Problematic? By the pit these activists really have nothing else better to do don’t they? Jedi has been and never was problematic. Again it’s just these Sjw activists making a problems where none exist. Continuing to ruin things like Star Wars for the rest of us thinking that they know better but this article just shows that they don’t. Let’s just call this what it is and it’s just BS talk
Let’s not forget the “phalic lightsaber” because nothing can be taken for its original intent. It’s a freakin laser sword, but crack head SJWs want to make it a symbol of “toxic masculinity.”
To be fair Spaceballs made the phallic reference in the 90s. I believe your Schwartz is as big as mine. It’s definitely masculine but I don’t think it’s toxic.
It’s a freaking movie franchise STFU and don’t watch it or think about if you don’t like it. SJW equals my life sucks so I’m going to make everyone’s life suck.
Agreed, every sentence the “American Scientist” journalist wrote, I was shaking my head. If he doesn’t like the acronym he’s using, don’t lash out at an incidental correlation. Buy a thesaurus and pick a few different synonyms. If I’m playing horse (basketball) and I miss a shot, I don’t go blame an ACTUAL horse for misrepresenting basketball… 🐎🐴🏀
Once you make a film with the focal point of gender and race, it becomes a cess pool of garbage and blandness. People do this when they have no writing skills or anything unique going on in their lives. Keep seething about nothing and keep being sour about everything, I’m surr that’ll work out.
This is what happens when a bunch of pussified SNOWFLAKES write ANY article now…CREATE a goddamn problem with anything and everything if it offends their widdle pansy playbook.
I believe this is a result of Kathleen Kennedy’s effort to involve her effing politics, into the S.W. universe, so she starts the snowball, and then idiots like these take the bait and viiewla (how ever you spell it) you have efftards like this writing their so called, extreme progresive trash amd trying to pay it to everything! It’s disgusting how people can not just enjoy anything for what it is! ENTERTAINMENT
I keep thinking I’ve seen it all then garbage like this comes up. There was a time when irrational and insane views like this were relegated to dark corners of the room and shunned by people with the sense God gave the commen dog. We need to get back to those times.
Sounds like an effort to gain attention by lashing out at something popular rather than relying on the strength of one’s own presentation. It’s a very old tactic used by people from all political walks, and only matters as much as it’s allowed to matter.
SITH……I like that. Gonna have to spread that around. Fits perfectly. Whoever wrote that article should be fired. If your writing abilities top out at that level, you’re useless to ANY reputable publication, especially one such as Scientific American.
They are not space monks. My God, is nothing sacred anymore. Everything else has been regulated, herbified, cancelled, plus or minused a personal pronoun to death, or whatever it is for the gender confused…but now you have to reach out into space and screw with our “JEDI”!? Go away and leave them be. They are perfect just as they are. Leave them be. Leave the title of “Jedi” be. Go pervert or destroy something else. Someone else already beat you to Disney. But damnit, you leave this be.
The author of the article in discussion, completely invalidated their own argument by demonstrating their own ignorance in the opening statement. They author compares the Jedi to Monks in a demeaning and slanderous way, that is discriminatory to, not only fictitious self-identified Jedi, but an actual sect of people. It’s quite honestly hilariously hypocritical, and totally invalidating to their article and “sensitivities.”
The description by SJ can be said of all superheroes. Especially superhero teams. For instance, a normal human can’t be an Avenger. So do we also bugaboo the Avengers? This is just more woke hysteria being injected to every aspect of our lives.
Scientific American is a left leaning periodical. Leaning one way or the other is a bias and this dilutes its ability to be objective and that significantly lowers its scientific value as a periodical. It becomes an entertainment periodical or hobbyist periodical.
I couldn’t imagine being so correctly crushed because of incorrectly placed bias on a FICTIONAL piece of work held in high regard by the majority of those alive since its inception and presentation to the masses I would put my neck in the guillotine of public opinion while it is being manned by those I would scold. This writer is either the most clever of trolls or the most laughable fauxmale ever. It is fiction you example to be made. Fiction.
do you really have nothing better to do than complain about the ‘social justice’ of a fictional group of characters in a fictional universe. Jeez I can’t believe people get paid for this.
