Miss Representation: We are Savages

Imagine this: Your plane crashes on a small island in the middle of the Pacific. A spectacularly large and diverse group has survived the wreck, only to find that there is little hope of rescue and food supplies are low. In the ensuing chaos, the largest, fittest male emerges as leader. Sound familiar? It should, seeing as I've just described Lost, The Lord of the Flies, and the roots of our existing social structure.

The stranded-on-an-island storyline is so popular in books and moving pictures because the island is an arena free of society's rules. Throwing people into this natural setting and seeing how they interact is a great way for the author/director to comment on human nature. It's an entertaining social experiment. And what theme arises most often? The most physically intimidating individuals rise to power. In Lost, Jack (played by ex-college football player Matthew Fox) becomes the default leader of the plane-crash survivors. In The Lord of the Flies, another Jack becomes top dog by virtue of his position as lead hunter/warrior. Eventually, Jack's power is usurped by Roger, another hunter even more brutal than he. Similar patterns are also evident in real human history. The fall of Rome was Europe's plane crash. Suddenly without the security and structure of the Empire, Europe lapsed into feudalism, with local strongmen holding power over the people they protected. During the 1100s in Japan, the samurai dismantled the Heian Court. In the vacuum that ensued, these fearsome warriors became feudal lords. Even in the 21st century, the United States deposed Saddam Hussein in Iraq, and in the power void militant groups such as the Islamic State claimed territory. What can be learned from media, history, and current events is that when humans are left to build civilization from scratch, power lies in the hands of the strong. For on its most basic level, civilization exists to provide safety, and its leaders will be chosen based on their ability to protect their followers.

It may seem silly to compare our modern civilization to a desert island free-for-all, or even to a feudal society. After all, there are no immediate threats like "others," "beasties," or vikings from which we need to be protected. Plus, I'm writing this in a room illuminated by fluorescent lighting, in front of a laptop, down the hall from a thermostat and upstairs of a fully electric automobile, and you are reading this on the internet. Our world is inundated with marvelous technology, testaments to how advanced we are. However, informative media like Miss Representation reminds us that beneath the glitter of our technological zenith, there exists barbarism fit for cavemen.

If civilization exists for protection, then it makes sense that early leaders would be men, simply because men are generally larger than women. Again, think back to the island - you are in danger! However, as civilizations grow larger and more secure, they needn't be consumed with combat. Brainpower becomes valuable instead, and when this is the case, patriarchy is completely counterproductive. After all, intelligence is a commodity no less plentiful in women than men, and there's no reason to lose out on the minds of half of the population. Sophisticated societies recognize this.  Referring back to Japanese history, women were government officials in the relatively advanced Heian Court. But when Japan reverted to feudalism, men dominated society because of their status as warriors. So if our technology qualifies us as an advanced society, where is our female leadership? Why does the media insist upon portraying women as objects instead of providing girls with role models who inspire them to contribute to our grandest endeavors? Even without context, that's a dumb move. It's wasteful and sad. Perhaps we ought to reexamine the assumption that we're so far removed from the island.