Star Wars: Media Dermatology

Abishai100

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Sep 22, 2013
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Star Wars is an American epic space opera media franchise, centered on a film series created by George Lucas. It depicts the adventures of various characters "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away".

The franchise began in 1977 with the release of the film Star Wars (later subtitled Episode IV: A New Hope in 1981), which became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon. It was followed by the successful sequels The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983); these three films constitute the original Star Wars trilogy. A prequel trilogy was released between 1999 and 2005, which received mixed reactions from both critics and fans. A sequel trilogy began in 2015 with the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. All seven films were nominated for Academy Awards (with wins going to the first two films) and have been commercial successes, with a combined box office revenue of over US$7.5 billion, making Star Wars the third highest-grossing film series (source of information from top: Wikipedia).

The storyboards center around a universal 'struggle' between the valiant knights known as Jedi and the diabolical fascist group known as the Sith. Some Jedi betray each other and become Sith, while a few Sith decide to become Jedi (e.g., Anakin Skywalker), but the core of the values of this storytelling 'empire' is that the Jedi are reliably 'good,' while the Sith are reliably 'evil.'

The Ancient Greeks had the Iliad, and the British Empire had Excalibur, but America has (arguably) Star Wars!

The folklore and storytelling of a civilization reflects its focus on the public discourse of shared values and customs and reveals the general intrigue associated with complicated 'culture-governance' issues/topics such as censorship and reformation.

We can therefore think about how the Star Wars franchise facilitates a general American discourse regarding the public dissemination of values-based customs dialogue/evaluation (e.g., Facebook, Wal-Mart, etc.).

America is a capitalist society which caters to a democratic form of governance. Competitive economics always makes for 'strange bedfellows' and problems involved with human pride. We think of such things especially in this age of consumerism/commerce based 'etiquette' (e.g., The Wolf of Wall Street) as we think about how America will be led by a capitalism-minded social leader (Donald Trump) and how the world views the successes of American commercialism (e.g., 9/11).

The Christian Bible states that at the proverbial 'End of Days,' the adversary of Earth (the AntiChrist) will rise to social prominence and lure men away from social responsibilities. Perhaps this 'AntiChrist' will focus on the natural loopholes created by a commerce-based geopolitical landscape (e.g., European Union, NATO, OPEC, etc.).

Perhaps Star Wars avatars/characters such as Anakin Skywalker, Kylo-Ren, Darth Maul, Queen Amidala, and Han Solo represent an American 'confidence' regarding customs priorities.



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GOD: Capitalism makes for 'strange creatures.'
SATAN: That's why the world has been on edge since 9/11.
GOD: Yes, 9/11 was more devastating than Pearl Harbor in many ways.
SATAN: America is essentially a 'democratic capitalism.'
GOD: Americans appreciate Starbucks, Facebook, Planet Hollywood, etc.
SATAN: Yes, merchandising combined with consumer trends makes 'Americana.'
GOD: Governance negotiation is the hallmark of a developed civilization.
SATAN: Governance negotiation is a key theme in Lucas's Star Wars franchise.
GOD: It can be said that Lucas did for America what Homer did for Greece.
SATAN: Yes, Lucas 'involved' audiences in the evaluation of prioritized 'customs.'
GOD: Anakin Skywalker, Senator Palpatine, R2-D2 (etc.) all embody negotiation!
SATAN: As we 'peruse' the Star Wars storyboards, we appreciate competition.
GOD: Much of the Jedi-Sith storylines represent an American focus on democracy.
SATAN: The 'vitality' of the Jedi and Sith symbolize humanity's interest in competition.
GOD: Well, since capitalism facilitates competitive behaviors, people crave 'counsel.'
SATAN: I wonder if entreating our artistic sensibilities will facilitate peace...
GOD: It might be 'dangerous' to speculate on the 'impact' of art!
SATAN: A commerce-based civilization may be obligated to politicize art.


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Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force (StarWars Wikia)


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