Lintasare
Holy Carp!
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2007
- Messages
- 5,890
My evil anthropomorphic horse is offended by that.
But...but...but...
My evil anthropomorphic horse is offended by that.
I almost laughed, too; the line is well played. But the laughter stuck in my throat when all of the joke's implications crashed down on me. My daughter never got for a second that it was supposed to be a joke.
"Are people laughing because they think adopted kids are bad? Am I bad?"
This is a very good example of how parents and people in general get so upset over the smallest thing. As someone who was adopted from birth, I don't find this quote offensive at all, in fact I laughed raucously at it. My parents made sure to explain adoption to me as soon as they felt I was able to understand the concept. For me, that was around age 3 or 4, and I grew up knowing that I was adopted, and I didn't feel any less important than a biological son.
There is no mention of how old the daughter is in this quote, however it doesn't seem like adoption was explained very clearly to her. It also sounds like (from the daughter's actual question) that she is very young. The movie is PG-13 (which stands for Parental Guidance under the age of 13, by the way) and I've read other posts stating that if one were to watch the movie Thor, it explains his background, and the adoption comment makes more sense. If you are unable to provide "parental guidance" to your under-13 child, then you can not possibly be upset with the movie. To get upset over this single line in the movie when it's clearly been taken somewhat out of context and heard by someone who may be too young to grasp the essence of the joke is ridiculous.
That's another point...not everyone thinks every joke is funny. But that's why they're funny, because it's something unexpected, and in some cases, offensive to whatever degree. Just because you don't think the joke is funny doesn't give you the right to alter the movie itself just to make you happy.
I understand why people would get upset over this quote, however in today's world everyone needs something to be upset at, and in some cases, something to fight just for the sake of fighting. This is a perfect example. People are too used to getting exactly what they want. It's become a part of this first-world life we enjoy. People forget that just 20 years ago, life was very different. You couldn't always get what you wanted because it simply wasn't possible, and people got used to it and dealt with it. Now, almost anything is possible, and people now are so accustomed to getting what they want, how they want it, and when they want it, that they'll fight anything or anyone that defies them.
To start a petition to change a line in a movie because it mentions adoption is ludicrous. As I mentioned, I'm adopted and I have no problem with the line at all. I think it's hilarious, even when taken out of context, because it's such a stupid reason for anything bad to exist in someone. If your child can't understand that, then it's all on you for not explaining it to them. Don't blame a movie for your own shortcomings.
EDIT: Another point I forgot to include is that Thor is obviously joking about it. If he were to sincerely suggest that Loki being adopted is the cause for his evil nature, then it would be a different story. HOWEVER, this is not the case.
All together now...."this is the thread that will not end....."
And now it's famous. An article about the "controversy" links to this thread:
http://www.webpronews.com/the-avengers-apparently-waged-a-war-on-adopted-kids-2012-05
Anthropomorphic pony rides for everyone!
"Thor (the character)" is the only one that can lift his hammer (except for Odin and [probably, as it happens in the comics] Captain America) because he's just THAT GOOD. (You have to be worthy to lift the hammer. See Hulk's trouble in the movie.) Having Thor say that line is WAY different than having, say, Tony Stark say that line.It was a line by a character. The directory didn't come on screen and say "I think anyone that is adopted is bad." Thor (the character) says the line in reference to 1 adopted kid - Loki. Why does everything think it's a blanket statement about all adoptees? If every line in every movie regarding every situation was all "happy, happy, joy, joy, sensitive flowers and rainbows", the movies would be pretty boring.
Can you remind me where murdering 80 people is made into a joke by a genuinely good person? Mass murder jokes in the movie at all? Anyone? Oh, so it's not the same thing. Got it.Why is no one upset that the director put a mass murder in the movie? I think that murdering 80 people is way more offensive than stating that someone is adopted.
EMom, thanks for your insightful posts. You're so right.I disagree. Not with your synopsis, but with your conclusion. The back story may have little to do with adoption and be more about inherited traits, but the JOKE was completely about adoption.
The crowd laughed because of the word...ADOPTED. It got a big laugh because most people, IMHO, are not even aware that they are guilty of buying into the stereotypes and prejudices regarding adoption and adoptees. These so pervade our culture that we take them as a given. And we should not.
(Edited by Eric just to avoid taking up too much space with a complete repost)
Several of the groups you mention are completely fictitious. A couple of others are based on personal choices. (You want to make fun of teachers? Comic book collectors? Please do. I choose to be those things.)Joss Whedon also makes fun of or in some way dislikes cheerleaders, vampires, sociopathic adolescent boys that wear black and blow up Combat Carl figures, evil anthropomorphic horses, hussies, jocks, nerds, fools, and virgins.
