This reading proposed three themes: the living and dead cohabiting, how ghosts and the living associate with social disconnection in times of rapid urbanization and the criticization of prosperous rich developed cities.
The second point intrigued me as I drew connections with previous readings regarding public housings and loneliness between individuals. The writer argues that living environment contributes to social isolation, which is reflected in productions featuring ghosts haunting tenants and expressing their dissatisfactions towards the living. In Asian horror films, the low to middle income class is focused when presenting this idea. As governments try to occupy as many occupants as possible using the least resources to maximize their benefits, the occupants are forced to live uninhabitable conditions, which are ‘unhomely’ and impersonalized, prompting detachment and isolation. These occupants are the outcast. Their well-beings are forgone in exchange to serve for the interests of large global capitals. This draws parallel to ghosts, as these people are already ignored and considered unnecessary in their lifetime. This idea is paired with the third point, that is, the dark side of thriving cities. Inequality is inevitable, hence many of the low-income groups would dedicate their entire life to chase their dreams in the big city. However, the harsh realities of them being exploited and continue remaining invisible show that they’re already ghosts with dreams for a better tomorrow. This poses a viscous cycle, as those who have power ‘create’ these ghosts, giving them false hope and luring them to ‘sacrifice’ for the greater good, however, only benefiting the powerholders.
Jane HAW
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