--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's no question that how Johannesburg…" description: "\"There's no question that how Johannesburg operates is what made me interested in the idea of wealth discrepancy. 'Elysium' could be a metaphor for just..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/neill-blomkamp-8505_discrepancies_there-s-no-question-that-how-johannesbur_1968539.jpg" --- # There's no question that how Johannesburg operates is what… ![“There's no question that how Johannesburg operates is what made me interested in the idea of wealth discrepancy. 'Elysium' could be a metaphor for just Jo'burg, but it's also a metaphor for the Third World and the First World. And in science fiction, separation of wealth is a really interesting…” quote by Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/neill-blomkamp-8505_discrepancies_there-s-no-question-that-how-johannesbur_1968539.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/neill-blomkamp-8505_discrepancies_there-s-no-question-that-how-johannesbur_1968539.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cef/neill-blomkamp-8505_discrepancies_there-s-no-question-that-how-johannesbur_1968539.jpg) > “There's no question that how Johannesburg operates is what made me interested in the idea of wealth discrepancy. 'Elysium' could be a metaphor for just Jo'burg, but it's also a metaphor for the Third World and the First World. And in science fiction, separation of wealth is a really interesting idea to mess with.” [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how stark wealth gaps in Johannesburg inspired the filmmaker to explore economic disparity through sci‑fi allegory, comparing the city to both a dystopia and a reflection of global inequality. **In simple terms:** Johannesburg’s inequality inspired a sci‑fi look at wealth gaps. Key Takeaway Use storytelling to expose social inequities. Themes inequality urban life science fiction social critique Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - Urban planning - policy debates - educational curricula - media analysis Key Concepts Economic disparity metaphor worldbuilding Questions to Reflect On - How does fiction shape public perception of inequality? - What real‑world policies could address the gaps depicted? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify complex socioeconomic factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Elysium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elysium/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Johannesburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/johannesburg/) [Metaphor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphor/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Separation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation/) [Third world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/third-world/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I think that 'Elysium' the movie is unrealistic, with the space station and everything. I think 'Elysium' the metaphor is completely realistic: it's exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-think-that-elysium-the-movie-is-unrealistic-with-the-space-station/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [If the population curve is on an exponential growth, and the resources are on an exponential decline, what happens first is you get increases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/if-the-population-curve-is-on-an-exponential-growth-and-the-resources/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [I actually think Johannesburg represents the future. My version of what I think the world is going to become looks like Johannesburg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-actually-think-johannesburg-represents-the-future-my-version-of/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > ['District 9' was a singular anti-Apartheid metaphor, and 'Elysium' is a more general metaphor about immigration and how the First World and Third World…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/district-9-was-a-singular-anti-apartheid-metaphor-and-elysium-is-a/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [In a lot of the really impoverished areas of Johannesburg you see these packets of cheesy puffs which are like 6 feet long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/in-a-lot-of-the-really-impoverished-areas-of-johannesburg-you-see/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > ['District 9', 'Elysium' and 'Chappie' were all born out of some visual concept first. 'Chappie' is the imagery, because I think I'm a visual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/district-9-elysium-and-chappie-were-all-born-out-of-some-visual/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [Johannesburg is weird, because half of it is like Los Angeles. It feels like just wealthy parts of L.A. But half of it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/johannesburg-is-weird-because-half-of-it-is-like-los-angeles-it-feels/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [In imagination she sailed over storied seas that wash the distant shining shores of "faëry lands forlorn," where lost Atlantis and Elysium lie, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-imagination-she-sailed-over-storied-seas-that-wash-the-distant/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But under the beaming, constant and almost vertical sun of Virginia, shade is our Elysium. In the absence of this no beauty of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/but-under-the-beaming-constant-and-almost-vertical-sun-of-virginia/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [What thou lovest well remains, the rest is dross What thou lov'st well shall not be reft from thee What thou lov'st well is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/what-thou-lovest-well-remains-the-rest-is-dross-what-thou-lov-st-well/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [“The sight of London to my exiled eyes Is as Elysium to a new-come soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/the-sight-of-london-to-my-exiled-eyes-is-as-elysium-to-a-new-come-soul/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [The first cup moistens my lips and throat; The second cup breaks my loneliness; The third cup searches my barren entrail but to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-tong/the-first-cup-moistens-my-lips-and-throat-the-second-cup-breaks-my/) [Lu Tong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-tong/) > [There's a myth among amateurs, optimists and fools that beyond a certain level of achievement, famous artists retire to some kind of Elysium where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-matousek/there-s-a-myth-among-amateurs-optimists-and-fools-that-beyond-a/) [Mark Matousek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-matousek/) > [“I rocketed a commanding finger to the heavens and it rained stardust upon our young heads.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/i-rocketed-a-commanding-finger-to-the-heavens-and-it-rained-stardust/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) > [“I do so love to listen to the deep words of bold men, though I have precious few to add.