Why do you want to be a NA'Vi on Pandora?

[auroraglacialis]

There have been numerous threads about people here who feel they want to be NA'Vi. This is a huge topic with all the threads on "Would you give up your Earth life" and such.

Now what I would like to know is - what is it that pulls you - us - into that thought. What is it that draws us into that feeling, that we would rather be NA'Vi, that we would rather be on Pandora, that our souls are NA'Vi or all the other similar feelings we share.

I think each of us has different feelings, I'd be interested to hear some. I imagine some want to be NA'Vi because of the NA'Vi culture, others want to be there because of the Ikran or the rainforest, others because it is spacetravel and others because of the bioluminescent plants and again others because of the physiology of the NA'Vi or because of the way they live and relate to each other.

Probably for most of us, all of these things are good reasons to invoke a desire to be a NA'Vi, but I'd like to know which ones are most important to you and if you will, drop a thought about if or how you think this part could become a reality for yourself here and now or within your lifetime and maybe what this motivates you to do.

This is not supposed to be a debate on which reasons are "better" or scientifically more probable but if you can, try to be realistic where applicable. But its ok to also go for dreams and mysticism. Just dont debate it - talk about what YOU think, what YOU want or desire, dont tell others what they should think or feel. Thank you

[Empty Glass]

I think if I was to be a Na'vi, it would be because of the way they live and relate to each other - the sense of community they share. The flying, the bioluminescence...that's all great stuff, no doubt about it. But I think this more basic aspect of how they live together is what would be most important to me.

(But for the record if I could leave the Earth right now for Pandora, I don't think I could. There are things I want to get taken care of here first.)

[Moco Loco]

I've never heard anyone give any reason other than the way they live and relate to each other, actually Those other reasons seem like more of an incentive to take a vacation there, and I love them, but I wouldn't give up my own life for them. Alternatively, I wouldn't want to be na'vi for several reasons. I feel I have a responsibility to Earth, and I would miss the technology too much

[Crickett]

Originally Posted by Moco Loco

I've never heard anyone give any reason other than the way they live and relate to each other, actually Those other reasons seem like more of an incentive to take a vacation there, and I love them, but I wouldn't give up my own life for them.

I would. But to me, this isn't the only reason. The first moment Avatar really resonated with me emotionally was when Jake woke up for the first time from using his Avatar and saw his legs. Now, I'm not a paraplegic and I never have been. But I've (all of the following were temporary) lost my ability to walk under my power, gone blind, and had my kidneys fail. I'm going to have to spend the rest of my life with arthritis and as soon as the current semester ends, I'm going to have to have a part of my tear ducts cut out (both of them). I've had numerous cases of pneumonia, I've had swine flu, etc, etc. I would very much like to have a happy active, HEALTHY life. And IMO, the Na'vi as portrayed were a personification of that.


There have been discussions on various forums asking [sarcastic voice]if you like the Na'vi so much, why don't you live like them?[/sarcastic voice]

If I was capable of that, I'd certainly consider it.

[Human No More]

Originally Posted by Crickett

There have been discussions on various forums asking [sarcastic voice]if you like the Na'vi so much, why don't you live like them?[/sarcastic voice]

If I was capable of that, I'd certainly consider it.

Exactly - if I COULD be 3m tall, with blue skin, beautiful eyes and a tail. I would. If I could, as an average individual, be physically superior to the greatest human who lived, I would. If I could have a lifemate and make tsaheylu and experience everything together, I would. If it was possible to bond with an ikran and ride it through the air, I would. If I could spend every night wandering through bioluminescence, with everything around having its own beauty, I would. None of that's at all remotely possible.

Originally Posted by Sarah Noel

The fantastical impossible life-mate tsaheylu I find romantic, though I think I prefer serial monogamy as a human with the assumption that people can change and outgrow each other, mating for life is an awfully long time. With the na'vi however, a bond as strong as linking nervous systems I can only imagine it's being too overwhelming to ever do that with more than one sentient being, causing irrevocable emotional changes, and a closeness to which we have no equivalent. I'd be curious to know what that's like.

