction

“What does it mean to be foreign? And to be American?”

On Nov. 5, 2019, director, producer and writer Lulu Wang Tweeted these questions in response to the Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, for refusing to accept the Nigerian film “Lionheart” in the international film category. Most of the movie’s dialogue was in English, so following this decision, the Academy Awards faced criticism as Nigeria’s official language happens to be English due to colonialism. Though the characters speak a minimal amount of Nigerian, the plot still follows the life of a Nigerian woman. The character’s story and culture should dictate whether or not the film is classified as international, not the language spoken.

This calls attention to the delineation of “foreign film” vs “foreign-language film”. Which makes more sense? Can a “foreign film” be in OUR language (i.e. English)? Can a domestic (i.e American) film be in a foreign language? What does it mean to be foreign? And to be American? https://t.co/JqyvVeW5RQ

— Lulu Wang (@thumbelulu) November 5, 2019

Just a month later, Wang faced a similar situation when her own film, “The Farewell,” was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globe Awards. The movie is based on Wang’s own life as a Chinese American woman. In a podcast with NPR’s Terry Gross, Wang explained that prior to the film’s production, when she was still pitching the idea to media companies, American producers asked her how to cater the film to a Western audience while Chinese producers asked her how to make the film more suitable for Chinese viewers. 

On one hand, production companies were telling Wang that her character’s story was too “Westernized” while on the other, she was told that her film could not have subtitles — otherwise it wouldn’t be considered an American film. The entertainment industry should be striving to promote rather than stifle multiculturalism in America, yet when “The Farewell” showcases the story of an American citizen whose family is from China, the Golden Globes chose to disregard the Wang’s own story of being American by putting it in the foreign film category.

Though the film exceeded the requirements to be classified under a foreign category, with more than 51% of its dialogue in Mandarin, similar to the “Lionheart” circumstances, language should not overpower the actual story. By disqualifying “Lionheart,” the Academy Awards demonstrate how African culture isn’t taken seriously, and how Americans do not understand the full weight of colonialism. By categorizing “The Farewell” under foreign films, the Golden Globes are invalidating Asian Americans of their American identity and experiences. 

It’s 2020, yet it still seems like entertainment industry is taking the wrong steps toward embracing diversity. How else is our society expected to advance towards tolerance if not by welcoming all Americans? Despite the fact that these award shows claim they are welcoming diversity by recognizing these films,  there is still a long way for them to go.   

Misguided Action

While these award shows illustrate instances of incorrect action, the issue of inaction has also been proven to be distratous. An example would be the reactions to the fires in Australia, which have been going on since September of 2019. However, it wasn’t until the end of December when Western media started bringing attention the them. 

The fires were talked about everywhere, whether it be on Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat or any other social media platform. People from all over the world started worrying about the animals losing their homes and the numerous deaths resulting from the fires. Australia’s government failed to properly respond to the bushfires, and although just recently Prime Minister Scott Morrison decided to order a government inquiry into the fires, many Australians remain discontent with how the fires were handled. 

Morrison is an advocate for Australia’s booming coal industry and though he has acknowledged the existence of climate change, he chooses to allow for the continuation of greenhouse gas emissions instead of addressing the link between climate change and the destructive bushfires. By minimizing climate change’s role, Morrison is simultaneously neglecting the voices of his people, as well as risking the overall safety of Australians. 

Another example of blatant ignorance was demonstrated by media personality Kylie Jenner as she posted an Instagram story regarding the animals that were killed due to the fires, and shortly after, she posted another story of her wearing slippers made out of mink fur. Minks are semi aquatic mammals that belong to the same family as weasels, and are one of the two most common animals to be bred for their fur. 

Immediately after her stories, many were quick to criticize Jenner for her hypocrisy. However, following the public’s outrage, as People Magazine reported, Kylie Jenner donated one million dollars to relief efforts in Australia. Even though Jenner is not obligated to prove she donated, her Instagram stories unquestionably seemed insincere, prompting us to wonder how genuinely concerned celebrities truly are about the fires. 

This is a reminder that Kylie Jenner showed faux concern for the animals dying in fires in Australia right before she posted her $1000 real mink fur slippers.

Stop buying her products and send the money to charities that need it instead. She doesn’t need your money. https://t.co/336AfYAXPi

— miserable at BBQs (@soypreme) January 7, 2020

After the fires in Australia started gaining more media attention, a surge of MVHS students simultaneously began posting on their social media to spread awareness, show their support for those affected and express their heartbreak for the animals that lost their lives. A picture of a baby koala in the arms of a fireman with a hashtag in support of Australia went viral.  

While spreading awareness is important, it almost seems like we are posting on social media because we see everyone else talking about a specific topic. In a situation like the fires, a post has no direct impact. We have to recognize when it’s appropriate to display support through a hashtag, and when it’s more appropriate to do things such as donate or volunteer.   

From misrepresentation in the entertainment industry to negligence from world leaders to ignorance from celebrities, it is crucial to realize that both inaction and inappropriate action are inimical. Fortunately, there have been just as many people who have displayed taking real action, and because of them, we’re on a bumpy, but gradual path to a safer and prosperous world. We need to continue to push for real action, because otherwise, society won’t move forward.