Hi, thanks so much for the rage bait article! I’m honestly surprised at how many people have fallen for it. This site is clearly not equipped to handle criticism of their favorite media, and everyone seems to have completely neglected the point of the article. Also to another commenter: “The jedi aren’t and never have been ‘problematic'” ? Really? Have we even been watching the same media? You can’t tout Ahsoka as a powerful jedi when everytime she’s showed up the past few years she has to correct people that she is NOT, in fact a jedi. You can’t tell someone who is concerned at the original and prequel trilogies’ lack of human diversity that, actually they shouldn’t be worried bc there’s diverse aliens like Watto and Jabba!
The idea that fiction has no effect on reality is outdated and untrue. Just because you are unprepared to criticise your favorite media doesn’t mean no one else is allowed to. It is not untouchable just because a bunch of people can’t stand that someone would watch these films without turning their brain off first. It was made by people, and people are flawed. It’s not the end of world
Exactly – It isn’t the end of the world. Speaking of the world, we have enough actual issues here in reality with real racism and real discrimination (although I feel obliged to point out that, contrary to what a certain group wishes, not *everything* is an example of __ism or __phobia) so, maybe people should focus on those actual issues that are actually affecting people, instead of writing self-righteous thinkpieces about a fictional set of people in a fictional universe.
That’s the problem though they use the media to ruin all the past great things if they are male and white. And won’t be happy untill you remove all little wee wee white boys from everything in the world.
Except that people are not under any obligation to accept criticism out of hand. People have the right to disagree with or dispute criticism, especially when, in this case, the criticisms are completely ridiculous. I don’t think its any more introspective of a person to instantly accept a bad argument at face value.
1. No, the Jedi are not “problematic” in the sense that the article was suggesting. And your “are we watching the same media?” question isn’t evidence to the contrary. Being flawed in-universe is not the same as being a green light for people to be racist/sexist/whatever in real life. The article was accusing the Jedi of being problematic for that reason, not because in-universe they are something other than perfect.
2. Ahsoka hasn’t said she’s “not a Jedi” in literally all of her appearances and in any case, her denial rings hollow. She uses the Force and a lightsaber. She defends the defenseless. She fights Dark Siders like Maul and Vader. She steadfastly avoids using the Dark Side of the Force. Ahsoka is a Jedi whether she admits it or not, something one of the Martez sisters essentially tells her in the last season of Clone Wars. Besides, there are numerous other empowered women the Jedi have played host to, so its a moot point.
3. Ignoring for a moment that you chose only to mention two of the most reprehensible alien characters and none of the positive ones, the ST doesn’t really have THAT much more human diversity than the Prequel Trilogy did. And diversity, while a good goal, is not the same as writing quality. In other words, the OT having comparatively less diversity does not make it a White Supremacist manifesto. By that inane logic, almost all entertainment would be “problematic”.
4. The idea that fiction has no effect on reality may be untrue (a claim to which you actually provide no evidence), but artists, writers, and the like have no control over how people will respond to or interpret their work. There is always, always a risk of someone being offended or some crazy person doing something stupid after watching something. That is not a reason for writers to stifle their creativity and operate only within an overly rigid set of parameters on what constitutes “unproblematic”.
5. Except the people who made these criticisms did turn off their brains, because that’s the only way they could come to the ludicrous conclusions that they did (“Lightsabers are a phallic symbol!”). In any event, your argument here is essentially that any of us who don’t view it the same way must be viewing it with our brains turned off, which is rather insulting in my view. You are essentially suggesting that any interpretation other than the one given is the product of mindless viewing.
6. Continuing from the above, there is a difference between being unwilling to criticize one’s favorite media, and accepting any nonsense argument that comes down the pipe. None of us are obliged to accept the argument SA gives simply because it is criticism. People have the right to reject criticisms if they find them unconvincing, as most people here (including myself), do.
Cameron your argument here is not in the least bit thoughtful or even intelligent. Anyone could just as easily say to you that because you are unprepared for a negative response to low effort criticism that doesnt mean they shouldn’t be allowed to respond. Imagine a lack of diversity in decades old cinema ever being a concern to you I’d encourage you to get a life but at this point it’s probably too late. I’m embarrassed that you’re defending an article that is so badly written it reads more like parody. This is your brain on ideology.