For me, the idea of a lifemate is better because it's being able to truly know someone on a way that most people never will, and I would far prefer that to ending up losing am ate over and over again... I think that most people would, in a perfect situation, want a mate to stay with them, and it certainly is possible with humans, just not easy and doesn't work for everyone, while the Na'vi have it much easier there...

I'd also probably freak out with the first night I spent on Pandora, and spend hours stuck looking at tiny things like leaf venation, or the dots on my legs, or something.

Definitely

I don't think I could give up my life right now for a Na'vi one, in a few years when the world's a little worse, I'd definitely reconsider it.

Honestly, ideally, I'd like the best of both lives. I'd like to be able to be a Na'vi physically, live somewhere really nice, be able to fly, but also still be able to occasionally enjoy things from Earth.

[dstroudswan]

Originally Posted by Human No More

Exactly - if I COULD be 3m tall, with blue skin, beautiful eyes and a tail. I would. If I could, as an average individual, be physically superior to the greatest human who lived, I would. If I could have a lifemate and make tsaheylu and experience everything together, I would. If it was possible to bond with an ikran and ride it through the air, I would. If I could spend every night wandering through bioluminescence, with everything around having its own beauty, I would. None of that's at all remotely possible.

You're almost completely right. Increasing height to 3 meters would destroy the spinal column and cause paralysis. Blue skin, however, would be possible with tattooing or permanent ink, and maybe in the not-too-distant future, gene therapy. A tail would also be possible if it could be artificially grown and grafted on, but the technology for that is not yet available; maybe in a decade that will change. Tsaheylu would be extremely difficult to achieve, but it might be possible with lots of technology (see my post here). Riding an ikran is definitely not possible. Bioluminescence, however, might be achieved with gene therapy, since some species of fish already have that.

Originally Posted by Human No More

Honestly, ideally, I'd like the best of both lives. I'd like to be able to be a Na'vi physically, live somewhere really nice, be able to fly, but also still be able to occasionally enjoy things from Earth.

I second that; all I'd need from Earth is a generator, an iPad, a laptop, and a satellite connection. There would be no need to do away with technology; it would just have to be used sparingly.

[auroraglacialis]

Originally Posted by dstroudswan

Bioluminescence, however, might be achieved with gene therapy, since some species of fish already have that.

Actually they did gene modified plants that glow in the dark by putting marine organisms genes into them. But of course these have to stay in the enclosed labs because no one knows what will be the result if they go into the wild...

I second that; all I'd need from Earth is a generator, an iPad, a laptop, and a satellite connection.

So all you need is "the internet" basically?

Originally Posted by Sarah Noel

I'd also probably freak out with the first night I spent on Pandora, and spend hours stuck looking at tiny things like leaf venation, or the dots on my legs, or something.

- yeah I can imagine that. That image is very funny but so true. Look at all the dots indeed...

[Clarke]

Originally Posted by dstroudswan

Increasing height to 3 meters would destroy the spinal column and cause paralysis.

Carbon-fibre bones! Carbon-fibre bones! (I've given JC crap for not justifying himself elsewhere, but that sort of thing is what I hoped there was more of: just enough explanation so we can hear, "I know this doesn't work, but it's a film. You should really just relax.")

Though if you're talking about turning a human into a Na'vi, can't you just use surgery whatevers?

I second that; all I'd need from Earth is a generator, an iPad, a laptop, and a satellite connection. There would be no need to do away with technology; it would just have to be used sparingly.

For a species that has a IO cable dangling out the back of their skull, an iPad seems like an awfully crude HCI. (or should that be Na'vi-Computer interface? ) Wouldn't strategically-placed wireless transceivers work better?

[Moco Loco]

Originally Posted by Human No More

Exactly - if I COULD be 3m tall, with blue skin, beautiful eyes and a tail. I would. If I could, as an average individual, be physically superior to the greatest human who lived, I would. If I could have a lifemate and make tsaheylu and experience everything together, I would. If it was possible to bond with an ikran and ride it through the air, I would. If I could spend every night wandering through bioluminescence, with everything around having its own beauty, I would. None of that's at all remotely possible.

