White savior

But there was a story that was in the news out of Cabrini-Green that is what suggested this change.

I want to talk about like what that means and like where there's like white saviorism, which also occurs somewhat in the film.

But I want to talk about urban legends, real news items and art and how they mix together because this film is an excellent example of it.

I'm going to want to talk about sexuality because Tony Todd is one of the few like horror villains who is kind of sexy in an odd sort of way.

And I think yoga teachers can do both and kind of focus where they want.

The other thing I think that's really important is that to avoid white saviorism, which I think you discuss somewhat in the book.

I mean, this idea of like white people coming in and trying to fix the problem.

I mean, it's just another aspect of colonialism, isn't it?

Those were practical, perceptual, and cultural, is that right? Obstacles to accessing yoga, basically.

Yeah.

You two also, I wanted to touch on this quickly, kind of a new topic too, because you two kind of discussed this idea of white saviorism, right? Right.

Like this intention of wanting to like enter a community and like make things better.

yeah now here here's a here's a fun turn of a movie that has aged like milk but not because of it being a comedy uh that just the jokes don't stick the landing these days but the controversy around it I know you're not a sports ball person, but I have to, I have to bring up the blind side.

because that movie is literally white saviorism.

The movie that God, the only way Michael O'Hare was going to be able to make it in life is needing.

I feel so bad for saying, for Sandra Bullock, but like, like needing the white family to be taught, like how to, how to play football and is saved by the way, like the way that movie is portrayed is gnarly.

And you mentioned a little bit about Tanzania and how this outside perspective did not necessarily try to- Take a mirror and look inside, or like a magnifying glass to see what is inside.

And in a way, also bringing in this colonial dynamic to it, and white saviour it, like savi- I think you call it white saviourism, in a way, on communit- communities that didn't necessarily ask for them.

Which I guess, in, in many ways, we look at the world in different ways from outside.

It's like, "Ah, because I have this and it's useful to me, that person next door should have the same thing.

Very mixed.

The primary critique that has emerged is the film's heavy, almost textbook reliance on the white savior trope.

trope.And the mechanics of the white savior trope are deeply ingrained in studio filmmaking.

It revolves around a white, often male outsider, who drops into a marginalized or minority culture.

And magically becomes the best at everything.

It is.

And this raises a really difficult question that I want you, the listener, to think about as you listen to this.

Does the presence of a deeply ingrained problematic trope like the white savior completely invalidate the historical fact that this film was a massive, vital stepping stone for representation?