“Note that the Scientific American is focusing so heavily on the word “Jedi” due to the acronym “JEDI”: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, which they note has become a popular term for branding academic committees and labeling STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine) initiatives focusing on social justice issues. The article notes that JEDI has been an acronym used by prominent institutions and organizations, including the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. But as the Scientific American writers note, they do not want their justice work to be so connected with “stories and stereotypes that are a galaxy far, far away from the values of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.””
So in other words you waited until the very last paragraph to tell anyone this is about an actual use of JEDI and someone is expressing an opposing view to that acronym and this actually has very little to do with Star Wars in actuality.
It’s good to know yellow journalism (named that because Hearst had a child dressed in yellow to represent ‘kid journalism’ but that didn’t catch on) is alive and well.
I really have to say the article above is pretty abysmal. The mere fact that they view the Jedi as “toxically masculine” suggests to me an inexcusable level of ignorance of the thing they’re castigating. The Jedi are emphasized over and over and over to dislike violence strongly, and only engage it when necessary. Even then they derive no pleasure from it, and always attempt to find peaceful solutions. So unless SA considers anything short of absolute, 100% pure pacifism to be toxically masculine, the Jedi don’t fit this criticism.
And that’s just ONE thing the piece gets wrong. Speaking as someone who identifies as fairly liberal, I really do think SA’s criticisms are completely ridiculous and deserve the contempt that they’re getting.
Wow! The majority of the Jedi in these movies aren’t even human! Right? How do you know so much about these fictional species, there races and genders? I think you’ll need the force to reach this far….. somebody got paid to write this? LMAO
Within the Star Wars Universe Jedi derives from Je’daii, a Dai Bendu term meaning “mystic center.” Where only through the harmony of balance could the Je’daii maintain a peaceful world.
In this universe Lucas took inspiration from the Japanese term “Jidaigeki,” which refers to a drama set set during the Edo period of Japanese history, when samurai were still in activity.
It is truly scary how 1. People are so gullible. 2. Terms and situations get tergiversated to any “cause” 3. So many just marginalize and vilify non followers of their beliefs, and end up doing to others “what they set out to correct”.
THIS IS A PARODY! Giving this joke any more serious critique is a waste of your time. Scientific American got duped. I can’t believe the article is still up.
Just because it says “social sciences” on your liberal arts degree doesn’t make you a scientist. I’d go so far as to say modern critical sociological viewpoints are un- and even anti-scientific where we start with the conclusion that White, straight, cis-males are to blame for all the problems of whichever minority group or intersectional group we choose, and then we justify that conclusion via whatever logical gymnastics our sense of credibility can tolerate. Want to talk about cults? Modern sociology as a science is a cargo cult that Scientific American would do well to avoid.
Homelessness plagues over half a million Americans as we speak. Health care – particularly health insurance – is inaccessible to over 27 million Americans as we speak. 13 million American children are starving – literally starving – as we speak, and 3 million of them will die from it – unless aided – this year alone. Yet the discriminatory nature of the word “JEDI” is what we’re talking about. Reshaping words, political correctness; this is what rages at the forefront of our discourse, threaded into all but everything continually. Were we to solve the three issues listed above – issues that directly torture tens of millions everyday right here in the USA – the nation would become far, far more the balanced society we seek. Yet we fight, endlessly, left, right, and center. I have realized with utter clarity that I must think-out how to solve Homelessness, Hunger, and Health Care (‘The Triple H’ as I call it) in order to address this – and – most importantly – I must be the change in the world I wish to see. It is enough.
Hear, hear. It’s a shame we can’t mobilize the way we ought to. I’ve put some thought into it.
If we (on the whole in the world) could stop subsidizing the fishing industry (it’s doing more harm than good to the economy and the environment, and historically, it’s tied in with a lot illegal activity as well) and divert some of that $35 billion US toward constructing and staffing greenhouses (following Finland’s example, for instance), we could easily feed everyone, not only the children. Those out of work fishers could be offered first crack at the jobs in the greenhouses (which could be constructed in and near places projected to be severely impacted by the loss of fishing industry) and (to a much lesser extent) in cleaning those plastic nets out of the ocean.
It also bears mention that the majority of arable land is currently being used to grow crops to feed to livestock to feed to people. I enjoy a good burger or steak as much as the next person, but it isn’t worth potentially knowing someone else is starving. I certainly wouldn’t miss the factory farm industry.
