Matthew B is a member of the Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America.
This article is the first of potentially many articles in the newly created Washington Socialist column, The Vanguard. The goal of The Vanguard is to publish short stories, analysis, reviews, poems, and opinion pieces that will specifically explore Leftist ideas, tensions, visions, and reflections in culture.
SINCE I WAS A KID, I have considered myself a geek. I vividly remember watching the Lord of the Rings movies growing up, which I still love to this day, and I am a massive fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work. I love comic books and superheroes like Spider-Man, Batman, X-Men, and the Avengers. It's that love which inspired me to be a creative and an aspiring novelist.
I’m also someone who identifies as a democratic socialist. My politics are informed by my Christian faith, particularly by the truths of “loving your neighbor as yourself,” upholding Imago Dei in everyone, and the belief that a better world is possible. It is self-evident to me that the world deserves better than capitalism. The world deserves to have workers own the means of production, for workers to have basic rights like universal healthcare, housing, education, food, a social safety net to raise them up when they reach a hard time, and enough money so they can pursue their dreams.
Storytelling and the better world that socialism imagines are intimately connected. So it is no coincidence that today, we are witnessing an attack on creative expression and storytelling. Attacks on expression have been a thing for as long as stories have been told. But there is a growing number of book bans and suppression of stories that revolve around the topics of race, gender, sexuality, and left-wing politics and beliefs, with a particular focus on censorship in schools. Conservatives have been buying out media, such as David Ellison’s Paramount trying to buy Warner Bros, and getting richer and richer without any accountability. Now, we are witnessing the dangerous rise of generative AI, pushed by tech billionaires who lack any imagination and creativity that cannot be produced by a machine.
As a result, we see capitalism sucking the life out of many of the things that we love, especially the media we consume and the stories that we read and watch. I want to look at how this push has affected popular media and how we can still identify radical potential within it.
Since 2015, the number of arguments against diversity, inclusion, and anything perceived as “woke” and “social justice warrior” in geek-related fandoms has risen. The basis of this regressive movement was Gamergate, which was a right-wing harassment campaign against women in gaming and, more broadly, progressivism and diversity. This helped lead an influx of right-wing grifters to gain a following, particularly as they ginned up outrage about other cultural products. Examples of their most common targets have been the Star Wars sequel trilogy, The Rings of Power, the Thirteenth and Fifteenth Doctors in Doctor Who, The Last of Us Part II, the Captain Marvel movies, She-Hulk, Ghostbusters (2016), The Little Mermaid (2023), and the live-action remake of Snow White.
The common right-wing criticisms of the aforementioned works are that they are “woke” and “forcing an agenda.” The Right’s specific targets are often women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, or a combination of all of the above. Their attacks don't speak about the quality of those works but instead constitute a more reactionary and irrational perspective on art.
This “anti-wokeism” is a growing perspective of conservatives or “apolitical” types who misunderstand the works they supposedly like, such as anime, Star Wars, and The Lord of the Rings. They try to argue that these works uphold their worldview, but in effect, the opposite is frequently true (more on those specific examples below). This is often a side effect of conservatives’ anti-intellectualism; they resist engaging with perspectives that aren’t their own. But whether they are misunderstanding works of art or deliberately ignoring those works’ political elements, the result is the same. They deny the fact that most, if not all, art is political. Because of this denial, conservatives and reactionaries often misread movies, TV shows, novels, and other pieces of art — and try to suppress the production of art that they deem to be “woke,” singling out those works that may feature a woman, or a Black person, or a queer person, for example. This is a dangerous phenomenon in any situation; it is even scarier when conservatives like Ellison have the power to dictate what stories are told in popular culture.
While there is much to be said about the Right misinterpreting media they claim to enjoy, this article will tackle specific examples of left-wing beliefs and how they inform the art we consume in books, movies, and TV. Each of the following sections will explore one particular writer, artist, or work.
An example of the Right’s misreading of art is its embrace of The Lord of the Rings by JRR. Tolkien. Many conservatives brag about their love of this essential work of modern fantasy. United States Vice President JD Vance claims that The Lord of the Rings was the foundation of his politics. Fascistic tech capitalist Peter Thiel appropriated words like “Narya” and “Palantir,” created by Tolkien, for his companies. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she is a massive fan, and Italian far-right groups try to claim The Lord of the Rings due to its supposed “Nordic” representation. All have bragged about their love of the franchise and novels.
