YOU CAN'T TRIPLE-STAMP A DOUBLE STAMP!

you know what, I'm reading reading reading, maybe what I can do here is post links to some of the more interesting stuff I read. then at least I can still be alive.

So, two things:

- Revisting Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy criticism. I have only already read the highly recommendable Bordwell piece so I look forward to delving into the others.

- Penny Arcade fail timeline. A while ago -- I was so out of it last year I completely missed this -- Penny Arcade prompted (through various fails) and then was at the centre of a number of discussions that began with a debate about whether rape jokes can be funny in rape culture and then exploded into wide-ranging examinations of geek culture, feminism, allies, masculinity, and privilege. A lot of people shared very personal stories, and a lot of people made some really disgusting trolly twitter accounts, so enter at your own risk (the timeline is not triggery except possibly in some screenshots of twitter posts further down the page).

What a dazzlingly multicultural cast! What incisive inclusion of themes of racism and sexism!

gnatkip with a striking piece of meta Glee art. Representation sometimes does not translate to actual content.

A thoughtful and interesting article on Mad Men's glossy erasure of actual subjugated points of view in favour of titillating, self-congratulatory depictions of sexism and racism by dominant groups. I love the comments, which essentially amount to "stop thinking."

I have been thinking a lot about how much I want to see Avatar, whether the "but the visuals are truly astounding" is enough of a reason to go and watch a What They Need Is A Honkey story, acknowledging that it's white privilege that lets me get to watch that story without consequence, at the same time knowing I have seen and celebrated and continue to see and celebrate movies and shows with similar consequences for people on the wrong side of kyriarchy. So not seeing it is the choice I make today, wondering how much I might fail tomorrow.

Here are some people who helped me make it:
thete1: Yes, yes, giant robots and you love them. I love things, too -- I know how it goes. But.
Daily Mathematics review: Sci-fi wise, "Avatar" was a masterpiece. A masterpiece that insulted the shit out of me.
Io9: When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like Avatar?: Avatar is a fantasy about ceasing to be white, giving up the old human meatsack to join the blue people, but never losing white privilege.

So lydia_petze pointed out this video website and I've been going through looking at some of the excellent stuff, and I just had to link to this amazing dance. It's liquid and beautiful and thought-provoking, and the dancers make shapes I didn't know humans could make. Go check it out!