Michael Moore's "Capitalism: A Love Story"

Overall, I enjoyed Michael Moore’s “Capitalism: A Love Story” because it presented a ton of information, highlighted poignant stories, had great editing, and infused humor but I had two complaints being a slight bias and a lack of action for the audience.

To begin, I did enjoy the film overall. There was so much information in it from the beginning comparison of today’s US culture with the Ancient Roman Empire down to the very end with cool quotes interspersed throughout the rolling of the cast and credits. He shared a ton of numbers on CEO pay, net profits, foreclosures, loans, etc. Though it was a lot to absorb, he presented the numbers pretty clearly using several graphs and charts to compare and show the rise and fall of numbers. Some numbers did not need a visual though because standing alone they had enough of an impact; for example, he said something like every seven seconds a home is foreclosed in the US!?!

Just as impactful were the few poignant profiles he chose to go in-depth on, i.e. the fired workers staying in their window factory until they received their pay (which was only $6,000), the foreclosure salesman whose company was named after vultures and bottomfeeders, the evicted family who reclaimed their home with the help of their neighbors (I started to cry when I realized they were overjoyed for reentering a home that was small, dilapidated, and under furnished), and the family who moved out of their home and had to burn their own furniture to make money (only $1,000) from the bank who had basically stolen their property that had been in their family for decades. All of this broke my heart. I cannot believe this is America and that others are suffering so much while I am blessed with my current, secure and spoiled lifestyle.

All of these stories had more of an impact, in my opinion, because of his superb editing skills. The music building was fantastic as was the overlay of voices with older films whether they were of ancient Rome, his family growing up, or old ads.

Lastly, I also enjoyed the humor he added in to soften some of that saddening material. In particular, I laughed when I saw the doorman of one of the big Wall Street buildings physically pushing back on the lobby door to prevent Moore from entering, his unreeling of the crime scene tape around Wall Street, and when he informed the Wall Street men that he came to take back the money but he had other bags (with the dollar sign drawn on them) since he didn’t think 10 million would fit in just one.

However, I did feel that there was a little party line bias throughout the film, as to be expected with Michael Moore. Since that goes both ways, I suppose few Republicans gave him the opportunity to speak with them but I did notice a large selection of Democrat interviewees who probably tend to agree with his ideas. Furthermore, in criticizing the presidents, he went straight from Regan to Bush and left out Clinton – whether this was from lack of incriminating economic evidence or Moore’s decision to omit information, I don’t know. However, he was mostly biased against big banks and inefficient, deceitful politicians which I agreed with. For example, he did expose lies of Democrats including Chris Dodd so he was not incredibly one-sided.

The biggest issue I had with the film, however, was its lack of an action plan for the audience. His film, whether entirely true or altered with a bit of artistic license was undeniably persuasive. The problem is, those feelings fade pretty quickly after seeing the film and most audience members won’t take the time to figure out how to fight back on their own but they likely would if they knew how. I loved a statement he made near the end about how he refused to live in our country when it was like this and that he didn’t plan to leave our country, therefore implying that he would change it. He then invited the audience to change it with him but never said how. I know the film was already lengthy but I believe it lost a lot of its persuasive power by ending before listing a number people could call or a website they could visit or a list of who to contact to complain or what to do to have the most impact with your own money, etc.

That last bit of information would have convinced me more than anything else on how I would change my behavior in the future as a result of his film. Now I am just a little more afraid for the economic future of our nation. I’m also a little depressed at the condition of my fellow Americans who are living in tents or boarded out of their own homes or the people who do the boarding up for their living and face that ridicule or guilt everyday having to do that. I would feel more empowered and take action had he only told me how.

Off the Southern Belle Timeline

Being from South Carolina, I was just subconsciously aware of the fact that a Southern Belle’s timeline is go to college, get married, and start a family. It was so ingrained in my mind that just recently when speaking to my mom about living arrangements for this year and after graduation, I mentioned something about how it might change if I was married. She simply looked at me and said, “I don’t think you’ll be getting married right after college unless you find someone really soon.” Really soon as in like yesterday.

Though depressed for a millisecond, I then did a bit of math – not my strong point, obviously because upon reflection I realized my time was pretty limited. Coming up on the halfway point of my Junior year I realized that would mean that I would have to begin dating, fall in love, get engaged and plan a wedding within a year and a half… dubious if not downright impossible.

But this “duh” moment for me has sunk in and I feel a new sense of freedom. Now I don’t feel the pressure that every new guy I meet might be or must be “the one.” I can daydream about what I want to do, where I want to go, etc. NOT who I will be with – now don’t get me wrong, I will still ponder the potential of my new crushes but in a new more relaxed way. I have had a paradigm shift; at least for a while, I am out of marriage mode.

