Reaction Paper: Catching Fire

by John Jason B. Santillan

     2013-03535

Catching Fire is a work of fiction because it explicitly says that it happens in a futuristic setting. If I were to answer the question of whether or not the Hunger Games could became a reality in the future, I think it wouldn’t. Firstly, there are mechanisms in the state to prevent the creation of an elitist and oppressive government. In case the government messes up, we have assembly and protest rights to forward the agenda of the marginalized and to correct the errors. Secondly, the use of technology is never for the exclusive use of the state. So when the government develops highly advanced technologies, people on the ground can copy up with equally capable machinery. I do concede that to some extent there would be a gap between state technology capacity and that of citizens but it will never be as big as that of status quo to the point that citizens become systematically oppressed as in the Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games is a commentary on the past, present, and future. The rhetoric that Catching Fire wants to forward, i.e. inclusive policies that promote equality amidst varying economic status within the state, is shared by all three timeframes. The names, systems, modes and instruments used may differ across time but the struggle remains the same. It will always be the classic struggle for equal rights between the marginalized and the aristocrats of society.

 I think that science and technology didn’t really fail in the world of catching fire because technology is simply an instrument. What this means is that whatever damage or harm the technology may inflict upon people, it’s never to be blamed because technology only serves its purpose and function to the individual or entity that’s utilizing it. I think that what really failed was the society of Panem. It emerged as a failed state because it ended up with class rivalry, economic underdevelopment and weak state power. It’s weak in that they fail the most basic test of state power: it is unable to maintain domestic order and personal security, signified by the civil unrest and citizen’s distrust with the government  as a reaction to the Hunger Games. Instead of serving the needs of its people, the people in the power seat used their political power against the people and against the best interests of the state.

Ultimately, it’s imperative that we have the active effort in aligning the use of science and technology with society’s goals. If we make sure that technology doesn’t undermine the values of humanity, then we’re most likely to remember who the real enemy is.