Did you see Avatar? If you did, there can be little doubt of the effect it had on you. Thrilling adventure? Check. Hatred for evil Americans? Check. Crushing, black depression over the fact that Earth isn’t as pretty as the fictional world of Pandora? For thousands, sadly, check.
For the last couple of weeks, a fan website, Avatar-Forums.com, has been filling up with thousands of posts from people discussing the depression associated with the film. Specifically, the lonely nerds are afflicted with a deep despair because they know they will never be able to go to the fictional planet of Pandora and live, at one, with nature.
According one post, the makers of Avatar “outdid God:”
“It seems that the makers of Avatar have created a dream of a world, that is way better than ours. More beautiful, more pure, more meaningful. And when you wake up and return to the world as we know it, you can’t think of anything that compares to Pandora. And you get a depressed, empty, meaningless feeling as you realize that there’s no Pandora out there, there’s no Na’vi people. You’ll never be blue, you never see a tree that big, or the floating mountains. You will never connect with Eywa to listen to your ancestors, and you will never fly a dragon. You will never marry a Na’vi.”
Another poster put it this way, while commenting on his thoughts of suicide, and his burgeoning love for the film’s female character Neytiri:
“Do you guys also feel depressed when you leave the theaters because Pandora isn’t real? It saddens me because pandora is like the perfect place to live your life and the environment is so balanced. we are killing our mother (earth) and taking her for granted. it probably couldve been like pandora and the wonderful extincted creatures/species/flowers couldve still been here. The glowing forest and plants of Pandora were just breath taking. Neytiri’s free spirit, personality, and smile just makes me all warm inside.”
Still others have posted messages about how the film is destroying their married lives:
“So I’ve been married to my wife for a while now. Its been 6 years since our marriage and I had been dating her for 4 years prior to that. So its been quite a while. My life hasn’t been that bad. I mean I have a good job working at Safeway bagging groceries, and my wife is a psychologist so she’s the real breadwinner in the family.”
“We may not be rich but we usually don’t want for much. I never thought myself the type to have an addictive personality but ever since we saw Avatar in theaters I have been having problems.”
“The past 7 nights in a row my wife has asked me to have sex with her, and I just haven’t been in the mood. Scratch that. I’m incredibly horny most of the time, but I dont feel attracted to her anymore. The sight of her naked literally does nothing for me, and I’m frightened by that. Instead I imagine Neytiri. Her majestic grace and boundless beauty as well as the alien mystery about her. I want to fly off to pandora and live with her, to be with her always. I would worship her as she deserves. I’d do anything to just to touch her, to smell her.”
“She’s the perfect woman, and i feel like this life here has lost its spark. Where is the magic in humanity. Just a few days ago, my son asked me some question about what happened in Avatar. I don’t even remember what it was, but after I told him, I started crying. Right in front of him. All I can think about is how depressing it is that I will never reach Pandora. I almost vomited while I cried. It was the most pathetic thing I have ever done. Im in my 30’s for god’s sake. I have to remain strong for my son. Right?”“I want to tell my wife but she’s a psychologist. She’ll think I’m sick. I know it. I probably am sick. But what can I do. Its a little early to tink about divorce, but the thought of her disgusts me. The thought of me disgusts me. How could I compare to the beauty and grace of a Na’vi. I want to leave, to just leave and sort things out, but I dont want to leave my wife and son alone. I don’t know what to do with myself, with my life. I don’t want to see another psychologist and get treated like a specimen. I just want to be a Na’vi. I’ve never wanted anything more in my life.”
Wow. I don’t even know what to say to this. When I was six, we had Star Wars. I really wanted to fly an X-wing, and I seem to recall thinking Princess Leia was pretty. That said, I was six. For a six year old, that seems appropriate. Star Wars did not destroy my parents marriage, nor did it make them want to kill themselves.
