Okay, so I have been meaning to write my thoughts about Capitalism: A Love Story since me and The Twin went to see it Tuesday in Memphis but just haven’t found the time until today. I will list my thoughts below in order of hugeness but, first, there is only 1 theatre in West TN that is even playing the film! Isn’t that outrageous. I mean it is #6 at the Box Office! I guess my friend at Letters from the American Interior should have something East-coasty to say about this.
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1. America is a mess. I don’t care if you hate Micahel Moore and just want to gnash your teeth at him, but he is right in one thing- America as we know it is messed up. He has gotten a lot of flak over the past few years because people think he is a socialst/communist bafoon but really he is an American-loving, status quo-non-accepting- grease ball. In this film, he gets back to his roots with attacking the establishments that purposefully and deviously work against American democracy- our current form of American capitalism. Companies taking out secret life insurance policies on their employs and then counting income from that in their yearly fiscal projections. “Representatives” benfitting from backdoor mortgage deals while many Americans (including this middle class blogger) are struggling to keep up with mortgage payments. Corporations running the Treasury Dept. of the US Government at the highest levels. Tax payer bail out money in the billions going to companies who mismanaged their wealth and yet still continue to lay off workers who did nothing but their jobs.
2. Everyone skews data in their favor. I am not a Michael Mooreite so I don’t pretend that he is 100% honest with the “facts”. But no one. So don’t let inaccurate data distract you from the fact that America is messed up.
3. This is not anti-American. Talking against the structures in society that are causing harm to those not rich enough to do something about it (i.e. you and me) is as American as it can get. “Taxation without representation” was a war cry of the Revolutionary War. Our new one should just simply be “Without Representation.Period.”
4. You will laugh your butt off at the scene where Michael Moore dubs over Jesus’ voice to say pro-Capitalism slogans. I almost peed.
I have many other thoughts but I don’t want to spoil the movie. But you should watch it and then you should research some of the stuff for yourself. Anyway, let me know what you think.
The Muffin Man 
Posted by holly wynne on October 15, 2009 at 4:46 pm
See, here’s my problem. I have no desire to gnash my teeth at Michael Moore or anyone else. I’ve watched Bowling for Columbine and…er…another one that I can’t remember. Sorry.
America is messed up. Yes. However, mass manipulation, whoever it’s from, is not going to help that. That’s why I’m not a Republican (or a Democrat, but that goes without saying). I do not like my values twisted and used to guilt trip me. That’s what the Republican party has become to me, and that’s evil.
By the same token, I do not appreciate the manipulation Mr. Moore uses, either. You’re right–he does skew facts, though he does it in a very effective way. I’ll give him that. He’s really, really good at what he does. His movies do make me think. They also piss me off because I know I’m being manipulated.
I just know, for whatever reason, if manipulation is spun from the left, it’s considered “authentic” and “intellectual.” I can’t differentiate like that. I don’t accept it from the right, and I don’t accept it from the left, whatever forms these take. I don’t accept it from Republican spin machines, and I don’t accept it from Michael Moore.
I’ll still probably watch this because I know there will be interesting takes on valid information. I do not, however, expect my opinion of America–or Michael Moore–to change.
P.S. Good post.
Posted by themuffinman on October 16, 2009 at 10:12 am
See, I have no man crush on Michael Moore (like I do on Jack White, say) but one thing I do love about him is that he was an average American who stood up and took back his right as one of the people. He is manipulative and an ass, but he refuses to let others silence him. That is where I admire him. If more of us were like that, many of these issues would go away, I think. But that is my revolutionary side talking.
Posted by holly wynne on October 16, 2009 at 11:28 am
I think you feel some lustmagic for Michael Moore.