# Zootopia Seen it Thread. Spoilers probably **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2016, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zootopia-seen-it-thread-spoilers-probably/747977 "2016-03-05T03:42:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Not\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Not\_Carlson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zootopia-seen-it-thread-spoilers-probably/747977/121 "2016-05-21T03:28:05Z")
Took the kids to see it and we all loved it. Witty, funny, cute, exciting, visually stunning, engaging characters, and a very thoughtful message. It’s exactly the kind of movie I want to show my kids. The anti-prejudice theme, while not being in-your-face, is so overt that to not recognize it either requires willful denial or a huge social blind spot. The best part about the way this movie delivers its message is that it doesn’t simply have one privileged group oppressing one underprivileged group, but rather a society with underlying prejudices woven throughout. Zootopia is supposed to be a place where everyone lives in harmony and you can be whatever you want to be. The reality, as Nick knows, is that it is a society full of underlying prejudices and restrictive stereotypes. Judy believes that Zootopia will be her chance to overcome the stereotypes that have restricted her, but it instead becomes the place where she is forced to realize that, in spite of her good intentions, she has her own prejudices that she needs to give up. The movie does more than saying “see kids, prejudice is bad,” it says “examine your own attitudes and get rid of your own prejudices.” > [@DrDeth](#): > > Sure it’s an insult. But it’s not necessarily a racist one. You can find lots of nasty words attributed to minorities. “Devious”, “Sneaky” and so forth. > > No Dictionary I can find lists it as a racial slur: American Heritage , Collins, Random House ,Webster’s College Dictionary, Merriam Webster, Cambridge, Wikionary- none of these. > > And not always an insult: > [Shifty Shellshock - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shifty_Shellshock) I don’t think you’ll find a dictionary definition of “lazy” or “uppity” or “money-grubbing” that describes these terms as being racial slurs, either. “Shifty,” when used to denigrate a race of people, is perhaps the perfect xenophobic word. It implies a vague and general sense of untrustworthiness without identifying a specific and refutable behavior or characteristic. It’s a shorthand way of saying “There’s something not right about them folks. They just make me feel uncomfortable.” > [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Thinking _Zootopia_ is racist reminds me of _The Gods Must Be Crazy_. The Anthropology Department at my undergrad uni screened a special showing of it, but there was one History professor who had spent a lot of time in southern Africa, and he was full of protestations that this movie should never see the light of day due to its “blatant racism.” This was a pretty cool professor, and he was beloved by many students. He insisted on giving a rebuttal to the movie after the showing for anyone interested in hearing what he had to say, and he was allowed to do so. What he had to say was passionate and heartfelt, but really he seemed just a crank when it came to this sweet and good-natured film. He really seemed to be reading a lot into it that was not there. I love that movie, and I’m sorry your professor felt the need to take a hatchet to it. But then, . . . > [@MrDibble](#): > > I don’t know what your professor said, but as someone from South Africa, who has spent time with San, yes, the film is undoubtedly racist in the way it infantilizes them. It also very much takes the Apartheid Gov. party line when it comes to the resistance fighters. It’s only “sweet and good-natured” if you _don’t_ think of the San as real people, just _bon sauvage_ stereotypes. > > Doesn’t help that the star was financially exploited… Sadly, I can’t argue with that. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zootopia-seen-it-thread-spoilers-probably/747977/122 "2016-05-21T17:14:08Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > T > > I don’t think you’ll find a dictionary definition of “lazy” or “uppity” or “money-grubbing” that describes these terms as being racial slurs, either. > “Shifty,” when used to denigrate a race of people, is perhaps the perfect xenophobic word. It implies a vague and general sense of untrustworthiness without identifying a specific and refutable behavior or characteristic. It’s a shorthand way of saying “There’s something not right about them folks. They just make me feel uncomfortable.” > **[Urban Dictionary: uppity](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=uppity)** > > arrogant, concited, snobbish ---
**Author:** ![Not\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Not\_Carlson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2016, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zootopia-seen-it-thread-spoilers-probably/747977/123 "2016-05-22T02:36:15Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > [Urban Dictionary: uppity](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=uppity) OK, so you’re going with Urban Dictionary (rather than any of the other dictionaries you listed earlier), which has a second-place definition of “uppity” that identifies it as a racist slur. So I presume you agree that “uppity” can carry racist connotations, but still don’t accept that “shifty” can? You’ll notice that while Urban Dictionary doesn’t have a definition for shifty that indicates it is a racist slur by itself, the alphabetical list of associated terms includes both “shifty nigger” and “shifty Jew.” The association is real. Look, you’ve had a bunch of people in this thread suggest to you that A) this movie is about racial stereotypes and prejudices (Do you accept that?), and B) “shifty” does actually have racist implications, even if you were not previously aware of it. Kimtsu linked to numerous articles for your reference. If you don’t want to accept it, that’s your choice. But I think you’re choosing ignorance. But look, I can at least agree with you on one point. > [@DrDeth](#): > > I loved the graphics, the scenes where Judy was on the train and seeing the territory and the city were mindblowing. Yes, this moment was stunning and I absolutely loved it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2016, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zootopia-seen-it-thread-spoilers-probably/747977/124 "2016-05-22T17:34:50Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > OK, so you’re going with Urban Dictionary (rather than any of the other dictionaries you listed earlier), which has a second-place definition of “uppity” that identifies it as a racist slur. So I presume you agree that “uppity” can carry racist connotations, but still don’t accept that “shifty” can? You’ll notice that while Urban Dictionary doesn’t have a definition for shifty that indicates it is a racist slur by itself, the alphabetical list of associated terms includes both “shifty nigger” and “shifty Jew.” The association is real. > > Look, you’ve had a bunch of people in this thread suggest to you that > A) this movie is about racial stereotypes and prejudices (Do you accept that?), and > B) “shifty” does actually have racist implications, even if you were not previously aware of it. > > Kimtsu linked to numerous articles for your reference. If you don’t want to accept it, that’s your choice. But I think you’re choosing ignorance. > > . Look, in America, the term “uppity” does have some racial connotations, due to long use. But shifty does not. Sure, it has been used like “shifty negro” but so have words like “sneaky” “greedy” “cunning” etc. None of those have racial connotations. Kimstus articles show nothing but it has been used. Not sure if the "movie is about racial stereotypes and prejudices " but yes, that is _one_ of the themes. ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2016, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zootopia-seen-it-thread-spoilers-probably/747977/125 "2016-05-22T18:37:46Z")
I wonder how the economy would work in a world where the physical needs of the population can be so drastically different. Seems to me that small rodents can easily undercut bigger animals in white collar jobs. They need a fraction of resources and living space. They can work for less and still keep a comparable standard of living. The bigger animals would pretty much dominate all physical labour. The redwood buying construction workers could be replaced by one or two bigger animals constructing rodent houses like Legos. All fighter pilots would be small rodents because of their tiny size. Was there any reptiles in Zootopia? I don’t think I saw any. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zootopia-seen-it-thread-spoilers-probably/747977.md?page=6)