Virtual Hilltribes & Political Correctness

It is well worth visiting the Virtual Hilltribe Museum if only for the music video. However, the introduction to the latter is largely irritating politically correct nonsense and as I couldn't post my full response to it, I will add it here:

Frankly, I don’t think that a pop video such as this bears all the hostile analysis you are throwing at it. It is a sweet, sugary confection … possibly a bit cloying but that is the nature of many music videos. Moreover, unless there are subtle nuances that I am missing - and that you are not pointing out - it is not that offensive either.

The thematic movement is towards integration with an acceptance of cultural difference rather than homogenisation. The Thai children initially see the two ‘Hmong’ with some amusement, a little derision but largely with curiosity. As the clip moves on there is more & more acceptance. For example, the plump-faced girl who smiles with a degree of schadenfreude when it looks as though the small Hmong will be punished for not wearing a uniform is quickly won over when he offers her the carrot. When he goes up to the teacher, she looks on with concern. Later, the only real opposition is between the rebelliousness of all the children lead by the Hmong and the authority of the rather humourless teacher.

It is interesting that this carnivalesque rebellion is given the royal imprimatur. The small Hmong stands at the front of the class, briefly supplanting the teacher. Above him, on one side is the King’s portrait; on the other, the Thai flag. This, by the bye, is a lesson that should be taken to heart by the bureaucrats who try to deny citizenship to the hilltribes.

As for the unrealistic elements, the whole genre is unrealistic! It can hardly be criticised for lacking the production values of cinema verite. Kids didn’t really sing in the Victorian workhouse; they do in the musical Oliver. Nuns normally don't scale mountains singing their hearts out as they do in The Sound of Music.

There is doubtless an element of patronisation going on but this is not especially sinister and not strictly racist either. It is surely better to be presented as cute exotic others and as part of the Nation (vide supra) than as dirty vermin who should be removed from society (as the Jews were during the Nazi era). I would argue that is also probably better to be seen as cute exotic members of the same nation than to be ignored and to have your legitimate grievances swept under the carpet as has largely been the case up till now.

It is a rather charming silly song and a rather silly but nevertheless cute promotional video. The only conceivable influence the thing might have is for the good. After all, for all its insipid sentimentality and racial stereotyping, Uncle Tom’s Cabin did quite a lot for the anti-slavery cause.