Summer ends, and with it the phenomenon Barbieready to move on to a better cinematic life with landed on stream after making a splash at the box office around the world. As usual, films of this magnitude generate a lot of discussion online, as well as theories and suggestions. Even in such a seemingly “clear” film as the film Greta Gerwig.
One of the most interesting theories to emerge in recent weeks concerns the true meaning of Barbieland, what is the ideal world in which the doll, played by Greta Gerwig, lives and is threatened by Ken’s idealistic “patriarchy with horses”? The basic concept may even be inspired by Greek philosophy, as claimed by a Reddit user and picked up by various newspapers.
In the film, Barbieland is a land accessible only through a fantasy journey that somehow ends on the sunny beaches of California – although, according to science, it should actually be somewhere near Florida. Barbie and Kens (and Alan) live here, created by the imagination, the collective illusion associated with the purchase of the famous toy. However, there will be much more underneath, an aspect that will make you unlock memories of high school and first hours of philosophy.
According to the theory, Barbieland is not just an alternate reality where is Barbie real, but is actually Platonic hyperuranium., the world of ideas located beyond the sky. According to Plato, ideas constitute the very essence of things and are in this area accessible only to the intellect, and not tangible from earthly reality. The smartphone you are holding in your hand to read this article may have some scratches, but the very idea of a smartphone being in Hyperuranium does not, it is perfect and unchangeable.
So here’s how In fact, Barbie is the platonic ideal of a career woman., the complete package and therefore almost utopian for today’s society. And this is the world she lives in: there are no such things as water or toothpaste, because the concept of a shower and the idea of brushing the doll’s teeth and everything else is enough. Supporting the philosophical connection is the fact that each Barbie represents a different type of reality, and the one played by Margot Robbie is the core from which all other “variants” emerge.
The theory also seeks justification in Ken, arguing that his work as “Beach” perfectly integrated into this world of ideas precisely because everything here is intangible. His profession is the very concept of the beach, just as his personality is the very concept of Ken. But what does this mean for the outcome of the film? Explain for example why Barbieland is able to have a concrete impact on the real world: when in the world of ideas Ken builds his House of Mojo Dojo Kasa, Mattel has thousands of these devices in production right away. This is because the connection between hyperuranus and the world of things is expressed through mimesis (objects are copies of ideas), Messi (things participate in the existence of ideas), parousia (ideas are the essence of things) e Aytiya (ideas cause things).
The main clue that this is a correct reading of the film, which, according to the theory, was always in everyone’s minds, lies in the relationship between Barbie and Ken itself: yes, they are “engaged” but without the need to have an intimate or carnal relationship. And what is this type of relationship usually called in the “real world”? Platonic relationshipsexactly.
What do you think about this theory? As always, tell us yours in the comments.
Read also: Barbie: Margot Robbie reveals the craziest theory she heard about Greta Gerwig’s film
Photo: Warner Bros.
Source: Reddit (via Inverse)
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