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Young People Will Change the World

Elliot Sang

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse contains themes of youthful rebellion against impossible challenges, spanning across hundreds of worlds, as a reminder that young people have the insight to know when rebellion is necessary, even when it is ostensibly unwinnable.

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editing by danae o.!

Ben Croll (2022). “‘Spider-Verse’: Enigmatic New Villain The Spot Unveiled With First Look Image at Annecy”. https://variety.com/2022/film/news/sp...

“Strike Against War!” pamphlet: https://perspectives.ushmm.org/item/s...

Scans of FPS, the Youth Liberation publication: https://www.youthliberation.com

Robert Cohen (1993). “When the Old Left Was Young: Student Radicals and America's First Mass Student Movement, 1929-1941”

Vincent DiGirolamo (2019). “Crying the News: A History of America’s Newsboys”.

Lewis Wickes Hine (1909). “Have been selling 2 years. Youngest, Yedda Welled, is 11 years old. Next, Rebecca Cohen, is 12. Next, Rebecca Kirwin, is 14. Location: Hartford, Connecticut”. Library of Congress Printsand Photographs Division Washington, D.C., https://www.loc.gov/item/2018675075/

John George Brown (1899), “Morning Papers”. https://artvee.com/dl/morning-papers/

Paulo Freire (1968). “Pedagogy of the Oppressed”.

See also:

Autumn Lorimer Linford (2022). “Extra: The History of America’s Girl Newsies”. https://cdr.lib.unc.edu/downloads/hm5...
Pillar of Garbage - “Superman Isn’t Jesus.” Superman Isn't Jesus.
Jack Saint - “The Ideology Of The Marvel Cinematic Universe”. The Ideology Of The MCU

Clips:

Newsies (2012 Tony Awards performance) NEWSIES Broadway - 2012 Tony Awards
Newsies (1992)
Man of Steel (2013)
Age of Ultron (2015)
Iron Man (2008)
Tiktok by averagescreamenjoyer https://www.tiktok.com/@averagescream...
AFP Español - “Nuevas evasiones en metro de Santiago inician otra semana de crisis en Chile” Nuevas evasiones en metro de Santiago inic...

20 Comments

@elliotsangestevez Creator 3 years ago Pinned

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@aidanshowers8366 3 years ago

Miles’ line “Nah imma do my own thing” really hit for me. I am a young person and I’ve always questioned my future (dare I say be scared of it) and miles knowing the potential consequences for saving his dad, still deciding to save him made me realize. I may not know what will happen but this life of mine is my story to write and regardless of how scared I am of the future, my pen is mightier than life’s sword. So I’ve gotta stick to my guts and do what I want cause it’s my story and no one else gets to write it.

@userbfly 3 years ago

literally a pre and post spiderverse world I'll never stop saying it

@benbowers3613 3 years ago

Saw this movie with my Dad in Imax and there's a scene where Miles' Dad is talking to Spiderman (without knowing that it's Miles) and says something like "Man, my son says things sometimes that are so smart. Then, he goes and does things that are just so dumb." I think that line really resonated with the both of us in that moment and I think that it really highlights the nature of the disconnect between parents and kids (specifically teenagers) right now.

When parents see us make life choices that don't necessarily align with their worldview, their immediate assumption is that there is some major ignorance that the child has about the world. I think a lot parents are starting to investigate and trying to correct these perceived ignorance's and are finding out that the child actually knows a lot more about the world than their actions have suggested. The reality of the situation, then, is that the child and parent are actually working with the SAME information, but that the child has made a conscious decision to INTERPRET THE INFORMATION DIFFERENTLY.

Great video

@hkr0065 3 years ago (edited)

This is what I try telling people when they dismiss a child for insisting, "I'm not a kid!"

Like yeah, no shit. We know they're a kid. What that kid truly means is that they're not stupid. Their opinion matters.

In this world, the word "kid" has become synonymous with "incapable" and "foolish."