I’m pretty sure that if you’re in your thirties, and sexual fantasies about a seven foot tall blue alien are ruining your marriage, you have what scientists call “a screw loose.”
Of course, the deeper problem here is that many Americans seem to have an uncanny ability to bury themselves in fantasy rather than deal with the world they inhabit. Even more frightening are the throngs of doctors, scientists, reporters and politicians willing to take their neuroses seriously. Already some psychiatrists are looking into whether or not Avatar-depression rises to the clinical level. If it does, will Obamacare use taxpayer dollars to treat it?
If so, I’d like to make my pitch for Hawaii-depression. Ever since my honeymoon, I can’t get Polynesia out of my head. I just keep thinking about Hawaii, and home made Mai-Tais aren’t solving the problem. I think I need a doctor to prescribe a trip to Kauai. Prescriptions are going to be covered by the government, right?
- Robert Laurie
More at CNN
New Technology Facilitates Blog Posts!
New Home Sales Plummet 33%
Al Franken REALLY wants you to get the joke.
Unemployment Rises to 9.9%
Sexy Girls Causing Earthquakes – According to Senior Muslim Cleric
There’s a New Network For MSNBC to Hate!
Spent a week in Texas….
The Daily Caller: You Can’t Legislate Morality…. Unless You’re Barack Obama
Michelle Obama: Barack’s “Home Country in Kenya”
U.S. Rep, Democrat Hank Johnson, Thinks Guam Is Going To “Tip Over”
I can only say that seeing the movie in 3D will kill any and all depressions you might have for this movie, really, it gave me the runs and then nausea set in about 1/3 of the way through this electrifying roller coaster of a movie. But, I relished in the fact that I spent over $40 to take my two children and myself to such a flick. What really happened in that movie I will never know because I had to watch it without the glasses on and quite frankly, those blue creatures don’t look so good doubled up and blurry! Thanks for the giggle!
Well it’s too bad you were unable to see it without suffering in 3D, for that made it all the more real. I personally went through an onslaught of depression after this movie and can say it is not something to joke about. Just like any type of depression there is a trigger and Avatar was that trigger for many who claim to be experiencing this phenomenon. To say it’s not real and ignore it could potentially cause some to follow through with their suicidal thoughts or destructive behavior. If you had loved ones who claimed or acted as if depressed and expressed feelings not normal of their usual behavior would you tell the they’re just sacked out or would you try and help them cope with it.
Hi, I found your page when I was searching google for sites related to this article. I have tell you, your site is brilliant. I don’t have much time at the moment to fully read your website but I have bookmarked it. I will be back in a day or two. Thanks.
Thanks for the kind words!
If their depression was due to Avatar? I’d tell them to grow up, let go of their fantasy life, and start living in the real world.
[...] a lot like Avatar depression, only real. [...]
Come on guys the move was fictional, but is was still a good movie! People that criticize others for wanting a “real” pandora environment are not accounting for one simple fact. Not everyone has a full meaningful life. Most of us don’t, or we have tried to convince ourselves that we do. Very few actually have real, true, happiness. If you do, I count you lucky, and a movie of this type will only be entertaining at best. For myself, and others like me, existance is little more than a series of motions to sustain a life which brings minimal fullfillment.
The reason anyone develops feelings of longing for one thing or another is because of a absence of that quality in real life. Most who become infatuated or ingrossed in a concept or alternate reality(like avatar) feel it fills a void. In fact most people who are considered depressed probably aren’t. In fact they are probably the most sain of us all. I say this because they are aware of all the problems society has but are not able to ignore them. They simply can’t bring themselves to think “Oh well, its not my problem. It doesn’t effect me. Why should I care?” We live in the most corrupt nation in all of history, we enforce double standards in practically every area of life. Many see the changes in our society as spiraling out of control with corruption at every corner and freedom dissappearing at every turn. Unless you live with your head in the sand, there is plenty to be seriously concerned about. Its the people of society that see the seriousness of its problems and are still able to ignore them, without remorse, that really do have a problem. While this seems cold hearted, it isn’t entirely their fault, it is a symptom of living in a large society. For example if in a navi tribe of 100 persons, a single death would be a serious issue. In a city of 500,000 people, sirens can be heard constanly, and people die daily, but unless you know them it is not a serious issue. This is a perfect example of “Its not my problem, it doesn’t effect me. Why should I care?” But on the other hand you can’t get all emotional over every death or injury of every person or you would spend your entire life in mourning, and rightfuly so. I honestly believe our culture was never intended to grow to the level it has making this paradox possible.