I don’t think I am even ready to get married within a year and a half. Most of our generation isn’t: The average age to wed in the US in 2007 was 26 for a woman and almost 28 for a man.
So be free and get off that Southern Belle timeline.

Porch Pondering

Porch sitting is a sport of sorts in South Carolina – especially when coupled with people watching which is an undisputed sport all over. With this lovely weather lately, I have been honing in on my skills in both porch sitting and people watching.

While doing so, I happened to notice a gender difference. Before this cold weather sets in, several runners have been taking advantage of baring all that they can – guys without any shirts, girls in just a sports bra. Now that is not what I am complaining about ;)

What bugged me is I notice on a regular basis that the girls get honked at and whistles or comments from cars while guys might get a few head turns and perhaps a very occasional honk. Why is this?

Trust me, the guys look just as good to warrant the attention but it hardly ever comes. Why this double standard?

Perhaps girls are always passive and accept it. I am a runner and have countless times heard a rude comment or a honk but I have NEVER flipped the bird or yelled or anything to fight back. Furthermore, I have NEVER EVER honked or made any rude comments at guys.

I would prefer that the guys would quit with their comments and honks but in the mean time since that is unlikely to happen in the near future what if we were to give the guys a taste of their own medicine. Would they just take a comment or honk as an ego stroke or feel objectified or not even care?

I generally don’t follow the eye-for-an-eye theology but this time I believe it could do one of two things: it could either empower us where two wrongs do make a right or it could disgust us enough in doing that to others that we will be less passive in accepting it ourselves.

Give it a shot and let me know how it goes…

What Women (and Men) Want

Two hour tea dates at Starbucks, for me at least, are conducive to wonderful and often enlightening discussions. I had once recently with two of my friends – one is married and the other is in a long-term relationship – and we were discussing the difference and often difficulty of communication between the sexes.

There is a TON of information on this topic – so many books, talk shows, news reports, movies, songs, research studies, etc. However, I think we overanalyze and complicate the matter.

Save your time and effort. I believe my friend, Laura, who has the boyfriend, has discovered the difference. She said the most simple and profound thing – women just want to be loved and men want respect.

For example, if she and her boyfriend are arguing and she says, “I respect your opinion and where you’re coming from but I disagree because of…” she can see an immediate difference in the argument. Similarly, when he says something like “I don’t really understand or agree but I still love you and I want to work through this” she feels somewhat satisfied and their anger fades.

Even outside of arguments, I believe this simple truth applies. Girls love affection and to be loved or valued in intimate relationships but also as mothers, employers, group members, etc. Men desire respect as romantic partners but also in the workforce, the church, group activities, etc.

This is NOT to say that women do not value respect and men never need love but in the grand scheme of things, I think this simple truth if carried out could make for an easier, fuller communication between the sexes.

Dating… or lack thereof: Balancing being a Southern Belle and Feminist AND single

For those of you who don’t know, the College of Charleston girl-to-guy ratio is very slanted – in the boys’ favor. This amounts to a very competitive dating scene and the boys have their pick of the litter.

Being a Southern Belle, I like to say that I have too much clothes and too much class to attract the attention of any guys on this campus. However, I was hoping my Junior year (this year), the boys would begin to settle down and be more interested in a wholesome girl like myself and ready for a relationship rather than just a good time.

It seems I was too hopeful. So now I am in a bit of a predicament, due almost entirely to a lack of patience ;) I would love to date but I don’t quite know how to go about it. The Southern Belle in me feels the guy should make the first move. I often reference the movie “He’s Just Not that Into You” which is basically my dating tutorial now. In the movie, the male lead repeatedly tells the girl “If a guy wants to make it happen, he’ll make it happen.”

Though I like the clarity that this dating stance would provide, I am very underwhelmed at the boys ability to make it happen. This is where the Feminist in me emerges. I say to heck with waiting; if I want to make it happen, I’ll make it happen. But then, you risk seeming desperate, promiscuous, or just plain pesky.

So here I am, balancing being a Southern Belle and Feminist and SINGLE. Any advice is welcomed ;)

Mona Lisa Smile and Advertisements

This past weekend, I saw Mona Lisa Smile which was a wonderful movie about a Feminist art history professor at Wellesley in 1953-54. She deals with the school’s and her student’s traditional, conservative views on women, marriage, birth control, affairs, etc. The movie was great and I highly recommend it.

One scene in particular was my favorite: pay close attention from 4:10 to 9:30. As a Communication – Media Studies major, I have an interest in advertising. In the movie, the art history professor, Katherine Watson (played by Julia Roberts) addresses advertisements as art. A student objects and she ignores, stating that years from now, people will see those ads representing the “portrait” of women in that day. At the end of the movie, during the list of credits and cast, a slection of 1950s media and advertisements gives a good idea as to what that portrait of an ideal woman was; pay close attention from 2:10 to 4:50

So here we are today, over a half century later, and what do we see. Looking back in those ads of the smiling housewife – how far have we really advanced? Women are still seen in the home, cleaning/cooking, in need of beauty tools (girdles, makeup, hair products, etc.) and sexualized.

