**NOTE: Before I begin I want to give credit to my inspiration for writing this post to an awesome volgger named Hank Green. When I say inspiration I do not mean he gave me the ideas I have, but he inspired me to expand on my beliefs towards this topic because his views are very similar to mine. I also want to credit any non-Bible quotes I might be using throughout this post to Hank Green.
Over 35 million copies sold. 1.5 billion dollars in movie revenue for the first two movies alone. 1.2 million dedicated fans and followers on twitter. The Hunger Games franchise has undoubtedly achieved enormous success. The complexity and extremity of the plot in combination with charismatic and crazy characters and the absurd society they live in creates a compelling and addictive tale that millions are attracted to. The characters in this novel series are forced to live in a society where the government is so obsessed with retaining its power that it will actually have children fight to the death as a reminder of their supremacy. This is a scary situation, but it’s the extremity and terror associated with this plot that makes it seem fictionally fascinating. Even though the issues and ideas associated with the tyrannical government are essential to the plot, I am going to ask that you forget that important part of the story for the duration of time you are reading this. Why? Because I think there is another aspect to this remarkable story that needs to be addressed. The broken, separated, and unequal society in which they live in. There are basically two different generalized types of characters. There are those who live a clean life in the comforts of the capitol, and there are also those who live a decent but deficient life in their district. The people of the districts work miserably to provide food, clothing, energy, and basically everything else they need for the Capitol, and they do not receive enough of any of the items they are providing while the people of the Capitol are comfortably drowning in their amount of possessions. This abundant and apparent inequality is a source of outrage and disgust, but there is also a sense of fear and relief reader’s gain when reading this series. “I don’t want this world to become like that, but I am glad that it isn’t now”. I regret to inform you that we live that very world that we fear.
“Susan Collins does an amazing job of… showing us basically a world that looks a lot
like the world we live in and having it look at it and say, “How could anyone live in a world like that!” A world where someone’s joy is the source of someone else’s sorrow. A world where a trendy article of clothing, special toy, or even energy means hours of intense labor for someone else. A world where the wealthy upper class’s need of fulfillment feeds the suffering and struggle for those who they may never meet. A world that is broken into 1st worlds, 2nd worlds, and 3rd worlds. A world where the affluent are unaware or simply uncaring to the struggles of others. A world where someone’s ignorance causes anything but bliss. How could anyone live in a world
like that?
Painted skin, brightly colored hair, and eccentric outfits are all iconic characteristics of the comically crazy and contemptible citizens of the capitol. The capitol people’s exaggerated fixation on superficial belongings appears to be completely ridiculous. However, if looked at from a different more open-minded perspective we can see that there are unsurprising parallels between the world we live in and world the people of the capitol live in. A spray tan, frequently dyed hair, designer and trendy clothing are all iconic characteristics of the society the affluent areas of the world. Is there any similarity? The “Capitol” in the Hunger Games is simply a hyperbolic representation of the materialistic society we live in. I once watched a short documentary video describing the economy of Bangladesh. I was surprised to learn that the Bengali economy is dominated by the textile industry. I also learned how the majority of the textile industry is women and their working conditions are inhumane and their payment is an unacceptable injustice. Another noticeable statement made was that if the textile industry divest, the country of Bangladesh would be in economic ruin. I find it completely disturbing that the corporations and economies of 1st world countries yield excessive and destructive power over these nations. I live in a great country that gives me plenty of resources and opportunity to find well-paying job that will provide for a comfortable life, but it bothers me that my country’s economic success only deepens the economic dependency of other nations. A couple of years later when reading the Hunger Games series I felt the very same disturbance that I had experienced while watching the informatory video on the textile industry, but the only thing different about the two uncomforting situations was the degree to which the disturbance was shared. Millions read the Hunger Games and were appalled at the horrors of inequality the districts are burdened with. Millions were appalled at the fact that the districts lives are structured around the Capitol’s needs. Millions were appalled that the people of the districts starve, work intensely, and suffer to provide for the Capitals pleasures. It is an undeniably terrible situation, but my question is why aren’t millions of people appalled at the situation the people of Bangladesh are burdened with? In the video I watched the people of Bangladesh live an unjustly unequal life compared to the affluent people they are providing for. The people of Bangladesh lives are dependent on the wealthier society’s needs. The people of starve, work intensely, and suffer to provide for the wealthier society’s pleasures. The circumstances the people of Bangladesh live in are very similar if not identical to burdens the people of the districts face, but why aren’t millions appalled?
Inequality transcends beyond the country of Bangladesh and the textile industry. Food, energy, tourism, toys, must have electronics, everything that is made in China, they are all a part of the long existing cycle of consumer happiness, miserable labor, and inequality. A distinctive feature of inequality is that it exists everywhere, even in the countries that appear to be choking from their own wealth. (Bible reference). I live in an interesting place. There is a city near where I live called Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and it is the third wealthiest city in the United States. I also live close so Detroit, Michigan, which is battling with its own bankruptcy. I find it interesting but also depressing how two places so close in proximity to each other can be total opposites. Is Bloomfield Hills responsible for the deterioration of Detroit? Maybe. No one can really be blamed for the epidemic of inequality that has existed for ages. It is a complex issue and as Hank Green will put it “It is not an easy problem to fix”. However, despite the complexity, I do believe there are many reasons for its existence, but I also believe, despite the difficulty, there is a solution to the problem. As usual Jesus has the answers.
