Now before you start reading this, the post is a response to the latest comment on the official site's Paisley Newz (link)

http://www.npgmusicclub.c...ynewz.html

I don't want to start a discussion on Prince's religious views hence posting this in the GD forum. If it turns into that sort of debate we'll just get the thread moved. OK?

Anyway, when I watched the movie A.I. a few months ago I heard the word "Mecha" used to describe the robots. I presumed this was short for "mechanoid" or "mechanic being" and this made sense because the movie is about advanced robots that display artificial intelligence. It is a science fiction movie.

It did not cross my mind that Spielberg was even contemplating a pun(?) on the city of Mecca (the city where followers of Islam must make a pilgrimage to at least once in their lifetime, based in modern Saudia Arabia I think). It certainly would never have entered my head that perhaps the director (or writer of the original story - Brian Aldiss) was using the word "Mecca" in a blasphemous sense, referencing The Bible or Islam.

Steven Spielberg portrays Mechas very sympathetically in the film and it is humans who are shown as flawed creatures yet again. Why would he be using the word Mecca in a negative sense when it is clear he makes great efforts enabling us to empathise strongly with the robot boy David(?) in the film.

I think this latest Paisley Newz comment has completely got the wrong end of the stick.

Any thoughts?
[This message was edited Sat Sep 28 0:35:53 PDT 2002 by KeithyT]

Very interesting thread KeithyT.

I had the same opinion as you, that "mecha" was short for mechanical. I really don't understand the point that Prince is trying to make. Is he trying to say that the use of the word "Mecca" is wrong because it's blasphemous, or because he doesn't want moslems to be shown in a sypathetic light? I can't imagine that he's anti-Islam, or is he now?

Perhaps the movie does work on a religious level too ... I'm baffled as to what it is though. I thought it was more about innocence and morality than spirituality.

I also find it odd that Prince is being so judgemental about this. The wording is amazing. "How dare they call the robot MECCA?" ... Creativity is creativity and, even if the film does explore some religious avenue that I'm not aware of, I'm surprised that he would want to supress that. The statement is more akin to the Ayatollah talking about the Satanic Verses than the spiritually enlightened and tolerant Prince I thought existed.

However, he's created a discussion, which surely can't be bad ... I'm just totally and utterly baffled this time about what he's trying to say.
[This message was edited Sat Sep 28 1:52:54 PDT 2002 by Raspberry]

KeithyT, you're right. 'Mecha' was short for mechanized human, or something like that.

I believe the NPGMC comment was more to provoke thought than to be negative, particularly in light of the anti-Iraq sentiment being pushed in the US.

I do not believe, however, that was the original intention of the term when the writers used it.

Raspberry said:

Me too

RoseOfSharon said:

Well it certainly provokes thought but what a clumsy way to do it IMHO. Totally twists the original intention of the word "Mecha" in the movie.

KeithyT said

Yes, and on that basis, you can take more or less any word and twist it to say it has an alternative or sinister meaning, eg. "I would like to object to the choice of surname in the song Annie Christian ... how dare he use the word 'Christian' ...?"
[This message was edited Sat Sep 28 3:57:21 PDT 2002 by Raspberry]

Prince is a dumbass ( a talented dumbass, but a dumbass nonetheless...). Always looking for some new religious bullshit to start.

Spielberg is the devil! Damn him and his mecha blasphemy! Even though he didn't mean Mecca!

Nah... "mecha" is a term used all the time in Japanese animation... Japanese have a tendency to shorten long western words into byte-sized chunks. And as you say, in western sci-fi it is used too to refer to mechanoids etc.

NPGMC as always are talking out of their arses!

The conflict in interrogation is neither a conflict or a dispute, so the law therefore must react based on disaccordant in it's very form. The disambiguate mind is impulsive, pondering impunity. The peripheral variations is the conflict, impulsing on periodical intervals.

universe said:

Nice one! I almost thought you were serious there for a moment

universe said:

Why doesn't my Altavista Translator work? ... it's not translating this into English

ohh boy...that was the first *and* last time i ever read that news page...how freaken sad.


ohhh, btw: lets not forget that AI was based on a book and then idears from Stanley Kubrick (before prince famatics start slamming Steven Spielberg)...


damn, the midget dude is starting to come off like a major tweaker...afraid of everything...tweckin his head every minute, freakin out over shadows and the sound of his own voice...


ITS CALLED THERAPY!!!

A bit far-fetched, Prince.

Raspberry said:

anyhoo: if p really wuz talkin about mecha...i didn't know he wuz that big of a geek!!!

rock on...maybe one of these days he'll get a little anime fan club goin or sumfin...

then again...

p.s. i like anime 2, so don't ya'll come runnin after me about the "geek" comment.

geez
[This message was edited Sat Sep 28 9:17:12 PDT 2002 by PlastikLuvAffair]

SkletonKee said:

nope, it's called the leftovers from his dibbles with x back in '87...

I want IHOP

Does almost every comment on NPGMC have to do with the black race, black musicians, black athletes, black religion, etc? It's bothered me for quite awhile, and certain comments on The Rainbow Children (a brilliant album btw) aren't helping either. I think they know it's actually "mecha" that is meant, they're just trying to stir things up... as usual.