So I just saw a take on the situation with Hong Kong and the Mulan film. I'm not going to weigh in on either thing, because the thread made an assertion I want to more broadly contest about entertainment and media, and I'm speaking from some level of in-field knowledge here

Again, my point here is not to defend or attack seeing Mulan, it's to comment on a claim that was made: specifically that if one is concerned that boycotting the film could harm the future of various diversity-related things it has, one should simply speak up to Disney about it

The specific assertion was made that we are not just numbers in a metric

I counter that with we are just numbers in a metric.Representation and employment of diverse creatives openly has overwhelmingly correlated with the relevant groups demonstrating they will pay off for corps

There is no ethical consumption under capitalism, and given that, I think it's worth keeping in mind - while noting I have no intention of seeing the new Mulan - that choices made as a consumer to encourage representation are a particular ethical priority and are valid

People can't live without stories about them, or at least their lives are severely diminished. If supporting female directors matters, or supporting Asian female leads, or whatever, that is in fact valid. It is a competing ethical interest with wanting to condemn statements

But fiction representation IS NOT TRIVIAL and it is not something people are obliged to sacrifice for other causes automatically.

And I am quite convinced that numbers in an algorithm are what determine if we get more female directed movies or action movies with female leads

Disney absolutely will not listen to people's emotional pleas. They will listen to hard numbers, which is why there really are two competing interests here - if the film does poorly bc of a boycott they may decide that it's bc they let the stars speak up about Hong Kong

They might also decide it's because women are icky.

I don't blame anyone for taking either position, but I'm tired of seeing fictional representation treated as having zero ethical worth unless it's bad