Why are leftists so into "The Hunger Games"?

[DasFapital]

I haven't read the book but I've noticed a lot of leftists seem to be into it. I even saw they were selling it at Revolution Books.

[Don't Swallow The Cap]

I haven't noticed and extra affinity from leftists for the book.
I personally thought it was mediocre at best.

[#FF0000]

Something about solidarity and blah blah blah

[Igor]

I honestly still don't have any solid idea re: what the actual fuck Hunger Games is, it's not really a thing in my corner of the world. Americans always seem kind of amazed when I mention that. All I've gathered so far is that it's apparently some kind of teenage fad version of Battle Royale, which really doesn't seem like something I could even remotely enjoy.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I honestly still don't have any solid idea re: what the actual fuck Hunger Games is, it's not really a thing in my corner of the world. Americans always seem kind of amazed when I mention that. All I've gathered so far is that it's apparently some kind of teenage fad version of Battle Royale, which really doesn't seem like something I could even remotely enjoy.I read the book and saw the first movie. The movie is an average Hollywood movie, but I thought the book was very interesting and was better than Battle Royale (the movie, I haven't read the book).


I haven't read the book but I've noticed a lot of leftists seem to be into it. I even saw they were selling it at Revolution Books.

I don't know if Leftists are particularly "into" this book any more than the general population. In fact when the movie came out, there was a RevLeft thread in which most people bashed the movie (many without seeing it, just based on the young-adult book market and carry-over hatred from "Twilight" which deserves the hate it gets IMO).

But I think the book is very good sci-fi for that age group and well done for the most part. There are many things in the book which I think Leftists should point out as politically sharp or interesting because a lot of the book is about how the ruling class rules by keeping people divided as well as how people internalize their own oppression and convince themselves there is no other choice. The sexual politics are also very interesting and Katniss is an anti-Twilight heroin because the last thing she wants is some romance when she's fighting for her survival and she's basically forced into a fake romance by "the game".

[Blackbird123]

I have read the first book of the series and saw the movie. I must say the movie was a pretty good adaptation. To add to the reasons above of why the left might be interested in this book is a good showing of class struggle through how the oppressed class finally has enough and starts to become self aware and rebel but the ruling class lulabyes the opressed class back to sleep through violence and brains to protect their class intrests.

[Comrade Samuel]

I enjoyed the movie and plan to read the books.

However I don't try to draw insane connections between it and marxist theory though, does it not defeat the purpose of movie going: to escape all the problems we face in reality for an hour or two? I think if people on the left need to take anything from this fascination with the hungers games it's that not piece of media in the world is intended as propaganda and is often only made with the intent to tell a compelling story and make money.

[Agent Ducky]

I have read the first book of the series and saw the movie. I must say the movie was a pretty good adaptation. To add to the reasons above of why the left might be interested in this book is a good showing of class struggle through how the oppressed class finally has enough and starts to become self aware and rebel but the ruling class lulabyes the opressed class back to sleep through violence and brains to protect their class intrests.

This, pretty much. But I haven't noticed leftists being into it more than the general public, really.
Also, some people see a Soviet/US metaphor with (spoilers) District 13 and the Capitol... They have nukes pointed at one another. The Capitol has an excessive upper class who exploits and oppresses the shit out of the masses. Whereas District 13 has a very austere existence, of which every aspect is regulated to an inch by the government (set schedules, rationed food). Very militaristic, utilitarian, focused on research and development as opposed to culture.

I can see the parallels but I don't think it's necessarily what the author intended.

[Blackbird123]

Maybe we are overthinking this a bit....:mellow:

[Firebrand]

I thought the first book had some good points politically speaking, bearing in mind that it is a commercial book. But the whole thing went sharply downhill with the second book and only got worse with the third, where in the first one the politics focuses around systemic nastiness and oppression, in the other two it turns into a fight against specific villans and the districts have to be liberated by outside forces.

[LeftAbove]

One reason leftists are enthralled by the Hunger Games is because it revolves around a female protagonist. I guess they see her as a symbol of feminism.

[Yuppie Grinder]

The Hunger Games is terribad.

[campesino]

speak for yourself

[Jimmie Higgins]

One reason leftists are enthralled by the Hunger Games is because it revolves around a female protagonist. I guess they see her as a symbol of feminism.The same reason the Left rallies around "Twilight" and "Tomb Raider" movies :confused:

[KurtFF8]

Well I've only seen the film so I can't comment on the book.

I think praising it too much doesn't make sense, but it does contain some interesting messages that aren't exactly common in Hollywood films. For example, the recognition of the rebelliousness history of Appalachia mining communities and the portrayal of their oppression taps into a part of American history (and American film history) that is too often forgotten (that of working class militancy in the region).

And in terms of judging films, as I said in my review of Hunger Games (http://leftfilmreview.net/2012/04/04/the-hunger-games-2012/) (;)):

There remains the question of “is The Hunger Games a left wing film?” Unlike the Cyberpunk Review (http://www.cyberpunkreview.com/), this website does not list the “degree” that a film is left wing. Instead films should be viewed for what they “bring to the table” overall. For example, Avatar (http://leftfilmreview.net/2010/01/03/avatar-2009/)was an interesting case of what could be considered an anti-imperialist film becoming one of the best selling of all time, yet it had significant problems of how race was depicted. Hunger Games certainly deals with various issues that ought to be of interest to leftists and progressive folks in general. While more obscure films have more room for being more faithful to revolutionary theory and history (and certainly have an important place in film), perhaps there is something more subversive about a blockbuster that deals with the nature of rebellion and control that is quite important as well.