Comments on: Poverty Porn: Reinforcing the Imperialist Gaze http://tectonic-uplift.com/deepthiw/2009/11/21/poverty-porn-is-an-imperialist-argument/ A Little Media, A Little Mayhem, A Little Madness Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:32:38 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: DeepthiW http://tectonic-uplift.com/deepthiw/2009/11/21/poverty-porn-is-an-imperialist-argument/comment-page-1/#comment-566 DeepthiW Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:17:49 +0000 http://tectonic-uplift.com/deepthiw/?p=756#comment-566 Hey Lindsey, thanks! BTW, are you writing anything about those protests taking place at UCB and around the world? Fascinating stuff. Charlotte, yeah, the romanticization of poverty does have a tradition, doesn't it? Thanks, this is a big help, I may have to revise the post above to acknowledge that poverty porn does exist! Dickens is a great example, as are the others--a pattern of objectifying the poor towards a specific end--Dickens' objective might have been the most noble, to paint them in rosy portraits as a way to make the wealthy want to support them. But the church and Soviet aims would have been much more of a propagandist agenda to shape society to their liking, making people think their suffering is "noble." Thanks for pointing these out, I think they help locate the tradition of poverty porn and why it's a very valid idea--just not, IMO, to Slumdog. Actually, Millions by the same director, which I erroneously wrote above is set in Ireland (it takes place in England in the near future) deals a little bit with that connection between poverty and the Catholic faith, fascinating and incredibly sweet film. Hey Lindsey, thanks! BTW, are you writing anything about those protests taking place at UCB and around the world? Fascinating stuff.

Charlotte, yeah, the romanticization of poverty does have a tradition, doesn’t it? Thanks, this is a big help, I may have to revise the post above to acknowledge that poverty porn does exist! Dickens is a great example, as are the others–a pattern of objectifying the poor towards a specific end–Dickens’ objective might have been the most noble, to paint them in rosy portraits as a way to make the wealthy want to support them. But the church and Soviet aims would have been much more of a propagandist agenda to shape society to their liking, making people think their suffering is “noble.” Thanks for pointing these out, I think they help locate the tradition of poverty porn and why it’s a very valid idea–just not, IMO, to Slumdog.

Actually, Millions by the same director, which I erroneously wrote above is set in Ireland (it takes place in England in the near future) deals a little bit with that connection between poverty and the Catholic faith, fascinating and incredibly sweet film.

]]> By: Charlotte http://tectonic-uplift.com/deepthiw/2009/11/21/poverty-porn-is-an-imperialist-argument/comment-page-1/#comment-565 Charlotte Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:03:48 +0000 http://tectonic-uplift.com/deepthiw/?p=756#comment-565 I can think of something that would be poverty porn, actually... But that would have to be much more specific than what is described (and contested by you) here. I can't really think of any film I have seen that I would qualify as such, though. Censorship of the "rich people can't talk about poor people" type is nonsense, obviously. I keep thinking about Dickens here... Is David Copperfield poverty porn? Isn't that even a ridiculous question to ask? Is it only OK to talk about poor people with a ton of pathos? Though now that I think about it (and forgive me if I type nonsense, because I hadn't really reflected on it before), and trying to find "representations of poverty that make it look attractive, by and for priviledged people", the things that come to mind are the Catholic church (I've visited the Vatican with its marbles, its art, it magnificence, and I've heard the sermons about the happiness of the poor, andsee how a country priest lives -- the life the church reserves for its footsoldiers is not much better than abject poverty...), maybe the Sovietic glorification of the people, of hard work and ascetism? I'm really not sure of what I'm typing here, but that is as fairly cynical and revolting as the term "poverty porn", and that places Slumdog Millionnaire in a context... I can think of something that would be poverty porn, actually… But that would have to be much more specific than what is described (and contested by you) here. I can’t really think of any film I have seen that I would qualify as such, though. Censorship of the “rich people can’t talk about poor people” type is nonsense, obviously.
I keep thinking about Dickens here… Is David Copperfield poverty porn? Isn’t that even a ridiculous question to ask? Is it only OK to talk about poor people with a ton of pathos?
Though now that I think about it (and forgive me if I type nonsense, because I hadn’t really reflected on it before), and trying to find “representations of poverty that make it look attractive, by and for priviledged people”, the things that come to mind are the Catholic church (I’ve visited the Vatican with its marbles, its art, it magnificence, and I’ve heard the sermons about the happiness of the poor, andsee how a country priest lives — the life the church reserves for its footsoldiers is not much better than abject poverty…), maybe the Sovietic glorification of the people, of hard work and ascetism? I’m really not sure of what I’m typing here, but that is as fairly cynical and revolting as the term “poverty porn”, and that places Slumdog Millionnaire in a context…

]]> By: Lindsey http://tectonic-uplift.com/deepthiw/2009/11/21/poverty-porn-is-an-imperialist-argument/comment-page-1/#comment-564 Lindsey Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:30:05 +0000 http://tectonic-uplift.com/deepthiw/?p=756#comment-564 I have never heard of "poverty porn" before (i'm still a 'freshman' in many ways) but I really like your point. Good Work, Awesome Job! I have never heard of “poverty porn” before (i’m still a ‘freshman’ in many ways) but I really like your point. Good Work, Awesome Job!

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