The issues are not insurmountable, but the summit is higher than one or two people could reach alone. Generally, though, people won’t be interested. They will elect to take the path of least resistance.
Most people will be happy with the status quo, some will suffer and die, and a few will continue to profit.
Darth Vader was blacker than black black black. Until he wasn’t. And Lando wasn’t even light skin-ded. There was racial diversity before there had to be. Before BLM forced Dementia Joe to hire Kamala (here in San Francisco we know its pronounced like the name Pamela..) and before white people were so terrified of losing a race war that they became attention seeking black rights activists (white cooning cowards) star wars was showing life from the perspective of the opressed 2nd class slaves ..the robots; abducted, trafficked, auctioned, restrained, owned and forced to work… yet humane and heroic and invaluable allies being highly respected by the story’s end, all glossy and shining clean at the throne room ceremony. If you want to go back to the 70s and pick thru the details of an old movie to try and look like you matter to 2021 then I’m sorry but star wars can’t be touched. You played yourself and look like a fake-woke race baiting white coon and a racist. Now sit your ass down.
They are not space monks. My God, is nothing sacred anymore. Everything else has been regulated, herbified, cancelled, plus or minused a personal pronoun to death, or whatever it is for the gender confused…but now you have to reach out into space and screw with our “JEDI”!? Go away and leave them be. They are perfect just as they are. Leave them be. Leave the title of “Jedi” be. Go pervert or destroy something else. Someone else already beat you to Disney. But damnit, you leave this be.
Please stop giving these woke nutjobs publicity they don’t deserve. All they want is for people to talk about them and their insipid ideas. Stop falling for it, even if it means less easy content for you.
Maybe what these people don’t take into account is that this was in a time long ago in a galaxy far far away where they are far more enlightened and beyond such petty things as hatred based on color and religion. These comments are narrow minded and based on view points from the 1970s when racism was worse than now. They claim they were a religious group yet there is never a mention of a God. They are simply people who have enlightened their minds to be one with their environment which brought peace and clarity. Maybe we should just accept that this idea is far more advanced than science can explain.
Imagine waking up, watching a science fiction fantasy film and going “hmmm. This is racist.” Do people just watch stuff just to get offended? Like this is getting freaking ridiculous.
I hate SJW they want to ruin and complain about everything why don’t yall leave STAR WARS you SJW and feminists don’t yall have something better to do.
As Jedi is a problematic term, any self respecting White male, unassailable in his regal power, will tell you that a far more dangerous problem is the cult, nay, the religion, of Diversity
Diversity is the bad and problematic term. Just another word for racism. When you single out ethnicities it’s racism. When you single out a movie term, your just plain stupid!
Cool! Will definitely be using the word Jedi more then!
The “problematic” thing is a badge of honour now. Much like knowing you’re doing the very best you can whenever someone on twitter tells you to “#DoBetter”. 👍🏻
Comments for ‘Star Wars’: Scientific American Suggests “Jedi” Is “Problematic” Term
Wing
Problematic? By the pit these activists really have nothing else better to do don’t they? Jedi has been and never was problematic. Again it’s just these Sjw activists making a problems where none exist. Continuing to ruin things like Star Wars for the rest of us thinking that they know better but this article just shows that they don’t. Let’s just call this what it is and it’s just BS talk
Greg
Amen. Give it a rest.
J
Let’s not forget the “phalic lightsaber” because nothing can be taken for its original intent. It’s a freakin laser sword, but crack head SJWs want to make it a symbol of “toxic masculinity.”
B
To be fair Spaceballs made the phallic reference in the 90s. I believe your Schwartz is as big as mine. It’s definitely masculine but I don’t think it’s toxic.
Katherine Hamar
Nope, not toxic, but Spaceballs was funny. The A.S. article was not.
Berp durger
1987
Kieth
It’s a freaking movie franchise STFU and don’t watch it or think about if you don’t like it. SJW equals my life sucks so I’m going to make everyone’s life suck.
Phil Davis
This opinion piece could be the ultimate poster child for wokeism. If anything it’s a religion. Just pathetic.