Tolkien wasn’t a leftist in any form. He was a devout, traditionalist Catholic who supported the nationalists in the Spanish Civil War due to perceived anti-Catholic sentiments among the republicans. Yet, while it’s impossible to say what opinions Tolkien would have of the world today, as he has been dead for over 50 years, he would most likely have a great disdain for the modern conservative movement.
Tolkien had complex political views. While he did hold monarchist and traditionalist leanings, Tolkien openly opposed Nazis, called Adolf Hitler a “ruddy little ignoramus,” and opposed any publishing of The Hobbit by Nazis due to their wondering if he was “pure enough.” In a letter to his son Christopher, Tolkien stated, “I know nothing about British and American imperialism in the Far East that does not fill me with regret and disgust.” He criticized the US nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and called the developers of the atomic bomb “lunatic physicists.”
Tolkien stated in a speech in Oxford, about his birthplace of South Africa, “I have the hatred of apartheid in my bones; and most of all I detest the segregation or separation of language and literature.” He had environmentalist leanings and admired some form of anarchy, writing: “My political opinions lean more and more to anarchy (philosophically understood, meaning abolition of control, not whiskered men with bombs). The most improper job of any man is bossing other men. Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity.”
The Lord of the Rings shouldn’t be considered Marxist or leftist, as it endorses a monarchist approach to governance and includes some portrayals that would be considered problematic nowadays. However, there’s enough for a leftist or left-leaning person to love. Ultimately, it’s a story about people of diverse backgrounds coming together, despite their differences, to defeat evil.
Ursula K. Le Guin has been one of the most successful authors at incorporating left-wing politics into her work. The famed novelist was one of the greatest science fiction writers in history and wrote many great and award-winning works, like The Dispossessed, the Earthsea series, and The Left Hand of Darkness.
While there is no known evidence that Le Guin openly identified as a socialist during her life, she showed sympathies towards alternatives to capitalism and possessed a soft spot for anarchism. An example of her leftist leanings is The Dispossessed, which was part of her Hainish Cycle. Le Guin stated outright that the award-winning book was her attempt at writing an anarchist utopia.
Over 50 years after its publication, The Dispossessed has become the paragon of anarchist utopian fiction and remains one of the few books to win the Locus, Nebula, and Hugo Awards for Best Novel. The novel speaks of the tension between the anarchist, collectivist society of Anarres and the capitalist, individualist society of Unarres. The story shows the flaws of capitalism and the authoritarian aspects of Unarres, characteristics that people in our world now recognize in modern-day capitalist society.
Even so, the anarchist society in Anarres isn’t depicted as a perfect utopia. Despite being a far more equitable society, Anarres is dependent on Unarres for technology due to a scarcity of minerals and resources, and the Anarresti society puts social pressures on individuals to conform to the roles of worker, technician, or intellectual, or be treated as pariahs. Le Guin even chose to subtitle The Dispossessed “an ambiguous utopia.” The depictions of the imperfections of an anarchist utopia show that even leftist futures aren’t ones without flaws or human error.
Her other masterpiece, The Left Hand of Darkness, is often read through a queer theory lens, particularly in how the society of the Gethenians is depicted as androgynous and critical of nationalism. However, there are parts of the novel that don’t hold up, like the depiction of default gender pronouns as “he” and the heteronormativity of the story, where most of the gender-nonconforming characters end up in heterosexual relationships. Le Guin acknowledged the heteronormative bias of the book in a 1986 essay and in a 1987 essay, apologizing for her comments in her 1976 essay, “Is Gender Necessary?”, in which she had argued that the theme of gender was secondary to the themes of betrayal and loyalty in The Left Hand of Darkness.
This was an example of how Le Guin’s politics weren’t static, and she was able to admit when she erred and learn to change.
What we see in Le Guin’s bibliography is her firm belief in the power of art to tackle social problems like racism, gender discrimination, and nationalism. Even more directly, Le Guin used her work to show alternatives to capitalism and the importance of imagination in creating those alternatives. As she once said when she received the National Book Foundation Medal, “We live in capitalism, its power seems inescapable — but then, so did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begin in art. Very often in our art, the art of words.”
Another notable example of the influence of left-wing politics in popular art is found in the work of the greatest anime director of all time, Hayao Miyazaki. The main themes found throughout his filmography are anti-war stances, pacifism, and environmentalism. Miyazaki considered himself to be a “leftist in terms of emotional affinity.” These convictions, in part, influenced his life.
