'Avatar' and the Faith Instinct

Upon a little reflection, the Na'Vi are a rather sad race. They seem cool, but really it is only true insofar as Sully learns about these new and different people. But, then what? What do they do? They seem only to produce body decorations. They don't have industry. No universities. No research and development facilities. They are, at the core, intelligent animals that refuse to use their intelligence. Some have argued that the story is a metaphor for the clash of cultures that occurred between Europeans and Native Americans. But, really it is more like the "clash" between Europeans and the buffalo. Others may argue that the Na'Vi were living in "harmony" with nature. But, here, that means stagnation. No inventiveness. No...