Katherine Hamar
Agreed, every sentence the “American Scientist” journalist wrote, I was shaking my head. If he doesn’t like the acronym he’s using, don’t lash out at an incidental correlation. Buy a thesaurus and pick a few different synonyms. If I’m playing horse (basketball) and I miss a shot, I don’t go blame an ACTUAL horse for misrepresenting basketball… 🐎🐴🏀
Daffy Duck
Once you make a film with the focal point of gender and race, it becomes a cess pool of garbage and blandness. People do this when they have no writing skills or anything unique going on in their lives. Keep seething about nothing and keep being sour about everything, I’m surr that’ll work out.
Daffy
Sure*
Brian Badavious
This is what happens when a bunch of pussified SNOWFLAKES write ANY article now…CREATE a goddamn problem with anything and everything if it offends their widdle pansy playbook.
SHORTYROK
I believe this is a result of Kathleen Kennedy’s effort to involve her effing politics, into the S.W. universe, so she starts the snowball, and then idiots like these take the bait and viiewla (how ever you spell it) you have efftards like this writing their so called, extreme progresive trash amd trying to pay it to everything! It’s disgusting how people can not just enjoy anything for what it is! ENTERTAINMENT
LadyM
Voila?
Chris Kinney
Idiot.
Deeka
I keep thinking I’ve seen it all then garbage like this comes up. There was a time when irrational and insane views like this were relegated to dark corners of the room and shunned by people with the sense God gave the commen dog. We need to get back to those times.
Chris Kinney
It must be such a sad life to read messages into everything you see, and not be able to simply enjoy a fictional story.
Mark
Wisdom beyond the norm, this.
Impy
Sounds like an effort to gain attention by lashing out at something popular rather than relying on the strength of one’s own presentation. It’s a very old tactic used by people from all political walks, and only matters as much as it’s allowed to matter.
Jonathan Willi
This was clearly written by one of those social injustice truth haters or SITH as I call them
Michael D
Your awesome! Lol
Shannon
SITH……I like that. Gonna have to spread that around. Fits perfectly. Whoever wrote that article should be fired. If your writing abilities top out at that level, you’re useless to ANY reputable publication, especially one such as Scientific American.
Bambi A Brosemer
They are not space monks. My God, is nothing sacred anymore. Everything else has been regulated, herbified, cancelled, plus or minused a personal pronoun to death, or whatever it is for the gender confused…but now you have to reach out into space and screw with our “JEDI”!? Go away and leave them be. They are perfect just as they are. Leave them be. Leave the title of “Jedi” be. Go pervert or destroy something else. Someone else already beat you to Disney. But damnit, you leave this be.
Overitall
The author of the article in discussion, completely invalidated their own argument by demonstrating their own ignorance in the opening statement. They author compares the Jedi to Monks in a demeaning and slanderous way, that is discriminatory to, not only fictitious self-identified Jedi, but an actual sect of people. It’s quite honestly hilariously hypocritical, and totally invalidating to their article and “sensitivities.”
Wolfie
Well said!
Wolfie
The description by SJ can be said of all superheroes. Especially superhero teams. For instance, a normal human can’t be an Avenger. So do we also bugaboo the Avengers? This is just more woke hysteria being injected to every aspect of our lives.
joemac
Scientific American is a left leaning periodical. Leaning one way or the other is a bias and this dilutes its ability to be objective and that significantly lowers its scientific value as a periodical. It becomes an entertainment periodical or hobbyist periodical.
Nicholas B Cobb
I couldn’t imagine being so correctly crushed because of incorrectly placed bias on a FICTIONAL piece of work held in high regard by the majority of those alive since its inception and presentation to the masses I would put my neck in the guillotine of public opinion while it is being manned by those I would scold. This writer is either the most clever of trolls or the most laughable fauxmale ever. It is fiction you example to be made. Fiction.
august
do you really have nothing better to do than complain about the ‘social justice’ of a fictional group of characters in a fictional universe. Jeez I can’t believe people get paid for this.
Cameron
Hi, thanks so much for the rage bait article! I’m honestly surprised at how many people have fallen for it. This site is clearly not equipped to handle criticism of their favorite media, and everyone seems to have completely neglected the point of the article. Also to another commenter: “The jedi aren’t and never have been ‘problematic'” ? Really? Have we even been watching the same media? You can’t tout Ahsoka as a powerful jedi when everytime she’s showed up the past few years she has to correct people that she is NOT, in fact a jedi. You can’t tell someone who is concerned at the original and prequel trilogies’ lack of human diversity that, actually they shouldn’t be worried bc there’s diverse aliens like Watto and Jabba!