For as longs as humans have been civilized there has been an importance placed on wealth, and possessions to demonstrate that wealth, and for as long as humans have been civilized there has been inequality among each other. I realize that the problem of unjust human suffering may never be fixed here on earth, however I feel as though we should do our part to minimize its influence. The issue of wealthy societies and poor society’s dates back to biblical times, and it is an issue Jesus does not ignore. Jesus wisely says, “Do not store riches for yourselves here on earth. Where moths and rust destroy, and robbers break in and steal.” Matthew 6: 19. I think Jesus is trying to draw attention to the negative aspects of material possessions which discredits their commonly perceived high value. When we value wealth and materials over the relationships with our fellow human beings, suffering and misfortune will surface. “For your heart will always be where your riches are.” Matthew 6: 21. If our hearts are where riches are, what happens when our riches are with us on earth? Where should our riches be? What should we value? Jesus tells us to “Instead, store up riches for yourselves in heaven.” Matthew 6:20. I like to think of riches that would be in heaven to be our emotional and spiritual connections with each other. The faith we find in God, the comfortable love for family, the happiness found in a friend, the simplicity of conversing with a stranger, the hope you have for the troubled, and the sympathy you feel when you see a person in pain are all some of the spiritual treasures found in heaven. When superficial and earthly riches capture our hearts, emotional riches have a difficult time setting us free. However, if they do, our concern for others would replace our desire for extensive wardrobes. Our appreciation for one another would lessen the importance of social reputation and electronics. Our devotion towards one another would minimize the obsession with beauty. (Not just female beauty boys) Our love for everyone would counteract the selfish acts precipitated by selfish and hollow desires found on earth. All of the words I just wrote express emotion and belief. Our beliefs are an incredibly important influence in our lives. So then, how would one act on the previous stated ideals? Maybe they would pray for those in need every night, or talk about their concerns for others with a friend. Maybe they could set money aside they would normally spend on clothes, electronics, or life accessories and use it to donate to a charitable cause. (one of my favorite charities is Kiva. Check it out :) ). Or maybe take time out of their busy lives to volunteer. It is easy to believe and see that unequal suffering is a tragedy that taints the world, but it is more difficult to bring those beliefs to life.. Where is the value and essence of a person found? We are not what we believe. We are how we act on our beliefs
Now I know it seems as though I am condemning a large group of people, but that is not what I am trying to do. If I was condemning (something I don’t have the right to do anyway) the wealthier societies of the world I would also be criticizing myself, my family, friends and basically the majority of the people I know and love. I think an interesting point Hank Green pointed out in his Vlog is that the author of the Hunger Games “does an admirable job of not blaming the participants of that society”, which is something that holds great truth. It is easy to blame wealthy consumers for creating world and domestic economic inequality and dependence, because we are the ones buying the inhumane labor tainted products. We are the ones dependent on the products these companies produce, and consequently we make other nations, people, and industries depend on us and our money. However, the wealthy consumer has been raised in world where the materialistic possessions are a deemed as a necessity for happiness. The consumer may need dozens of different trendy outfits or many of their favorite sports teams shirts to be happy with their wardrobe, and they couldn’t handle a life with a three or four different tops and bottoms. They may need their own personal bedroom, and wouldn’t be able get along happily in a house size of the others bedroom shared with five other family members. They might need an IPhone because all of their friends have one, and they would never be seen with just a flip phone or a land line or maybe nothing at all. The environment anyone is raised in plays a pivotal role in the character of a person. Some environments may be a forest or a jungle with many resources to live on. Where others may be a desert, where resources are not as abundant, but there is beauty to be found and life is able to be lived happily. We adapt to our environments and living or even imagining trying to adapt to another one is a difficult task. It is hard to blame someone for being who they are, because it is kind of out of their control. The people of the Capitol didn’t choose to be born into that life, and neither did the people of the district. So I am not writing this post because I think everyone who lives on the wealthier side of the world are horrible people and should completely change their lifestyle. I am also not writing this to say that the people who live on the poorer side of the world live hopeless and miserable lives. Both of those statements would be false. I am writing this so people will hopefully gain appreciation for environments and people who are completely different from them. And may that appreciation inspire sympathy for environments where material possession captures their lives, and sympathy for those environments where material possessions are more of a stranger than a friend. Hopefully that appreciation precipitate gratitude for others we may never meet but are still connected to. But most importantly, may that appreciation spark kindness to help end the hurt and tragedy present in our world, but also let it be the hope that guides use through the hurt and tragedy of the world.
