George W. Moore... Err- Michael Bush?
When "Bowling For Columbine" came out, I was very impressed with Michael Moores creative challenge of the fear culture that is sweeping through North America. Certainly he drew some over-simplified conclusions (not to mention his utopian delusion of a Canadian "slum"), but I found it an interesting reflections on our society & world.
However, while I initially raved in support of "Fahrenheit 9/11", I have had time to temper my perspective. Designed to expose the true nature of the George W. Bush administration, viewers were stunned by the blatant "bad" of their elected leader. It dawned on me that the quasi-documentary (or as Leonard Maltin calls the "Docu-tainment"), created to challenge the simplistic and misleading propaganda of the US government, was in fact a simplistic and misleading bit of propaganda.
So, am I pro-Bush and anti-Moore? Or anti-Bush AND anti-Moore? Which is it?
Neither and both! What we are seeing, sadly, is two sides of the same shallow coin.
In the end, we cannot allow ourselves to be polarized so harshly in extremes, especially when those extremes are articulated at sixth grade level arguments. We need to discover ways to both oppose governments, policies, etc. While still constructively contributing to the well-being of our societies, RECOGNIZING that we have to accept some of the realities of world as they are until such a time as we can bring true change.
In the end, I am not pushing any partisan politics, nor do I want to talk anyone out of their beliefs. All I hope for is that each us will take the time to think more deeply about our beliefs and assumptions. And while we should be willing to listen to the "other side" (that means Moore fans listen to Bush with openness and Bush fans listen to Moore with openness), we also need to look deeper than what we are spoon fed by media and other institutions (even churches, synagogues, mosques, etc.) and ask the hard questions.
Give it some thought.
However, while I initially raved in support of "Fahrenheit 9/11", I have had time to temper my perspective. Designed to expose the true nature of the George W. Bush administration, viewers were stunned by the blatant "bad" of their elected leader. It dawned on me that the quasi-documentary (or as Leonard Maltin calls the "Docu-tainment"), created to challenge the simplistic and misleading propaganda of the US government, was in fact a simplistic and misleading bit of propaganda.
So, am I pro-Bush and anti-Moore? Or anti-Bush AND anti-Moore? Which is it?
Neither and both! What we are seeing, sadly, is two sides of the same shallow coin.
In the end, we cannot allow ourselves to be polarized so harshly in extremes, especially when those extremes are articulated at sixth grade level arguments. We need to discover ways to both oppose governments, policies, etc. While still constructively contributing to the well-being of our societies, RECOGNIZING that we have to accept some of the realities of world as they are until such a time as we can bring true change.
In the end, I am not pushing any partisan politics, nor do I want to talk anyone out of their beliefs. All I hope for is that each us will take the time to think more deeply about our beliefs and assumptions. And while we should be willing to listen to the "other side" (that means Moore fans listen to Bush with openness and Bush fans listen to Moore with openness), we also need to look deeper than what we are spoon fed by media and other institutions (even churches, synagogues, mosques, etc.) and ask the hard questions.
Give it some thought.
posted by Jamie at 10:26 a.m.
2 Comments:
Hey Jaime, Chris here and I haven't checked in for some time. Good comments. I like Michael Moore. I do not agree with all he has to say but he does add some spice to the debate (what can I say...I am American). I also think he is a true bleeding heart. But his conclusions are often broad and he is a film maker, not a politician. Did I spell that right? You have to admit, he's got a big pair...big brass ones. I'm looking forward to his new project about HMO's here in the states. If anyone deserves to go down...
A public figure that I'm really appreciateing more than Moore is Bono. I recently watched a panel discussion with him, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, and the presidents of Nigeria and South Africa at the G8 talks. So cool! He is really trying to work with the Bush administration, not against them. He speaks with great hope and in terms politicians can understand...like money. He told all the representatives of these wealthy western nations that helping Africa is going to be good for business as well as good for people. Anyway, it's people like this that will make an actual difference and perhaps Michael Moore's stuff can do what it does best...gets people talking and thinking and making thier own conclusions.
Do you do this anymore? I check every day...
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