An underrated influence on Miyazaki’s work was labor. During the early 1960s, Miyazaki was engaged in labor activism and was a union man; he even identified as a Marxist. However, he would later abandon Marxism in the 1990s: he wrote the Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind manga during the fall of the Soviet Union and the presumed failure of communism.
Miyazaki arguably opposed war because he experienced the horrors of World War II. He had to move from place to place and had digestive problems as a result of the bombing of Utsunomiya in 1944. The anti-war theme is heavily present in Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke, and Howl’s Moving Castle, all of which show the dangers of imperialism for the environment, humanity, and other living beings. Famously, when the titular anthropomorphic pig in Porco Rosso is asked if he wants to join the Italian Air Force under Mussolini, he says, “I’d rather be a pig than a fascist.”
Miyazaki is perhaps best known for his environmentalist messages. Throughout his filmography, he has shown a deep respect for the environment and has been critical of how humanity is trying to pervert its beauty. The movie that demonstrated his environmentalist leanings the most is Princess Mononoke, where the forest gods and citizens of Irontown are depicted warring over who would survive and have predominance, causing much of the forest to be destroyed. This revealed unambiguously how Miyazaki felt about technological changes and modernity taking precedence over the environment, and how that precedence would affect future generations. In hindsight, the work is prophetic: anticipating how humanity has negatively contributed to climate change, affecting our way of life and the health of future generations.
Miyazaki’s devotion to his principles is evident outside of his art. After Spirited Away became the first anime to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003, Miyazaki declined the award in protest against the American invasion of Iraq, which happened a couple of days before the Oscars. It even inspired him to rework the Diana Wynne Jones novel Howl’s Moving Castle into an anti-war allegory on the Iraq War.
Miyazaki also famously voiced his opposition to AI as an “insult to life.” This is particularly relevant as we see the egregious and erroneous rise of generative AI and the trend of “Ghibli AI Art” used by Donald Trump and other conservatives.
Finally, the director is politically vocal about systemic and cultural failures in Japan. He opposed the successful attempt by Shinzo Abe to amend the Constitution of Japan, particularly Article 9, which states, “The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.” Known as a staunch Japanese nationalist, Abe denied the war crimes Japan committed, and throughout his political career advocated for changes in the Constitution to grow the power of the Japanese military. Miyazaki, in contrast, openly addressed the war crimes the Japanese government committed against the Chinese, Koreans, and Filipinos between 1937 and 1945.
In a time where a good number of creatives are silent on atrocities like the genocides in Gaza, Congo, and Sudan, ongoing Russian imperialism against Ukraine, and the current American imperialist endeavors against Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba, the honesty of an artist speaking truth to power is admirable and praiseworthy.
Starting around the 2010s, there has been an uptick of conservatives and moderates who bemoan movies and other forms of art as being “too political” and having an “agenda.” This is manifested in the “anti-SJW” crowd, which opposes the supposed progressive, left-wing values of Hollywood.
In reaction to perceived “woke media,” the anti-social justice warrior audience has gravitated towards works that are “apolitical.” They champion movies perceived as “non-woke,” like Top Gun: Maverick and Project Hail Mary, because they have a white male protagonist saving the day and, according to those audiences, don’t have any “unnecessary” political messages.
In recent years, some authors have also tried to distance themselves from politics. Andy Weir, the author of The Martian, Artemis, and Project Hail Mary, is one example. In several interviews between book releases, Weir, who calls himself “socially liberal and fiscally conservative,” stated that he “dislikes social commentary” and wants to be an entertainer who doesn’t force a message onto readers. This comment was red meat for conservatives and so-called moderates. However, it is a contradiction, as Weir’s Project Hail Mary shows an international body of scientists coming together to combat climate change.
Ultimately, many of the works that the anti-Hollywood and conservative crowd claims as apolitical are, in fact, prime examples of their misunderstanding of the work they consume. This is particularly the case when it comes to their love of manga and anime. These art forms hail from Japan, a country many white conservatives uplift due to its culturally conservative image and relative homogeneity. Conservatives often claim that the reason manga sells more than American comic books is that the latter is too invested in the supposed “woke” agenda, while the former is focused on good storytelling. It goes without saying that this argument by bad-faith actors is inaccurate. The argument over manga being “non-woke” can be easily disputed, as many writers and even manga themselves are leftist and or have leftist sympathies. Like anime, manga often show ideas that are against the political status quo.
