Lawrence.com weblogs Scene Stealers

Posted by Eric Melin September 30, 2009 at 4:28 p.m.

“Capitalism: A Love Story” angers and inspires

Comments

Lawrence.com does not necessarily agree with comments posted below - responsibility lies with the relevant user alone. Read our full policy.

  1. tribalzendancer (Tim Hjersted) says…

    Good review for a middle of the road conservative/quasi-liberal town. I got the feeling that the "Moore annoys me too but he makes some good points here.." statements were placed there simply to appease the range of partisan ideologues that love to shout down anything that has been branded an idea of "the others" - liberals, progressives, what have you.

    I see journalists all the time walking on egg shells, tip-toeing around subjects with restrained moderation so as to not upset the far right. But I suppose it's a good tactic if it's a means to an end. They probably realize an ideologue will immediately stop reading or close their mind if they smell too much liberalism afoot in thems rightings. I suppose the "reserved praise" is a good way to break down some of the ridiculous left-right prejudices so that people can come to agree on some common sense.

    I for one would be glad to see people drop the phony fronts and partisan regurgitation and actually judge an idea on its own merits, regardless of which "side" has staked a claim to it.

    J Krishnamurti makes this point better than I can:

    When you call yourself an Indian or a Muslim or a Christian or a European, or anything else, you are being violent. Do you see why it is violent? Because you are separating yourself from the rest of mankind. When you separate yourself by belief, by nationality, by tradition, it breeds violence. So a man who is seeking to understand violence does not belong to any country, to any religion, to any political party or partial system; he is concerned with the total understanding of mankind.”
    - Freedom from the Known, pp.51-52

  2. tribalzendancer (Tim Hjersted) says…

    Ahem, appease the "rage."

  3. Eric_Melin (Eric Melin) says…

    justin-

    That attack on Jared Hess was just weird and completely off topic.

    As far as Riefenstahl goes, you're missing the point. Have you ever seen "Triumph"? The only "facts" in the movie are that there is a madman up at the podium during an enormous rally that is beautifully shot and edited. Yes, that only adds to the supposed majestic quality of the Hitler image, and that's why it was propaganda. Capra used racist propaganda techniques to make the Japanese seem like a faceless, evil horde to make US citizens want to join up and fight. Moore is also a propagandist, and a very effective filmmaker. Whether you agree with any of these points of view or not, none of these films are objective. Neither is Ken Burns. Point made.

    BTW, the World Company is locally owned. This website and newspaper have no connection to Gannett.

    tribal-

    "Moore annoys me too but he makes some good points here.." True. And it's not there to appease anybody. I think the review is pretty self-explanatory. I judged it on its own merits. It's a little scattershot, but it's also quite an emotional experience in many ways.

  4. tribalzendancer (Tim Hjersted) says…

    To be honest, my comment is directed at news media in general more than this article in particular. Regardless of whether your concessions were genuine (as you've said, they are), it just seemed to illustrate the kind of tone one needs to take if your goal were to get anyone who identifies strongly with the "right" to be open to any ideas that are labeled "liberal."

    To me, Moore's views are pretty moderate. And the fact that so many people would disagree with me on that just highlights how insane (and polarized) our culture has gotten.

  5. DOTDOT (anonymous) says…

    "To me, Moore's views are pretty moderate. And the fact that so many people would disagree with me on that just highlights how insane (and polarized) our culture has gotten."

    Or, my friend of the zen-like tribal dancing, that fact may indicate how insane YOU has gotten.

    There's a world of potential in the mining of misfortune for profit. Michael Moore's approach is not so much original as it is effective.

  6. DOTDOT (anonymous) says…

    Let me re-phrase. Absent the benefits Capitalism, this film would never have been made.

  7. DOTDOT (anonymous) says…

    of

  8. tribalzendancer (Tim Hjersted) says…

    Oh DotDot, I would love for you to say all the things you do under your real name, rather than from behind the veneer of your virtual persona.

  9. DOTDOT (anonymous) says…

    Love? Lord above! Now you're trying to put me in love.

    It's alright, now, because I say this same shit all day long, eye to eye, face to face under my real name. Ask half this town.

    You are either equating practical google juice management with cowardice, or you are suggesting that I would somehow live in fear of fatass Michael Moore for calling him on his hypocrisy. Either way, hahahahahahahahaha.

    i never figured you'd be against freedom of speech.

  10. DOTDOT (anonymous) says…

    Tim,

    It has just occured to me that you may have been offended by this:

    "Or, my friend of the zen-like tribal dancing, that fact may indicate how insane YOU has gotten."

    I my quest for brevity, the underlying (brilliant) intent of a comment comes off as a snarky insult. Aaahh, me. Sorry.

    What I MEANT was: My core belief is that we are ALL culpable of the current fucked up state of affairs. That includes you as well as me. If the culture looks insane then maybe you are. Kind of a lighthearted distillation of the concept.

    I love you, man.

  11. tribalzendancer (Tim Hjersted) says…

    Much appreciated. :)

Reply 12 comments from Tim Hjersted Dotdot Eric Melin Justin66046

Search events

Today's events

All events

Staff blogs

Reader blogs

Most discussed

Video games

Hive mind: Lawrence's Fourfire readies 'Sticky Bees'

A game designer turned pastor gets help from three members of his congregation to build a new video game for iOS.

Party Pics