We get so lost in the wording that we end up dismissing kids....*again.*

When a child claims they're not a kid, they really just mean, "I want respect. Please show me some respect."

EDIT: Y'all, enough with the "but what if..." Yeah, there are stupid kids out there. That isn't what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the knee-jerk reaction that many adults have to just automatically dismiss a child's perspective because of their age. That's the sort of stuff that allows for abuse to happen.

@sbass_ 3 years ago

You've touched on something that I really enjoyed about the movie: how in touch it is with the cultural climate and especially youth culture. These movies almost feel like they were made just for me, and it's a good feeling knowing that I'm far from the only one who feels this way. It's comforting to feel like there's a place for me and everyone else in this world, just like the Spider-Verse.

@eliswanson4195 3 years ago

its not that we don't want superhero movies anymore, it's that we want human superhuman movies

@monimuppet6132 3 years ago

This nearly made me cry, like fr. I'm not a young person anymore but I swear, 15 year old me had it right the whole time; everything is made up. My father used to tell me that because I'm a black woman, no matter how old I get, the world will still treat me like an infant in the sense that I don't know anything about myself or the world. The world has proven him right. I wasn't a fan of old people when I was young and it hasn't changed. I have very very few friends outside of family because it's amazing how quickly someone's wonder can die as they age. Every adult I come across always ends up having some weird ass hang-up regarding younger generations. I've been fighting hard for 17 years now to raise my own kid like she's a human and not a pupil, I hope I'm doing a decent job. Idk. This comment doesn't really have anywhere to go, it's just to say that my experience with "growing up" seems to have been no more than just time passing. All the cynicism and rejection I had as a teenager for the adult world is still the most prominent piece of me. I have more control and confidence now, sure, but I still don't want to do any of the adult things. I don't have any career ambitions or whatever independent, bad bitch, money bitch journey I'm supposed to be on. But the knowledge that humans absolutely CAN change the world, that nothing truly "is what it is", that we have all the power collectively to do anything; just eats at me. I want to do something but I think, at my age, the best thing I can do is get behind whatever the young are trying to do and be a support. That's all I got.🤷🏾‍♀️

@TheAdamSplitter 3 years ago

It makes me so angry such a tremendous piece of art was made so abusively

@Waltonruler5 3 years ago

"I'm 26, I'm a young person"

*Me, almost 29, horrified of being 30*: "God I hope he's right about that"

@dagamersidgaming1054 3 years ago (edited)

the quote miles shouts at Miguel during the climax of their conflict "everyone keeps telling me how my story is supposed to go! nah imma do my own thing." is the best summation of the movies thesis and the conflict between miles and the spider society. this video touches on that so perfectly I kept waiting for you to play the clip. this is the best discussion of Spiderman across the Spiderverse I've seen yet. cant wait to see what else you talk about in the future.

@ppbrain2328 3 years ago

Thank you for making this! I am trans and have been hurt before. My car has been keyed, my things have been stolen. After a suicide attempt during new years of 2023 i reached out to family and friends. It really made a difference. Mutual aid is really important and i want to see change, i want to give back to my community because they helped me survive.

@unseenmolee 3 years ago

im 19, so technically an adult but i still feel like a child ngl. and something thats been bothering me a lot recently is how my peers and the ppl around me expect me to stop being so passionate, like getting emotional is seen as childish, and im looked down on for it and ppl make me feel like im wrong for being so concerned abt stuff... its really frustrating to feel like i have to desensitize myself to the world just to fit in, just to survive. like an example is that i walk a lot and i live in a city so theres a lot of big intersections and ive been so close to being hit multiple times, and im at a point where i dont feel comfortable going outside because im genuinely terrified of being run over or something like that... idk why im writing this, i guess im interested to hear what other ppl think abt this.. but idk i just kinda wanted to get it off my chest and i hope im not alone in feeling like this

