Invasion of the Body Snatchers

The 1956 movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers prompted many questions at the time of its release. Some said it was a statement on McCarthyism and the Red Scare in United States. Others interpreted it as being about the spread of a disease like AIDS. These all seem like quite a stretch to be read from the movie. While certain acts of the Pod People could lead either towards communism or McCarthyism, it does not seem to contain enough evidence to back this theory. I believe that true message of the film is the desensitization of American society. Is desensitization a good thing? Does it still apply to American society today?
The theory that the movie is a symbol of the Red Scare is not uncommon. People argue that the Pod People represent the McCarthyism view of communism. People arguing for this point do present some good evidence to back their theory; they present the parallel between the pod peoples’ soulless actions and the way the communists act as a single entity. The pod people also make public announcements like the communists (Dirk). Though there are pretty strong links between the Pod People and American perception of communism there is no link between the protagonist Miles and McCarthy.
The more believable interpretation of the film is that it is a statement of the dehumanization of people. The Pod People represent that future of what people will be, while Miles represents what people used to or should be. The concept of dehumanization or desensitization is stated fairly clearly towards the end of the movie when Miles tells Becky, the woman he loves, that “In my practice, I've seen how people have allowed their humanity to drain away. Only it happened slowly instead of all at once. They didn't seem to mind...All of us - a little bit - we harden our hearts, grow callous. Only when we have to fight to stay human do we realize how precious it is to us…” Since it is so specifically stated that this is a problem that the protagonist is especially concerned with and recognizes in the Pod People it is clear this is a significant message in the film.
This brings up the question of whether this can apply still today and if it is good or bad. First, let us approach the question of whether this can still apply to people nowadays. We must ask if this problem still presents itself in society. When we look at our society, we see a lot of things that should be disturbing to people, especially in the entertainment industry. We always see shows that present us with images like dead bodies or violence, but instead of being shocked or appalled by these images we take them simply as entertainment. We even find things that should be disturbing as funny; people find humor in some of the strangest places. This shows that the theme of this movie can still be related to society today.
Now, the question of whether this is a good or bad thing is much harder to clarify. Losing sensitivity can have its advantages in that people will not be as strongly hurt by bad things in their life, and will be more prepared to deal with adversity. However, the classical criticisms of desensitization cannot be ignored. It is commonly held that desensitization makes people numb to actions and events that are generally considered unacceptable, like violence, sexual promiscuity, and devaluation of human life. In this respect, the stance the film takes on desensitization is certainly a negative one. But it may not be necessarily true in the real world. We have to ask ourselves if being sensitive is truly the best way to live. If we were strongly affected by every bad or scary thing we saw we could not function effectively in the world we live in. To me this means that perhaps desensitization is not defiantly a good thing but a necessary change.
The main conflict, the struggle between Miles and the Pod People, represents the struggle of the good in America against the decline of feeling and sensitivity. Invasion of the Body Snatchers serves as a timeless warning to the modern world: we must protect our humanity, because it is the keystone of man’s uniqueness. While this message is one to be wary of we must also be able to find the prefect medium in order to function in our world. This is shown in the movie when Miles and Becky must act as the Pod People do in order to survive. Perhaps life would be easier if we did not feel but since life is not simple we have to live in a way that is both efficient and allows us to not lose our humanity.

Works Cited
Dirks, Tom. “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” 2007. 12 Oct. 2007.