If it were just about becoming a na'vi physically and I didn't have to give up access to all the knowledge humans have, technological advances, etc, YES, I would be a na'vi I guess that question has never been posed to me, and before now, I've never even thought about it with those circumstances, but there are several situations in which I'd gladly be a na'vi.

[dstroudswan]

Originally Posted by auroraglacialis

So all you need is "the internet" basically?

Yep, and maybe a toothbrush.

Originally Posted by Clarke

Though if you're talking about turning a human into a Na'vi, can't you just use surgery whatevers?

Yes, you can. Plastic surgery coupled with permanent ink (or genetic engineering for a version of melanin that's blue) would yield something almost exactly like a Na'vi, minus the increase in height and the tail. The former couldn't be practically achieved with surgery, and the latter would require growth in a lab and grafting on once developed. Maybe they can use tissue printers for that

Originally Posted by Clarke

For a species that has a IO cable dangling out the back of their skull, an iPad seems like an awfully crude HCI. (or should that be Na'vi-Computer interface? ) Wouldn't strategically-placed wireless transceivers work better?

That's true, but it also assumes that the brain could adapt to control a device that is Internet-capable and designed for a 2d environment. I'm not sure if that would be possible - research would need to be done to find out.

[Human No More]

Everything is better than Earth. The Na'vi have capabilities that are beyond humanity, there are ikran, and there is the bioluminescence. Really though, it's also that I feel that there, I could find a lifemate...

[EywaBlessMe]

Originally Posted by Human No More

Everything is better than Earth.

I could not DISAGREE more.
The Na'vi have the connection with the queue, the Ikran, and they have the size. Great.
Here on Earth, we have antibiotics, physicians, air conditioning, hot showers, flush toilets, concrete sidewalks, the internet, automobiles, etc...
Need I continue?
While Pandora is a beautiful planet, it is a dangerous, even deadly place, with none of the conveniences of the modern world. Don't pretend you would fit. Neither would I. It would be a fantastic place to visit, especially for a xenologist. But we would be so fish-out-of-water there, we would hew-and-cry to go home ASAP. Don't believe me? Take a trip to Indochina, and then consider not spending a week, but years there, and you'll figure it out.

[Aquaplant]

I'm too much of having your cake and eating it person, so I'm not really partial to any choices where one must compromise something in order to get something else. As I dabbled with this subject long time ago, I came to the conclusion that the awe of new stuff would fade pretty fast, just like when we grow up and stop wondering all the things we take for granted as adults.

Then again nowhere is there anything that is meaningful by in itself, but there's just stuff all around, and the stuff we subjectively prefer the most is usually the best option to be in. Granted this isn't even an option for any of us, since we are just limited to being here, but imagination can make any option seem preferable to our current state, seeing as we were never asked what we would like, but just being dumped on this particular ball of dirt.

[iron_jones]

Avatar didn't make me want to be a na'vi, it made me want to go on a great adventure that i would find fulfilling in ever way.

[Fkeu'itan]

If it were anything that made me want to be Na'vi, it was simply their way of life, and in the kind of place they were living.

The bioluminescence is cool indeed, extremely beautiful... But we have that on this planet, to a degree. I've seen it myself. And it's equally as magical.

Yes, like Aquaplant said, we're "confined" to living here, but honestly, i'm not bitter about that one tiny bit. Because for all those people out there who say Pandora is amazing - I agree. But so is this planet, in it's purest form. Also as IJ said, this planet... it's something you *can* live with, you can touch it, smell it, feel it. You breathe it in every day, but you can also have a *real* adventure, rather than an armchair one, you just need to be in the right place, and have the right will and sight to do so... Something that no amount of wishing can ever be said the same of for Pandora. (Sure, there may be a planet *like* Pandora out there, somewhere... But I hope you get the point i'm trying to get across.)

The Na'vi have something i'm struggling to find however - a life of such adventure, in said places... Perhaps in this place, such a thing must be searched for or made, instead of being a given.