I have thought this topic through many times, over and over again and decided to write about it here. It is not TV related strictly but it's related to culture and racism. The opinions expressed here belong solely to me and are 100% my own.
I am a Nordic and one of the things I love about it is my the culture that comes with it, especially the Nordic Mythology. The mythology is an integral part of the societal fabric here, it permeates every part of my society and culture and it is very important to us, historically and culturally. It is heritage that we are proud of and work hard to cherish and teach children about as a part of our national identity and culture.
That is why, simply put, a movie like Thor annoys me to the ends of earth.
I mean, isn't a good idea to take a god from Nordic mythology, which has been written about preserved and is a very important cultural icon, and do a little Hollywood magic and Americanizing him in order to serve him to the public? I mean why go for the original sources, when Marvel has provided an "excellent" source of historically inaccurate and demeaning information and misrepresenting and entire Northern-European culture? The answer should be pretty clear!
That's why, Scandinavia raised its collective eyebrow while we stood by and watched Hollywood eagerly taking Thor apart and putting it together - making sure it was as sickly American stereotypical as possible. I mean of course, a Nordic God will return to America, right, speak English, wear metallic clothes and be an American? Assuming that somehow overnight a Nordic god that has 'existed' (been written about) for thousands of years and comes from a very influential mythology will somehow become American overnight of course.
So, yeah - I was pretty annoyed by the movie and I have yet to meet a Nordic person that took it seriously. It felt like an approbation and diminishing view of our culture. Nordic Mythology provides many beautiful and extraordinary things to work with in a creative manner. It is absolute dream material to work with if it is done right. Going for the Marvel version therefore just seemed awfully naive to me. To somehow make the entire mythology a Hollywood glamour package, entirely ignoring the cultural factors beneath it and the fact that this mythology is extremely important to Northern-Europeans is just so bad.
But what scared me most about this was one thing. I found news online that a conservative white supremacist group was boycotting the movie and making a fuss as a British black actor was playing Heimdallr. Heimdallr is described as having been 'the whitest of white' among the gods and in the middle-ages it would have meant he was white. Nordics are by origin ethnically white. As simple as that, much as any god in an Ethiopia for example would have had black skin. But that is not the point.
The point is at that the white supremacist group was working under an extremely dangerous assumption which originated with Hitler. That somehow white people were above other races, Nordic people were seen to be a prime example of the perfect Aryan. It is ironic and terrible at that was what saved the Nordic countries from suffering too much loss. This highly dangerous assumption that we were somehow above others because of our heritage and skin. That our culture was better and more prestigious. This is a legend that still haunts us to day, it makes people queasy just thinking about it. This thinking is what caused the terrorist attack in Utoya in 2011.
Nordic people are no better or worse than anyone else and our skin color should never make us privy to others or above them. To assume otherwise is extremely dangerous.
What I want to say is this: Nordic mythology does not belong to Hollywood or Marvel. That much is certain. But more importantly, Nordic mythology does not belong to white supremacist group that want to claim is as their own, claim as cut above other cultures and inaccessible to people based on their skin color and race. Because it is not theirs. Nordic mythology and culture is open to the interpretation and love of anyone, anywhere in the world irrespective of race or origin- as long as the person approaches it with respect and care, just like one should approach any culture. Nordic mythology originated in the Nordic countries and is our heritage, culture and history. But anyone can fall in love with it and anyone should.
Just not the Hollywood/Marvel version and not the dangerous perceived idea that wrecked Europe.
I am a Nordic and one of the things I love about it is my the culture that comes with it, especially the Nordic Mythology. The mythology is an integral part of the societal fabric here, it permeates every part of my society and culture and it is very important to us, historically and culturally. It is heritage that we are proud of and work hard to cherish and teach children about as a part of our national identity and culture.
That is why, simply put, a movie like Thor annoys me to the ends of earth.
I mean, isn't a good idea to take a god from Nordic mythology, which has been written about preserved and is a very important cultural icon, and do a little Hollywood magic and Americanizing him in order to serve him to the public? I mean why go for the original sources, when Marvel has provided an "excellent" source of historically inaccurate and demeaning information and misrepresenting and entire Northern-European culture? The answer should be pretty clear!
That's why, Scandinavia raised its collective eyebrow while we stood by and watched Hollywood eagerly taking Thor apart and putting it together - making sure it was as sickly American stereotypical as possible. I mean of course, a Nordic God will return to America, right, speak English, wear metallic clothes and be an American? Assuming that somehow overnight a Nordic god that has 'existed' (been written about) for thousands of years and comes from a very influential mythology will somehow become American overnight of course.
So, yeah - I was pretty annoyed by the movie and I have yet to meet a Nordic person that took it seriously. It felt like an approbation and diminishing view of our culture. Nordic Mythology provides many beautiful and extraordinary things to work with in a creative manner. It is absolute dream material to work with if it is done right. Going for the Marvel version therefore just seemed awfully naive to me. To somehow make the entire mythology a Hollywood glamour package, entirely ignoring the cultural factors beneath it and the fact that this mythology is extremely important to Northern-Europeans is just so bad.
But what scared me most about this was one thing. I found news online that a conservative white supremacist group was boycotting the movie and making a fuss as a British black actor was playing Heimdallr. Heimdallr is described as having been 'the whitest of white' among the gods and in the middle-ages it would have meant he was white. Nordics are by origin ethnically white. As simple as that, much as any god in an Ethiopia for example would have had black skin. But that is not the point.
The point is at that the white supremacist group was working under an extremely dangerous assumption which originated with Hitler. That somehow white people were above other races, Nordic people were seen to be a prime example of the perfect Aryan. It is ironic and terrible at that was what saved the Nordic countries from suffering too much loss. This highly dangerous assumption that we were somehow above others because of our heritage and skin. That our culture was better and more prestigious. This is a legend that still haunts us to day, it makes people queasy just thinking about it. This thinking is what caused the terrorist attack in Utoya in 2011.
Nordic people are no better or worse than anyone else and our skin color should never make us privy to others or above them. To assume otherwise is extremely dangerous.
What I want to say is this: Nordic mythology does not belong to Hollywood or Marvel. That much is certain. But more importantly, Nordic mythology does not belong to white supremacist group that want to claim is as their own, claim as cut above other cultures and inaccessible to people based on their skin color and race. Because it is not theirs. Nordic mythology and culture is open to the interpretation and love of anyone, anywhere in the world irrespective of race or origin- as long as the person approaches it with respect and care, just like one should approach any culture. Nordic mythology originated in the Nordic countries and is our heritage, culture and history. But anyone can fall in love with it and anyone should.
Just not the Hollywood/Marvel version and not the dangerous perceived idea that wrecked Europe.
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