How many times do we see this with men? Fathers taking care of their children? Men making the meal for dinner? Dad’s doing the laundry? Guys in need of nail polish, makeup, etc.? Men sexualized? Sure that may be happening a bit more today but still, it is hardly a drop in the bucket compared to the amount of ads portraying women that way in the majority of today’s media.

Here is a then and now comparison of some ads from the 50s and today:

In the home:

Cleaning/Cooking:

Beauty:

Sexualized:

How far have we really progressed in the last fifty years? In another half-century, will we have progressed any more? What will they say of us, our portrait of the ideal woman in advertisements?

Refuting the Top 10 Feminist Stereotypes

To begin with, I’d like to address the type of feminist that I am and, in so doing, prove that there is not only one way to be a feminist. People, especially in the South and even in my family, throw out those same old tired stereotypes of the hairy, lesbian, man-hater. I can assure you that I do not fit that description and neither do most of the feminists I have met.

In May of this year, DJ Nelson posted a list of the top 10 Feminist Stereotypes on the All Diva Media blog. They included the following:
1. Feminists hate men
2. Feminists hate the idea of family
3. Feminists are masculine and unattractive
4. Feminists hate God
5. Feminists don’t shave
6. Feminists are all pro-choice
7. Feminists can’t be stay at home moms
8. Feminists whine about everything
9. Men are not feminists
10. All people who label themselves as feminists believe in the exact same things

I refute every one of these stereotypes because:

1. I do not hate men but rather have about 3-7 crushes going on at any given time and definitely enjoy the company of men on a friendship and romantic level.

2. I LOVE my family and fully intend to have one of my own one day, biologically or by adoption.
3. I am about as girly girl as you can get. As for being unattractive, I like to think that I am not but I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder… and the media which I will address in later blogs I am sure. I certainly fit some of the media’s standards of “beauty” by staying fit, fashionable, and manicured with makeup, painted nails, styled hair, etc. but that is the Southern Belle in me wanting to be dolled up - As for if that is my willing choice or a socialized requirement that I subconsciously feel the need to meet, I am still processing. Either way I enjoy being girly and definitely break that masculine stereotype.

4. I most definitely do not hate God but love and worship him to the best of my ability as an active Christian. I do not feel that Feminism and Faith are mutually exclusive.

5. I shave regularly and feel bad for boys that don’t because the thought of armpit hair grosses me out and I feel like it would be a nuisance. I do question why women have to shave and why men, as a collective gender – not just the occasional swimmer - never do. Perhaps there will be a later blog on that.

6. I have not fully made up my mind on this. I hate the thought of an innocent life being ended before it has the chance to reach full potential but I also hate the idea of a woman and her body being controlled by the nearly all male government possibly forcing an unwanted pregnancy on a woman AND the less than loved/protected/encouraged/provided for existence that child might face. I often fall back to the separation of Church and State in that the government should not be influenced by religious doctrine so I would technically take a pro-choice stance though on a personal level I would never encourage abortion.

7. Feminists certainly can be stay at home moms – look to the first wave of the women’s movement in the 1800s. It was begun by middle class, white women, many of whom were stay at home moms who felt oppressed in that role and chose to change it, essentially becoming feminists. Women today can do the very same thing AND women can be feminists but still be a stay at home mom if they CHOOSE to and don’t feel oppressed. In fact, if I am afforded the opportunity to do just that and be with my future children while they are young and reaching so many firsts in their life, I will more than likely take it.

8. I don’t whine about everything but I do whine BUT who doesn’t. Don’t men whine? Don’t normal women whine? Don’t racists, sexists, politicians, homeless, teachers, doctors, Christians, Muslims, Americans, Australians, [insert any people group] whine!?! Furthermore, if one put the shoe on the other foot they might see why the other group has a reason to “whine” or perhaps more accurately, “pose a threat to the status quo” causing those in power to belittle the submissive group as “whiners” simply to preserve their position of power?

9. Sure men are feminists. I know some. You probably do too. We need more of them.

10. Heck no, we don’t all agree! But who does? See number 8; do they all agree? No, and why should they… that would be terribly boring.

Having said that, you may disagree with what I have just presented as my opinion and that is fine – that is Feminist in fact ;) I don’t expect you to agree with all that I have just mentioned and that is my point. Just as my answers break the mold of those stereotypes, others’ answers will break the mold of my answers further destroying those stereotypes. So go ahead and prove them wrong; we don’t all fit into one itty bitty box.