I took my son to see The Avengers on Saturday. In one key scene, as the Avengers are assembled they review the evil committed by Loki. Thor confronts the rest of the Avengers because Loki is his brother. When the Avengers list the atrocities he has committed, Thor volunteers that Loki was adopted. It got quite a laugh from the audience, yet it implies that an adopted sibling is less family than biological children.
Children dont need to be told they are inferior or defective or less of a family member because they were adopted, especially from someone as trusted as the Walt Disney Company. There are 73.8 million children who are a part of families created through adoption. Its odd that Disney would choose to send a message that adopted children are less part of a family than biological children, but in my opinion, thats exactly what happens in The Avengers.
The movie was excellent and I dont regret taking my son to see it. I just thought we had moved beyond these stereotypes about adoption.
This is my point of view as the father of adopted children.
Did this scene bother anyone else?
Yessss. You know so much about how my daughter's been raised. Thanks for your input. What's most amusing to me is that my daughter actually GOT the joke--she's just savvy enough to understand that it's not funny.There is no mention of how old the daughter is in this quote, however it doesn't seem like adoption was explained very clearly to her. It also sounds like (from the daughter's actual question) that she is very young. The movie is PG-13 (which stands for Parental Guidance under the age of 13, by the way) and I've read other posts stating that if one were to watch the movie Thor, it explains his background, and the adoption comment makes more sense. If you are unable to provide "parental guidance" to your under-13 child, then you can not possibly be upset with the movie. To get upset over this single line in the movie when it's clearly been taken somewhat out of context and heard by someone who may be too young to grasp the essence of the joke is ridiculous.
Oh, okay. So I can use all sorts of offensive racial epithets and stereotypes now and not be widely condemed for them? I just get to say, "Oh, sorry [insert minority class here]! You shouldn't be upset! It's funny to me!"That's another point...not everyone thinks every joke is funny. But that's why they're funny, because it's something unexpected, and in some cases, offensive to whatever degree. Just because you don't think the joke is funny doesn't give you the right to alter the movie itself just to make you happy.
Come on. Twenty years ago was post-Clarence Thomas. Little to nothing has changed in that time in terms of jokes, humor, and "getting what you want."I understand why people would get upset over this quote, however in today's world everyone needs something to be upset at, and in some cases, something to fight just for the sake of fighting. This is a perfect example. People are too used to getting exactly what they want. It's become a part of this first-world life we enjoy. People forget that just 20 years ago, life was very different. You couldn't always get what you wanted because it simply wasn't possible, and people got used to it and dealt with it. Now, almost anything is possible, and people now are so accustomed to getting what they want, how they want it, and when they want it, that they'll fight anything or anyone that defies them.
Ah, yes. Thor, who has spent two whole movies vigorously arguing that Loki is a "real" part of his family. (As he should, BTW.) Thor now makes a joke about Loki being adopted. It's kind of like Gandhi making a joke about "Well, he's only an Indian" at the end of his movie, right? Same thing, I guess.EDIT: Another point I forgot to include is that Thor is obviously joking about it. If he were to sincerely suggest that Loki being adopted is the cause for his evil nature, then it would be a different story. HOWEVER, this is not the case.
"Thor (the character)" is the only one that can lift his hammer (except for Odin and [probably, as it happens in the comics] Captain America) because he's just THAT GOOD. (You have to be worthy to lift the hammer. See Hulk's trouble in the movie.) Having Thor say that line is WAY different than having, say, Tony Stark say that line.
Can you remind me where murdering 80 people is made into a joke by a genuinely good person? Mass murder jokes in the movie at all? Anyone? Oh, so it's not the same thing. Got it.
But are they good or evil anthropomorphic ponies?
Let's be fair, though. Most of the laugh-out-loud stuff in that movie doesn't garner diegetic laughter. You're correct: the characters didn't laugh. Unfortunately, the joke was intended for the audience and not the characters.Did you see anyone laughing in that scene? Because they weren't.
I don't expect you or anyone else to be offended by the line. What I would HOPE is that they could open their hearts and minds enough to empathize with adopted children and realize that such a line might well offend/hurt adopted children. It boggles my mind that it is beyond anyone's comprehension how this might (likely would) negatively impact adopted children, especially given the posts from adoptees and adoptive parents explaining that fact in clear detail.
A Rebel flag does not offend me in the least, but I can grasp how it might offend Blacks. A fraternity "slave auction" might strike one person as merely tasteless, but might cause much stronger emotions in someone whose ancestors had been slaves.
Of course, the "target" of the act/line/joke will be more offended than a person who is not the target. I don't have to be offended to wrap my head around the fact that some things....especially those that would seriously hurt CHILDREN......might need to be reconsidered as joke material.
But if you believe if was a fine thing to do and totally worth the joke, even if if was a slap in the face to a lot of kids who will see the movie and walk out hurt, hey.......We're just going to disagree.