@maria.srslyy 3 years ago (edited)

I'm a minor, so I'm growing up with this franchise, and Spider-verse 2018 is one of my favorite movies of all time. It is so amazing, and now I realize that the idea of a big group of (Spider) people that you could relate to is pretty much what I've always wanted.
(I also have crushes on both Miles and Gwen so I could sometimes self insert myself into having a romantic relationship lmao)

I appreciate the first movie a bit more for reasons that would flood this comment, and I'm glad more people are getting into it, but I'm also conflicted because a lot of people who have never seen the 2018 film got into it now because of Tiktok and Miguel or whatever and romanticize the sequel more because of this. I think the first one is so impactful and solid and the sequel is great too, but I somehow feel that the first one is more niche and should be appreciated more.

Any thoughts on feeling like this? i'd love to discuss with anyone!!

EDIT: the message of rebellion is also very relevant as I got into left-leaning thinking. my latino family is insanely conservative and Catholic, and while I do have some sort of faith, the practice feels wrong to me. I had internalized homophobia and as a hormonal girl, it was about time that I saw my true self, though it is a lifelong process

You read my comment stranger! Thanks and have a nice day :]

@vvvFminx 3 years ago

I kept telling my friends that ATSV changed my life, they didn’t really get what I meant 😅. The themes and messages hit at the perfect time in my life as I’m about to turn 21. I’ve had EVERYONE tell me how to life my life; what I should study, who I shouldn’t be friends with, how people work, and what I should be doing at this age. And I’m tired of it all. That’s not the life I want to live, and I know so many of my friends are stuck in a similar boat.
I’ll never stop telling people to chase their passions. Don’t be afraid of being kind because society demands selfishness. Go outside, let’s smile together. Nothing can stop us then ❤️

@amberrichards2778 3 years ago

The kids are smart. They're aware. They're engaged. I have high hopes for the future.

@coolman000099 3 years ago (edited)

I’m 22 & I loved this movie soooooo much and it surprisingly affected me. But I kept telling my friends , if I was between the ages of 13-16 this movie would have such a greater impact on me. It’s such a good movie, kids need this

@Thaelyn42069 3 years ago

This video hits on so many things that came across my mind regarding kids in Leftist spaces, how we think of them & Across the Spiderverse. I'm so, so happy to see media created showing the youth that they *do have power*, that they can make a difference. And one of the best ways for them to do that is for us fellow adults to help them; otherwise systemic structures keep kids without power or rights. One thing I fear that the right wingers is actually winning at is regarding kids in contempt or apathy, at best. Even people in my own communities will state, to my face, that they "hate kids". It breaks my fuckin' heart every time, after I chew them out or distance myself from that person. Down to the jokes we say, like "Are you 12?!" (been guilty of that one myself). At the very least, my fellow adults can change how they view kids, & it starts with respect, kindess & empathy towards them 💮

@DangerousKaos 3 years ago (edited)

Exactly, that’s why I love Spider-verse. It’s so awesome. Like who cares about canon. It’s so refreshing and relevant today. 🕷️
Edit: This also seems to reflect in the Dr. Stone Anime (or at least so far in Season 1).

@aquamarine13yt 3 years ago (edited)

I find as someone who struggles with anxiety and pre-diagnosed OCD (we r getting there it’s taking awhile) the way you described Miguel’s struggle and the representation that the young spider people are saying “what if it turns out okay.” are so touching to me. My conditions cause me to conform to things that I assume are predictable because I am so deeply afraid that new means things can get worse, that I forget the idea that it might not be the pattern that I think life is. And seeing that form of comfort, the positive side of the “what if” through some of my favourite characters is really touching and is actually making me really emotional right now haha

And some of the little lines Hobie says, are even more powerful for me. Allows me to let go of trying to find labels and attachments for literally everything about me and to just take a step back, stop thinking so much, just break away from consistency and expectations that you lay on yourself just as much as others may put on you.