People teasing the depressed about their desire for a ficticious existance is similar to people making fun of those that commit suicide, and call them weak. Instead of trying to shame a person into not commiting such an act, why don’t people ever ask… What made this seemingly normal person do this? What was so bad about their life that they wanted to end it? Its possible that these two groups are the division of the dreamers and the pragmatacists.
I’m told that those with the biggest imaginations are often the most unsatisfied. Its because they can see “outside the box”, that they realize the potential of what is possible and feel discouraged because they know how far we are from it. Those without that imaginative trait don’t have this feeling because they don’t see the disparity between what is and what’s possible. As a result they don’t exhibit the traits of depression others do. People often make fun of an a quality in others that they themselves lack to feel better. We rarley have the humility to compliment someone elses gifts in the face of our own inadequacies. All because someone else has, and i don’t. We agree that we’re different, and say our differences strengthen our unity, but we rarely live that sentiment.
For those that think this desire for alternate existance is silly, let the dreamers dream, and remember this. Most of the technologies and convienences that our modern world has that makes your life so depression free was conceived by one of these creative dreamers that have the ability to see outside the box. It seems hypocritical to condem the very source of your depression free life.
For those wishing they could ride a dinsaour or sit by the tree of souls in the company of loved ones to commune with Eywa, take heart, this is frighteningly similar to what the bible says heaven will be like. Where God will live among the people, “…and I will be their God, and they will be my people and there will be no more crying or nashing of teeth”(Rev21:1-7) While it may be a little different in format or appearence the qualities that make it so appealing are so very very similar, i wonder if Cameron did this knowingly. When Grace finally went with to be with God(Eywa), “she” is shown as a warm bright light. What a coincidence, that is exactly what the bible says about God. He has no form or shape, that is why we are not to worship idols, falsely imprinting some form in our minds. The historical figure of jesus was only a man so he could interact with us. Blame organized religion for making the realities of spiritual things seem cartoonish and quite frankly… silly, boring, and trivial. Moses spoke directly with and saw God on many occasions, in every instance “he” was a … warm bright light !!!
Well said avatarfan, but what I’d like to add is that pandora probably isn’t at all what it seems. I’m pretty sure that if pandora ACTUALLY existed, there would be a crap load of tribal wars, disease, and a whole different list of problems that we don’t have. The navi fight for survival as well as other tribes/clans.
The movie was great but I think it just felt really real because they were mixing live action with CGI graphics really well which blurs the line between real and fake.
I think the movie did a really good job at making pandora a utopia, as if the navi didn’t have any problems of their own before the humans came.
Are you mental? it’s just a film! Not a very good film either. In fact its just furngully the last rainforest with nice CG. Get a grip hey! HAHAHA it really is just a FILM! muppet.My girlfriend got really angry after watching it so i suffer with post avatar guilt for taking her and getting earache!
I suffered with post avatar rage after sitiing through an unreasonable amount of time in the cinema watching this utter over sentimental durge of a film. Depression??? the only depression i had was realising id payed 18 quid on the tickets. I think some people must have such banal lifestyles if they get so involved with what is primarily a cartoon. The best thing about going to see avatar was seeing the trailer for Toy Story 3, it’s got woody in it (there’s a snake in my boot).
Woody kicks ass!