The idea that fiction has no effect on reality is outdated and untrue. Just because you are unprepared to criticise your favorite media doesn’t mean no one else is allowed to. It is not untouchable just because a bunch of people can’t stand that someone would watch these films without turning their brain off first. It was made by people, and people are flawed. It’s not the end of world
Brian
Exactly – It isn’t the end of the world. Speaking of the world, we have enough actual issues here in reality with real racism and real discrimination (although I feel obliged to point out that, contrary to what a certain group wishes, not *everything* is an example of __ism or __phobia) so, maybe people should focus on those actual issues that are actually affecting people, instead of writing self-righteous thinkpieces about a fictional set of people in a fictional universe.
Taylor
That’s the problem though they use the media to ruin all the past great things if they are male and white. And won’t be happy untill you remove all little wee wee white boys from everything in the world.
Autunite
Well said. To be able to hear criticism and ponder it instead of instantly rejecting it, is the mark of an introspective person.
Mark Mish
Except that people are not under any obligation to accept criticism out of hand. People have the right to disagree with or dispute criticism, especially when, in this case, the criticisms are completely ridiculous. I don’t think its any more introspective of a person to instantly accept a bad argument at face value.
Mark Mish
There are numerous issues with your argument:
1. No, the Jedi are not “problematic” in the sense that the article was suggesting. And your “are we watching the same media?” question isn’t evidence to the contrary. Being flawed in-universe is not the same as being a green light for people to be racist/sexist/whatever in real life. The article was accusing the Jedi of being problematic for that reason, not because in-universe they are something other than perfect.
2. Ahsoka hasn’t said she’s “not a Jedi” in literally all of her appearances and in any case, her denial rings hollow. She uses the Force and a lightsaber. She defends the defenseless. She fights Dark Siders like Maul and Vader. She steadfastly avoids using the Dark Side of the Force. Ahsoka is a Jedi whether she admits it or not, something one of the Martez sisters essentially tells her in the last season of Clone Wars. Besides, there are numerous other empowered women the Jedi have played host to, so its a moot point.
3. Ignoring for a moment that you chose only to mention two of the most reprehensible alien characters and none of the positive ones, the ST doesn’t really have THAT much more human diversity than the Prequel Trilogy did. And diversity, while a good goal, is not the same as writing quality. In other words, the OT having comparatively less diversity does not make it a White Supremacist manifesto. By that inane logic, almost all entertainment would be “problematic”.
4. The idea that fiction has no effect on reality may be untrue (a claim to which you actually provide no evidence), but artists, writers, and the like have no control over how people will respond to or interpret their work. There is always, always a risk of someone being offended or some crazy person doing something stupid after watching something. That is not a reason for writers to stifle their creativity and operate only within an overly rigid set of parameters on what constitutes “unproblematic”.
5. Except the people who made these criticisms did turn off their brains, because that’s the only way they could come to the ludicrous conclusions that they did (“Lightsabers are a phallic symbol!”). In any event, your argument here is essentially that any of us who don’t view it the same way must be viewing it with our brains turned off, which is rather insulting in my view. You are essentially suggesting that any interpretation other than the one given is the product of mindless viewing.
6. Continuing from the above, there is a difference between being unwilling to criticize one’s favorite media, and accepting any nonsense argument that comes down the pipe. None of us are obliged to accept the argument SA gives simply because it is criticism. People have the right to reject criticisms if they find them unconvincing, as most people here (including myself), do.
Lol
Cameron your argument here is not in the least bit thoughtful or even intelligent. Anyone could just as easily say to you that because you are unprepared for a negative response to low effort criticism that doesnt mean they shouldn’t be allowed to respond. Imagine a lack of diversity in decades old cinema ever being a concern to you I’d encourage you to get a life but at this point it’s probably too late. I’m embarrassed that you’re defending an article that is so badly written it reads more like parody. This is your brain on ideology.
Dr. Vanhoutan
“Note that the Scientific American is focusing so heavily on the word “Jedi” due to the acronym “JEDI”: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, which they note has become a popular term for branding academic committees and labeling STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine) initiatives focusing on social justice issues. The article notes that JEDI has been an acronym used by prominent institutions and organizations, including the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. But as the Scientific American writers note, they do not want their justice work to be so connected with “stories and stereotypes that are a galaxy far, far away from the values of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.””