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-ezzell/i-do-so-love-to-listen-to-the-deep-words-of-bold-men-though-i-have/) [K.B. Ezzell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-b-ezzell/) ## More by Neill Blomkamp > [I never think of things rationally or intellectually. I swear, every single decision I make is just instinct and my instincts tend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-never-think-of-things-rationally-or-intellectually-i-swear-every/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [Deleted scenes are like in a middle gray zone. It's like, well, they're deleted because they're not good or you lost the battle and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/deleted-scenes-are-like-in-a-middle-gray-zone-it-s-like-well-they-re/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [I think growing up in South Africa, and then moving to Canada, I'm just genuinely interested in the difference between the First World and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-think-growing-up-in-south-africa-and-then-moving-to-canada-i-m-just/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [This whole notion that the robot has to declare nuclear war is one part of the discussion, but it may not be reality. Reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/this-whole-notion-that-the-robot-has-to-declare-nuclear-war-is-one/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [I've learned more, and I understand the process a bit better now. I can try to see how long I want to take in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-ve-learned-more-and-i-understand-the-process-a-bit-better-now-i-can/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [A lot of America is kind of done. People have been making films about it for 100 years. Everything to me feels used up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/a-lot-of-america-is-kind-of-done-people-have-been-making-films-about/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [Satire also allows you to make fun of every different aspect. It allows you to make fun of both sides. It allows you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/satire-also-allows-you-to-make-fun-of-every-different-aspect-it/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [I don't want to make a film that offends people, but the whole world is so politically correct - I'm not going to not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-don-t-want-to-make-a-film-that-offends-people-but-the-whole-world/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [I am a firm believer that the pull for human beings is towards the good, generally outweighing the bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-am-a-firm-believer-that-the-pull-for-human-beings-is-towards-the/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [My favourite stuff is visual, and I always want to work with visual artwork. I think it depends on the person, but for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/my-favourite-stuff-is-visual-and-i-always-want-to-work-with-visual/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [I think people are destined for something incredible if we don't wipe ourselves out, but I think we're going to wipe 90 percent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-think-people-are-destined-for-something-incredible-if-we-don-t-wipe/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [The main stuff I like is from the late '60s to the early '90s. That's the stuff I love. It's the James Cameron's and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/the-main-stuff-i-like-is-from-the-late-60s-to-the-early-90s-that-s/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [It's just my maybe naive, optimistic view that whatever knowledge we gain, and if it comes to pass that we can somehow understand what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/it-s-just-my-maybe-naive-optimistic-view-that-whatever-knowledge-we/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [I think the world of 'District 9' has a lot of race and oppression-based ideas that I would still like to explore in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-think-the-world-of-district-9-has-a-lot-of-race-and-oppression/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [I'm not particularly interested in working with movie stars. It depends on where you come from, I suppose. Why are you making films? The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-m-not-particularly-interested-in-working-with-movie-stars-it/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) [Explore all 80 Neill Blomkamp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) ## More Discrepancies quotes > [The brain abhors discrepancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/the-brain-abhors-discrepancies/) [Vilayanur S. 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And my mother, you know … I don’t really want to get into it, but my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/my-mother-got-sick-when-i-was-rich-and-my-mother-you-know-i-don-t/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [There is a discrepancy of somebody going to an art dealer and promising what they'll make for the next three years. And I'm old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-weiner/there-is-a-discrepancy-of-somebody-going-to-an-art-dealer-and/) [Lawrence Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-weiner/) > [It is expected that there will be discrepancies between models and observations. However, why these arise and what one should conclude from them are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-schmidt/it-is-expected-that-there-will-be-discrepancies-between-models-and/) [Gavin Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-schmidt/) > [The discrepancy between American ideals and American practice - between our aims and what we actually do - creates a moral dry rot which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/the-discrepancy-between-american-ideals-and-american-practice-between/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) > [ Accounting incomes were reduced by discrepancy \[ but\] "the net amount paid by lawyers for lawyerly discrepancy is close to zippo. In this case,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/accounting-incomes-were-reduced-by-discrepancy-but-the-net-amount/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Credibility is lost when there are big discrepancies between what leaders say and what they do. ... Increasing credibility requires openness. 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And being the entire story, it by itself discredits the entire twenty-six volumes of the Warren…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/the-discrepancy-or-contradiction-is-the-entire-story-and-being-the/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [No matter how consummate a work of art may seem, it is only an approximation of the original conception. 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What we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/there-is-a-serious-discrepancy-between-what-we-really-wants-and-what/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) Browse all 73 Discrepancies quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's no question that how Johannesburg operates is what made me interested in the idea of wealth discrepancy. 'Elysium' could be a metaphor for just Jo'burg, but it's also a metaphor for the Third World and the First World. 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