Post-Pandora depression? mydeco is here for you… 25 January, 2010
Posted by katiehodgkiss in Uncategorized.Tags: 3D room planner, agony aunt, avatar movie, depression, James Cameron, moodboard, Na'vi, Pandora
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Image credit: Picselect
Dear Auntie Katie,
My life has seemed empty since I completed all three versions of World of Warcraft, so last weekend I decided to go and see Avatar. The film was amazing, but as soon as it ended I was filled with this sudden hopelessness – it was like reaching into a supersize bag of Doritos only to realise there aren’t any left.
Pandora (the planet which the aliens live on in Avatar) is so wonderful – all the Google images of ‘beautiful places on earth’ that I’ve looked at don’t even compare to it. I want so badly to be a Na’vi, I keep looking down at my hands and thinking “What I wouldn’t give, to be blue….” I have seen the film 26 times now – I’m not sure, but I don’t think this has helped with my obsession.
Please provide an easy solution that will solve all my problems.
Single and jobless, London
Auntie Katie says:
I can understand your idealisation of Pandora – this is a world that has never known the pain of celebrity talent shows, spam emails or Kerry Katona. However, before making plans to set off on a spaceship I would seriously consider the following:
1. mydeco’s technological advances are far superior to James Cameron’s: you can even create your very own Pandora using our moodboard tools. Above is an example of one I made earlier.
2. As I assume you are still living with your parents, why not take the first step towards independence and redecorate your room? Using mydeco’s 3D planner you can design your own blue paradise, like the one below from mydeco community member SylviaAst.
3. If you are really determined to ‘become one with nature’, why not go and live in the rainforest?
If you have been affected by the content of this post, please leave us your comments below, and Auntie Katie will do her best to provide you with advice that is in no way mean or sarcastic. Alternatively, send me a message at http://mydeco.com/people/katiehodgkiss/summary/ if you would like your problem to be featured in next week’s blog.
mydeco blog 
I think it’s ridiculous to claim depression after watching a really good movie. Get a grip for god’s sakes! This is reality – things go wrong. If you don’t like it move to Bali and sit in the sun readinh Harry Potter all day long.
I can’t believe this blog that you have posted today you should be ashamed of yourself!
are there no responsible adults at mydeco towers!!!?
After reading this I was not quite sure what to think but it had me feeling a tad vexed.
This isn’t the first time I’ve read about this ‘post-pandora depression’ and it inducing suicidal thoughts, and I’ll admit it sounds like a major overreaction for such a typical Hollywood film, but ‘witty sarcasm’ and the hollow solution suggested in this article were just foolish.
Obviously anyone that seriously contemplates taking their own life has had a history with depression and so a strong sense of loss produced by the conclusion of one film won’t be the cause of those extreme thoughts but instead it’s merely the icing on the cake. If author Auntie Katie had taken a moment to consider the seriousness masked behind what appeared to be an over exaggerated, half-hearted threat maybe she would have seen the highly probable damage that may be done. Though her intent was likely to take a more light-hearted approach to helping an unstable person find a solution, she came off as dense and cold.
The advice offered only added to this daftly composed article. I realise that this is a blog post on a design site and thus it’s going to be design related, but telling someone who obviously needs to seek out professional help to simply decorate their pad is just irresponsible. While I’m not usually one to ridicule someone’s design, I feel Katie’s pompous remark warrants it; in my opinion this moodboard was sloppy and of poor taste.
Sarcasm is an art that must be mastered and balanced, especially when it is being used on the internet, otherwise you run the risk of sounding bombastic.
I have read about ‘Avatar depression’ elsewhere, but am relieved to finally find someone that has approached the subject with sarcasm – exactly what it calls for. How ridiculous that people are claiming depression because they don’t live on a make-believe planet. There are far more important, and far more devastating things going on in the real world people. Really like the ‘problem page’ angle – hope to see more ridiculing such laughable ‘issues’.
I agree – I have read some of the comments on the Avatar forum and they’re just ridiculous. If waking up wishing you could live on a foreign planet every day is your biggest problem than you’re lucky. Thousands of people have been devastated by the Haiti earthquake and they have no power to help themselves or change their situation. I suggest these ‘Avatar depressives’ stop feeling sorry for themselves and think of how they can help others instead.
Hi guys, just wanted to post a quick reply to all your comments before this gets out of hand!
I apologise if I have offended any of you with this post (and obviously I have) the point was never to mock depression or suicide, merely the notion of allowing something so obviously fictional and ‘Hollywoodised’ to affect you in such an extreme way. I have to agree with donna’s comment – there are many people out there who have suffer from afflictions over which they have no control, so I think it’s important to have some perspective and be thankful for what you have rather than indulging in self-pity.
As for my remark about the moodboard, it was meant to be pompous! My design is a very shoddy effort compared to some of the amazing moodboards and rooms that many users create (like the one from Sylvia that I added). In my (false) arrogance I was hoping to encourage people to prove me wrong and make their own Pandora rooms and moodboards.
The post has been toned down a little now, but I would like to thank you all for your feedback – we take it all into consideration at mydeco so I sincerely apologise if any of you were hurt or offended.
Thanks Katie
Your blog reads much better now
Chezz
xxx