So in other words you waited until the very last paragraph to tell anyone this is about an actual use of JEDI and someone is expressing an opposing view to that acronym and this actually has very little to do with Star Wars in actuality.
It’s good to know yellow journalism (named that because Hearst had a child dressed in yellow to represent ‘kid journalism’ but that didn’t catch on) is alive and well.
Chris
Wow. Scientific American has become the discovery channel. Well at least next we will get articles on Dog the Bounty Hunter and OC Choppers.
Seriously SA, we want read about science, not social justice. You should fire your editor.
Mark Mish
I really have to say the article above is pretty abysmal. The mere fact that they view the Jedi as “toxically masculine” suggests to me an inexcusable level of ignorance of the thing they’re castigating. The Jedi are emphasized over and over and over to dislike violence strongly, and only engage it when necessary. Even then they derive no pleasure from it, and always attempt to find peaceful solutions. So unless SA considers anything short of absolute, 100% pure pacifism to be toxically masculine, the Jedi don’t fit this criticism.
And that’s just ONE thing the piece gets wrong. Speaking as someone who identifies as fairly liberal, I really do think SA’s criticisms are completely ridiculous and deserve the contempt that they’re getting.
Jeremiah Fisher
Wow! The majority of the Jedi in these movies aren’t even human! Right? How do you know so much about these fictional species, there races and genders? I think you’ll need the force to reach this far….. somebody got paid to write this? LMAO
JMartin
Within the Star Wars Universe Jedi derives from Je’daii, a Dai Bendu term meaning “mystic center.” Where only through the harmony of balance could the Je’daii maintain a peaceful world.
In this universe Lucas took inspiration from the Japanese term “Jidaigeki,” which refers to a drama set set during the Edo period of Japanese history, when samurai were still in activity.
It is truly scary how 1. People are so gullible. 2. Terms and situations get tergiversated to any “cause” 3. So many just marginalize and vilify non followers of their beliefs, and end up doing to others “what they set out to correct”.
Skot
Seriously! Stay away from my movies. The only thing toxic are SJW’s. Go away!
Eric
THIS IS A PARODY! Giving this joke any more serious critique is a waste of your time. Scientific American got duped. I can’t believe the article is still up.
Doug Torth
Just because it says “social sciences” on your liberal arts degree doesn’t make you a scientist. I’d go so far as to say modern critical sociological viewpoints are un- and even anti-scientific where we start with the conclusion that White, straight, cis-males are to blame for all the problems of whichever minority group or intersectional group we choose, and then we justify that conclusion via whatever logical gymnastics our sense of credibility can tolerate. Want to talk about cults? Modern sociology as a science is a cargo cult that Scientific American would do well to avoid.
Jack dross
” science ” … More like social studies
DAMON
Liberals are hell-bent on destroying everything that is fun
Benjamin Kreis
Bold of you to assume the genders of the Jedi.
Michael D
Seriously though, what about the droid attack on the wookies?!
Rob
Obviously Scientific American has been infiltrated by Siths. Come to the dark side.
Michelle Rene Cullins
Very informative article. Did not know this was an issue for some folks. Hmmmm.
Mazz
I haven’t read Sci Am for years. The last time I tried they made EVERY story about global warming somehow.
Bryan
Ahhhhhhhh yes, the scientific community…. That bastion of inclusion and diversity of gender and race…..
Berp Durger
Ha ha!
Pablo
I wouldn’t pay this article any attention. As it was written by a bunch of retards with nothing better to do with there lives.
Aere
Homelessness plagues over half a million Americans as we speak. Health care – particularly health insurance – is inaccessible to over 27 million Americans as we speak. 13 million American children are starving – literally starving – as we speak, and 3 million of them will die from it – unless aided – this year alone. Yet the discriminatory nature of the word “JEDI” is what we’re talking about. Reshaping words, political correctness; this is what rages at the forefront of our discourse, threaded into all but everything continually. Were we to solve the three issues listed above – issues that directly torture tens of millions everyday right here in the USA – the nation would become far, far more the balanced society we seek. Yet we fight, endlessly, left, right, and center. I have realized with utter clarity that I must think-out how to solve Homelessness, Hunger, and Health Care (‘The Triple H’ as I call it) in order to address this – and – most importantly – I must be the change in the world I wish to see. It is enough.
ky
Hear, hear. It’s a shame we can’t mobilize the way we ought to. I’ve put some thought into it.
