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The Talon September 24, 2021
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‘ShangChi’ CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE As Liu puts it, “Representation matters, and it’s about more than just actors on a screen. It’s about snacks, it’s about food, it’s about culture, in every possible way.” And hey, if legions of TikTok teens discovering (and thirsting over) Tony Leung is another one of
those ways, more power to them. Of course, the critiques that this really isn’t Asian Americans’ Black Panther are certainly valid. You could argue that this isn’t the kind of representation that we need — after all, most Asian Americans live in a reality far removed from the gravity-defying heroics of “ShangChi” or the high-roller life of billionaires in “Crazy Rich Asians.” In a time of horrific violence against Asians worldwide, “Shang-Chi” certainly could have dug deeper into the immigrant experience or xenophobia the way “Black Panther” was bold enough to tackle themes of systemic racism and
Black liberation. But just because “Shang-Chi” is one of the rare Asian-led films to break through to the mainstream, doesn’t mean it should be saddled with the burden of encompassing everything about the Asian American experience. It shouldn’t have to discuss racial trauma to count as representation. There are stories out there showing the nuances of our experience: “Kim’s Convenience,” “The Farewell” and Wong Fu Productions’ YouTube videos, to name a few. And “Shang-Chi” is paving the way for more. “Shang-Chi” breaks down stereotypes and the “othering” of
MARVEL
Xialing prepares to fight her brother, Shang-Chi. As Marvel’s first film to feature an almost all-Asian cast and production, Shang-Chi makes strides for Asian representation.
Asians by showing that we are the entirety of “Captain Marvel,” far more than just a shallow ar- Marvel doesn’t have a great track chetype. The movie introduces record with its female characters. a host of well-developed, three- Xialing’s development is just andimensional characters to join the other example of how Marvel’s ranks of iconic Asian American attempts at female empowerment characters like our favorite himbo are improving, but still fail to stick Jason Mendoza (“The the landing. Good Place”), walking So yes, “Shangdisaster Devi VishwaChi” doesn’t kumar (“Never Have Just because manage to comI Ever”) and judgy ‘Shang-Chi’ is one pletely break out conscience Ben Harof the Marvel of the rare Asiangreeves (“The Ummold, but it still led films to break brella Academy”). more than delivPlot-wise, how- through to the main- ers, especially ever, “Shang-Chi” stream, doesn’t considering all falls prey to the same the pressure put mean it should be weaknesses as “Black upon it to do Widow,” ultimately saddled with the well (insert stock sacrificing compel- burden of encomphoto Simu ling character devel- passing everything pointing and opment and relation- about the Asian laughing at the ships for Marvel’s haters). At the typical zero-stakes fi- American experiend of the day nal battle with far too ence. “Shang-Chi” is much CGI. not just another The final act is especially disap- derivative Marvel movie that pads pointing because it completely Disney’s pockets: Its box office sidelines instant fan-favorite Xi- success signals to Hollywood that aling (who rivals Yelena Belova Asian stories — this time told by for the title of most kickass little an Asian director, writer, costume sister) in favor of highlighting designer and cast — have value. Shang’s development. Instead Just a few months ago 42 perof giving her a single moment of cent of Americans were reported emotional closure with her father to be unable to name a single after being ignored and underesti- famous Asian American (yep, mated by him all her life, Marvel not even our Vice President…). kills off the villain (because re- “Shang-Chi” is shattering that indemption is too much effort) and visibility, pushing Asian faces to sets Xialing up as a girlboss vil- the forefront of American media lain, glossing over her past. From and making sure that we cannot that awkwardly forced “girl power” be ignored. scene in “Avengers: Endgame” to
Cancel culture isn’t real — just look at Matt Damon NATALIE WEI
It entered the mainstream in 2015 as a way to stop supporting public Let’s set things straight: When a figures whose views or actions you celebrity loses fans for problemat- disagreed with. It’s since escalated ic opinions, they aren’t being can- into a usually performative way of celed. When someone loses their blasting people for their mistakes job for harassment, they aren’t be- under the guise of political coring canceled. Since it entered the rectness. We blame cancel culture mainstream, we’ve turned “can- for fostering a narrow-minded cel” into such a buzzword that no- Gen Z, one that doesn’t let people body really knows what it means learn from their past. Now, if we criticize a celebrity anymore. for something — no matter how Cancel culture isn’t a new topic wrong — we’re “canceling” them. to harp on — the take that “cancel culture is ruining society” isn’t This has led people to whine quite so revolutionary anymore. about cancel culture as a product But as much as we complain about of sensitive “snowflakes,” as if the our faves getting canceled, it’s only people we’re trying to cancel hard to tell what modern cancel- are comedians who made sexist jokes in 2005. But this completely lation entails. YouTuber David Dobrik was erases any capacity for nuance and complicit in the rape of an in- shades of severity. It’s true that people who mistoxicated college student. After spoke 10 years ago probwe “canceled” him, ably don’t deserve to be he lost a couple of deplatformed. But the sponsorships but is But referring same can’t be said for now more popular to all criticism the dozens of celebthan ever. rities who walk away as canceling Musician Morgan from rape or abuse alWallen was “can- equates harmlegations completely celed” by radio sta- ful views or unscathed, with a shiny tions after he was actions with new project announced caught using racial within the next week. slurs on tape, but genuine misIn both cases, the his music sales con- takes. public deems all crititinued to soar. He’s cism cancel culture, deback to performing spite being applied to egregiously and has an upcoming new single. Matt Damon, who admitted to different situations. Cancel culture makes us think using the f-slur as recently as a few of people who purposefully dig up months ago, was “canceled” excludirt on celebrities or spread clips sively on Twitter, with no other reof politically incorrect statements percussions for his actions. How did cancel culture begin? from a decade ago. We associate it with bullying and death threats Senior Writer
NATALIE WEI
Since its entry into the mainstream, cancel culture has become the hot topic to complain about — but how we treat cancel culture ignores nuance and complexity in favor of blanket statements. and an inability to see things enjoy their content and hold the multimillionaires can handle it. through an objective lens. moral high ground. Instead of jumping to the blanIt’s easy to diminish the validBut referring to all criticism as ket solution of cancelation, we ity of “cancelation” and label any canceling equates harmful views should examine each situation and all criticism as a product of or actions with genuine mistakes. for its own nuances. The next mob mentality. It justifies holding We shouldn’t be treating crimes time cancel culture inevitably no celebrities accountable at all, as serious as sexual assault like strikes, it’s important not to be which means you never have to they’re at all comparable to mildly swept up by mob mentality — confront the decision of choosing insensitive jokes, especially when not only the mob mentality that whether or not to continue sup- the stakes have devolved to being we should condemn all wrongdoporting them. So long as it’s la- bullied on Twitter before the news ers, but also the mob mentality beled cancel culture, you can still cycle moves on — trust me, the that all criticism is illegitimate.
