MovieChat Forums > The Expanse (2015) Discussion > Fundamental problem with canonizing Juli...

Fundamental problem with canonizing Julie Mao...

posted 5 years ago by Coleburg83 (684)
12 replies | jump to latest

and those like her.

Why didn't she give a damn about all the problems on Earth? There are 30 billion people, far, far more than the Belt. Yet she devotes her time and energy to helping those not even from her birth planet. And should be uplifted for this and not helping her own people? Where she could have stayed with her family's business and used it and the wealth to help others with her family's approval?

I compare her to these Westerners who ignore immense problems in their own countries to go volunteer abroad, because really they want to travel and it's really about them. Often to help their resume or academic admissions. And to be adored and celebrated by people from more primitive cultures.

[–] Ziggy (1520) 5 years ago

There were definitely people living on Earth that could have used her help, but I don't know why the people of the belt would be any less deserving. They are people, too, and their ancestors were from Earth. Why would the fact that they were born in space make them any less important?

If someone is willing to volunteer their time and energy to help people who are economically or otherwise disadvantaged, what difference does it make if the people they are trying to help live in the slums of New York City or a war zone in Central America.

If someone's passion was helping abused children, would you criticize them for not giving their money to cancer research?

[–] Coleburg83 (684) 5 years ago

You miss the point. There were far, far less people in the Belt. And she wasn't a Belter. She was desperate to be accepted by them. The OPA hated Earthers. We saw that many times. Again, this is like a self-hating Jew seeking the approval of people who hate Jews.

As I said, it's all about them, not charity. They go abroad because they want to travel and/or use the experience to help them with their career or credentials for an NGO. In the end, it's not about helping others, it's about their own ego and experiences. Like getting praised and idolized by kids from the third world.

A common theme with such people in my experience (especially journalists) is getting sexually involved with as many men/women from different countries as possible because it makes them feel wordly. Julie seems to have slept with about every man she associated with in the belt.

Her sister nailed her 100%. She was a narcissist.

[–] Ziggy (1520) 5 years ago

The OPA hated earthers, but not every belter is OPA. I think it’s overly simplistic to say that Julie was selfish, but everybody think she’s a saint. There’s so much more going on, and we don’t even really get a good picture of Julie. We really just see that she and her father didn’t get along. Her sister only cared about appearances. The only thing she understood about Julie was that her actions were embarrassing their father. She didn’t care or attempt to understand Julie or where she was coming from. Claire had a very limited world view. I have not read past book 3, but I am very curious as to where the story will take her and how it will challenge her perceptions.

I never thought the story painted Julie as a saint. Claire is definitely depicted as a very naïve, little girl. She’s desperate for her dad’s attention, and he only has eyes for Julie, the one person who betrayed him. She wants to destroy Holden and thinks that this will make her dad love her. She doesn’t even know what’s going on or why Julie and her father are fighting. It’s so sad because Claire will never be good enough for their father, and he is absolutely undeserving of her affection. Claires entire world was just shattered. Can’t wait to see how she responds to this new discovery.

[–] Ziggy (1520) 5 years ago

Don’t remember anything in the show mentioning Julie having lots of sex. Don’t confuse journalists with humanitarian workers. Regardless, don’t know what sex has to do with anything. If people want to have lots of sex, that doesn’t take away from any humanitarian aid they might be contributing. Having lots of sex with different people is a very self-destructive behavior, but it doesn’t usually affect a doctors ability to save lives, and it definitely does not make someone a narcissist.

[–] Coleburg83 (684) 5 years ago

She worked for the anti-Earth OPA. The extremist faction. The kind that wanted to wanted launch missiles at Earth and Mars.

They didn't show the scenes, but the implication was clear that she had been involved with that dirty OPA guy that Miller interrogated and got her picture from and that Jonathan Rhys Meyers-looking captain of the Scorpuli that was beaten to death and she had been smiling at as he praised her. So every guy she was in repeated contact with except for maybe Dawes. Right along with the picture of the narcissistic NGO worker.

[–] Ziggy (1520) 5 years ago

I'm sorry, you're right, she was OPA. I don't know what I was thinking there.

I'm not sure what you're talking about here. There was a video shown on the docks where a guy was wanting to be physical with Julie and I think she decked him. Was that the one Miller interrogated?

Julie was definitely portrayed as being attractive and desirable, but I didn't get the impression that she was sleeping around (or even sleeping with anyone).

I don't think your original post is completely off base. I just don't think all belters are undeserving, and I definitely don't think that earthers are somehow more deserving just because they were born on Earth. I think we should all do what when can, when we can, for anyone in need, especially for people who can't help themselves.

[–] Coleburg83 (684) 5 years ago

Yes. She hit that guy because he was trying to stop her from going on the dangerous mission. Miller figured out that she knew him, he wasn't some random guy she got into an incident with. When Miller was interrogating him, it clear that she and he had been involved when they worked together before.

And there was definitely the implication of romance between her and that ship captain because of the looks they shared, especially when he was killed.

Not a huge issue, I'm just saying it's a common characteristic of the kind of volunteers who go abroad in my experience.

[–] Ziggy (1520) 5 years ago

Hmm, I’ve known many, many people who’ve done a year out two of volunteer work (Jesuit Volunteer Corp, Christian Appalachian Project, Peace Corp) out of college or have work a couple of weeks in Haiti (doctors, nurses). People do not make those types of commitments just to go on a quest to have lots of sex.

[–] zeesha (1752) 5 years ago

"The OPA hated Earthers."

Why?

[–] brux (14666) 4 years ago

Who was "uplifting" her, and what does uplifting even mean?

The thing is that she is not uplifted, except perhaps in the sense that she and Detective Joe Miller humanized the protomolecule so that it did not destroy Earth. I don't know what you mean by uplifting, but if you save Earth, maybe that is justified?

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

I compare her to these Westerners who ignore immense problems in their own countries to go volunteer abroad, because really they want to travel and it's really about them.

Thats a good analogy , apart from the "because really they want to travel and it's really about them" part.
I admire any westerners who do that because they are helping people less fortunate with REAL problems.

People who have to walk a mile everyday to get a bucket of clean water.
People with no access to education or healthcare
People with rebal militias roaming their country shooting the place up
Peopla where the govt trample on them , hence the rebael militias
Places where womwn are basically sex slaves and arnt allowed outside , to drive , to eat in mixed company ... I'm looking at u, Saudi.

Compare that to westerners who are given all these things on a plate and often their problems are because they threw those gifts away.

Much the same in The Expanse - the earth had a lot more stability and just used and exploited The Belt.

[–] Ziggy (1520) 4 years ago

Well said!