If we (on the whole in the world) could stop subsidizing the fishing industry (it’s doing more harm than good to the economy and the environment, and historically, it’s tied in with a lot illegal activity as well) and divert some of that $35 billion US toward constructing and staffing greenhouses (following Finland’s example, for instance), we could easily feed everyone, not only the children. Those out of work fishers could be offered first crack at the jobs in the greenhouses (which could be constructed in and near places projected to be severely impacted by the loss of fishing industry) and (to a much lesser extent) in cleaning those plastic nets out of the ocean.
It also bears mention that the majority of arable land is currently being used to grow crops to feed to livestock to feed to people. I enjoy a good burger or steak as much as the next person, but it isn’t worth potentially knowing someone else is starving. I certainly wouldn’t miss the factory farm industry.
The issues are not insurmountable, but the summit is higher than one or two people could reach alone. Generally, though, people won’t be interested. They will elect to take the path of least resistance.
Most people will be happy with the status quo, some will suffer and die, and a few will continue to profit.
A Window
I mean Anakin tried to do something but the oppression of the Jedi known as Obi Wan stopped him..
jason hatred
Darth Vader was blacker than black black black. Until he wasn’t. And Lando wasn’t even light skin-ded. There was racial diversity before there had to be. Before BLM forced Dementia Joe to hire Kamala (here in San Francisco we know its pronounced like the name Pamela..) and before white people were so terrified of losing a race war that they became attention seeking black rights activists (white cooning cowards) star wars was showing life from the perspective of the opressed 2nd class slaves ..the robots; abducted, trafficked, auctioned, restrained, owned and forced to work… yet humane and heroic and invaluable allies being highly respected by the story’s end, all glossy and shining clean at the throne room ceremony. If you want to go back to the 70s and pick thru the details of an old movie to try and look like you matter to 2021 then I’m sorry but star wars can’t be touched. You played yourself and look like a fake-woke race baiting white coon and a racist. Now sit your ass down.
Jeffrey Hansen
It’s just a damn fantasy story. Get a grip you wingnuts!
Bambi A Brosemer
They are not space monks. My God, is nothing sacred anymore. Everything else has been regulated, herbified, cancelled, plus or minused a personal pronoun to death, or whatever it is for the gender confused…but now you have to reach out into space and screw with our “JEDI”!? Go away and leave them be. They are perfect just as they are. Leave them be. Leave the title of “Jedi” be. Go pervert or destroy something else. Someone else already beat you to Disney. But damnit, you leave this be.
Jxm
Please stop giving these woke nutjobs publicity they don’t deserve. All they want is for people to talk about them and their insipid ideas. Stop falling for it, even if it means less easy content for you.
Jon A Indridason
Maybe what these people don’t take into account is that this was in a time long ago in a galaxy far far away where they are far more enlightened and beyond such petty things as hatred based on color and religion. These comments are narrow minded and based on view points from the 1970s when racism was worse than now. They claim they were a religious group yet there is never a mention of a God. They are simply people who have enlightened their minds to be one with their environment which brought peace and clarity. Maybe we should just accept that this idea is far more advanced than science can explain.
Doobie
Imagine waking up, watching a science fiction fantasy film and going “hmmm. This is racist.” Do people just watch stuff just to get offended? Like this is getting freaking ridiculous.
Bowie Buhmann
I hate SJW they want to ruin and complain about everything why don’t yall leave STAR WARS you SJW and feminists don’t yall have something better to do.
Chuck
As Jedi is a problematic term, any self respecting White male, unassailable in his regal power, will tell you that a far more dangerous problem is the cult, nay, the religion, of Diversity
LadyM
No no, cult is the correct term.
MDR
One of the dumbest things I’ve seen in a while.
And that is saying A LOT. SMH
Virginia A Cox
Diversity is the bad and problematic term. Just another word for racism. When you single out ethnicities it’s racism. When you single out a movie term, your just plain stupid!
Stephen
Cool! Will definitely be using the word Jedi more then!
The “problematic” thing is a badge of honour now. Much like knowing you’re doing the very best you can whenever someone on twitter tells you to “#DoBetter”. 👍🏻
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