How The 'Hunger Games' Is Happening IRL

It's not like this is the first time we've discussed the importance of the Hunger Games' s politics. But the Harry Potter Alliance has a new video that's making the rounds, called "The Hunger Games Is Real," and we think it's a pretty important one to watch. In fact, we think it might be one of the only Catching Fire tie-ins that Katniss Everdeeen would approve of — and this one's not even authorized.

For those unfamiliar, the Harry Potter Alliance — of which, I should disclose, I was the co-chair of a campus chapter of during my college years — is a national charity organization that aims to shine a light on the real-life injustices happening around the world using popular literature/film/other media as allegorical jumping off points.

With the Hunger Games — which, as we've discussed before, is one of the most heavily politically allegorical franchises in modern media — they've got a pretty solid base for their "Odds In Our Favor: Join The Resistance" campaign. From their site:

Economic inequality knows no boundaries — it is pervasive and persistent, and it affects every city, region, and country across the world. The gap between the wealthy and the poor grows wider every day, while the middle class shrinks and more people find themselves short of what they need to get by.

The video itself — which, if you have liberal, young, media-attentive friends you will probably see in your Facebook feed sometime soon — starts with an interview in which a journalist is asking Jennifer Lawrence about the hunks of The Hunger Games vs. those of Twilight, then launches into real-world statistics on health care, economic inequality, food stamps slashed budgets, and the massive consolidation of wealth in America.

It's a fascinating video, with some very solid points, so here's hoping this campaign actually raises some more heads on the issues.