Jezebel 
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New York, 8:01 PM
Wed Nov 11
72 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/03/09
*jaw drop* #preciousfilm
11/02/09
11/02/09
We must realize that our art/music/personal stories are consumed by the masses, which contains individuals who simply choose not to understand our intra diversity. These people simply choose to use our stories against us. So to what extent must we be careful about what stories we choose to tell? Do we appeal to the lowest common denominator? Or do we reveal our vulnerable places to a cold and ignorant society?
I guess the simpler version of this question is found in Dave Chappelle/ Chris Rock comedy wherein many of us truly "get" what is being satirized, whereas others just point and laugh at the most superficial level.
Double consciousness, indeed. #preciousfilm
11/02/09
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11/02/09
Can I join? I was plagued by that nonsense growing up. People don't say that to me much anymore, perhaps because I'm an adult, perhaps because things have changed. Oh, who am I kidding? #preciousfilm
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11/02/09
I'm not sure.
'Cause you know the President had it said about him during his campaign(s) -- although I'd like to think no one had the temerity to say it to his face. #preciousfilm
11/02/09
11/02/09
I speak out about it now to the point where I will put people in check if I hear them say "I'm blacker than you are." #preciousfilm
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I think the role of "psycho mother" is unfortunately universal. #preciousfilm
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11/02/09
It's not like she recommended it to a 6 year old. I think a 13 year old is old enough to form her own opinions about the content of the book, and the fact that her stepmother recommended it means she'll probably be discussing it with her step-mom. #preciousfilm
11/02/09
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11/02/09
Better to have the knowledge of what can happen, and be aware, then to have no clue and if it happens to have to wonder for the rest of life what the hell happened. #preciousfilm
11/02/09
11/02/09
She's one of those 13 year old girls who is very young and sheltered for her age. While agree that this is appropriate for some young ladies, this young lady doesn't seem to be ready for it yet. There are other ways to broach the subjects dealt with in this book than to just give it to her. #preciousfilm
11/02/09
I used to think I was the only kind of sicko kid into that, but hanging around on Jez for over a year, I think almost all of you probably have a similar story. (My jewish friend used to be obsessed with the holocaust.) #preciousfilm
11/03/09
If reading it creates a dialogue between her and her stepmother or between you two, isn't that a good thing? She won't be sheltered forever, and if she learns that things like what's in Push can happen without them actually happening to her, she obviously has two women in her life whom she trusts enough to bring up these issues with, and then you can talk with her about them. My social studies teacher in 8th grade loaned me his copy of The Bell Jar, which ended up opening a pretty positive dialogue between us about creativity, sensitivity, and depression in relation to each other. Maybe it's not something that people would think was "appropriate" for me, but I thought it was a good experience, and it gave me something to draw on later when I did deal with my own personal depression issues. #preciousfilm
11/02/09
I envy someone who does not believe that systemic, ingrained abuse and living in hopelessness and fear is not universal. I'd like to check out his worldview sometime. #preciousfilm
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(I think Edelstein is a pompous *ss and I generally don't like to read his writing and don't like to edify it by clicking on his links. Are you going to make me go over there?) #preciousfilm
11/02/09
11/02/09
Honestly, to me Precious looks like some kind of disadvantage/marginality porn. All this trauma heaped on one girl, and the conclusion is just that she keeps on keeping on. That's it. Granted, it's heroic to keep on after experiences like that but other than checking out totally, what else can the girl do?
I wonder what the point of this movie is. To show us how much worse things could be, so we leave the theatre somehow grateful? #preciousfilm
11/02/09
In the end I look at this as a window into a life I, personally, don't understand. And I am not necessarily talking about race or socioeconomics, but the abuse. And the fact that a human spirit can survive.
Then again, I also really like depressing movies.
11/02/09
11/02/09
eta: sorry didn't see that JDRegent said basically the same thing.
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11/02/09
I can think of worse reasons to make a movie… #preciousfilm
11/02/09
My initial reaction was that it seemed to portray black people making other black people's lives miserable, without exploring the institutional factors that stack the deck against somebody like Precious. The protagonist finally succeeds by picking herself up by her bootstraps and overcoming her circumstances. I bristle at the insinuation that 'all you have to do is work hard enough and you'll succeed', but I worked hard and escaped an abusive welfare-dependent mother myself, so I guess there is a kernel of truth there. #preciousfilm
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11/05/09
It's not just a story because it features a poor, fat, black girl, so right there it's loaded with major societal issues - poverty, sizeism, race - plus it's got a heap of other major issues like abuse, education, HIV. It's a very heavily loaded film, the Oscar buzz has already started, so there is going to be a lot of discussion about it.
Discussion about these issues is fine with me. But do we really need to see this girl so horribly mistreated to get that discussion going? #preciousfilm
11/02/09
What a massive, massive fail. I can't believe an editor or somebody in house didn't point out the obvious.
11/02/09
Yes, you can. #preciousfilm
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11/02/09
Because you are an optimist and a genius.
You know that clearly, your mind is needed by the wider culture, so you can't afford to tilt over into the luxury of the despair that would drive you insane. #preciousfilm
11/02/09
She’s also sexually molested by her jealous, welfare-cheating, gross, and sedentary mother, although the genital fingering might seem preferable to the verbal and physical abuse.
Christ. #preciousfilm
11/02/09
I mean, come on, Pilgrim, haven't you seen the abuse hierarchy chart? #preciousfilm
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