But the question of “woke” or “non-woke,” and whether a movie, a book, or a TV show is “political,” isn’t as interesting as what the project is trying to say. The best-selling comic book series of all time and one of the most popular anime of all time, One Piece, shows how much more there is to the simple question of political versus apolitical art.
Recent discourse around the politics of One Piece started with an episode of the podcast Trash Taste, where socialist streamer Hasan Piker declared One Piece was leftist and said the author Eiichiro Oda was a “communist.” This caused controversy, with many anime fans pushing back. Their argument was that One Piece is just a story about a young pirate trying to have a fun adventure with friends in search of the One Piece.
A basic analysis makes it abundantly clear that One Piece has left-leaning politics and is more substantial than just an amusing adventure. A couple of examples include the protagonist Luffy’s father, Monkey D. Dragon, who is the revolutionary leader of an anti-fascist group, The Revolutionary Army, against the World Government; the inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters like Kikunojo, Bentham, Emperor Ivankov, and Yamato; and the manga’s open tackling of themes of slavery, genocide, political corruption, colonialism, and revolutionary politics. The author, Oda, has a picture of Che Guevara in his office and based a bunch of his characters, like Monkey D. Dragon and Gaburu, on the famous revolutionary.
In the past couple of years, the One Piece Straw Hat Pirates’ Jolly Roger flag has become an image of resistance for people across the globe, from those opposing the Israeli government’s genocide in Gaza to anti-government protesters in Indonesia and Nepal. While Eiichiro Oda likely did not foresee the effect that a story about pirates trying to find the One Piece would have on the world, the fact that it has been galvanizing for left-wing activists and organizations shows it has done its job.
Star Wars is the film franchise whose message has arguably been the most misunderstood. As previously mentioned, the Star Wars sequel trilogy has been heavily criticized by conservatives for perceived “wokeness” due to the inclusion of diverse characters like Finn, Rey, Rose Tico, and Poe, and putting more importance on them than the original trio of Luke, Han, and Leia.
But Star Wars has always been political. More bluntly, it always had a left-wing stance. It is, after all, fundamentally a story of a small band of anti-fascist rebels battling against and eventually defeating the most powerful and feared imperialist government in the galaxy.
Series creator George Lucas started developing Star Wars during the Vietnam War and didn’t shy away from the saga’s political and historical influences. In the original and prequel trilogies, Lucas wrote the Emperor as Richard Nixon, the stormtroopers shared a resemblance to the Sturmabteilung in Nazi Germany, and the Ewoks defeating the stormtroopers in Return of the Jedi was an allegory of how the Viet Cong defeated the Americans in the Vietnam War. In the prequels, Lucas wrote criticisms of tariffs in The Phantom Menace. He even mocked President George W. Bush in Revenge of the Sith: Anakin Skywalker tells Obi-Wan Kenobi, before their final battle, “If you’re not with me, then you’re my enemy.” That phrase is tellingly similar to Bush’s “you’re either with us, or you’re with the terrorists” statement, made nine days after September 11, 2001.
The prequel Star Wars trilogy shows people losing their democracy due to apathy and lack of active participation, and its subsequent perversion by oligarchs and fascists. This story mimics the ascendance of figures like Julius Caesar, Napoleon, and Adolf Hitler, and it is very relevant as we witness the rise of fascism and democratic backsliding across the world today.
While most of the Star Wars properties produced since Disney acquired the franchise lack a more radical or direct political allegory, the one exception is the series Andor. The prequel to the movie Rogue One follows Cassian Andor and the genesis of the Rebel Alliance. Despite series creator Tony Gilroy denying the left-wing politics of the show, many left-leaning people have become endeared to the story. The two scenes that galvanized many leftists were speeches by Maarva Andor and Mon Mothma. The former warned in her funeral speech about the importance of rejecting apathy in favor of fighting for what’s right. The latter staunchly condemned genocide, fascism, and the suppression of truth in times of crisis. Especially in an era of rising fascism across the world, the two speeches’ blunt and staunch opposition to imperialism, fascism, and genocide is compelling to many on the Left.
We are in the midst of a conservative war against creativity, imagination, and expression. Now more than ever, it is imperative to support the creative arts and storytelling. Even more, leftists must enter the creative fields of novels, movies, and TV shows, and make stories that affirm left-wing politics of anti-capitalism, anti-imperialism, anti-racism, and anti-fascism. The revolution will not be televised, but it will be depicted — and maybe even foreshadowed — by artists and creatives.