michael moore - provocateur or schlump?
Michael Moore's new documentary has been on the tip of everybody's tongue these days - the legal battles have only exacerbated the publicity for Sicko, which takes a look at the disparaging and horrifying underpinnings of the American health care system (or lack thereof).
unlike the majority of people these days, i'm actually not a michael moore hater. I really think his intentions are good, but the manner in which he's carried out some of his ideas have lacked...tact. The in-your-face "I'm ready to argue with you till death" attitude is not exactly a good platform for democratic discussion. Funnily enough, I was just watching a clip of Ann Coulter (speaking of lack of tact) today getting completely schooled by Elizabeth Edwards (John Edwards' wife) for basically reducing any kind of political discussion to personal slander.
I'm really hoping that I would convince (at least some of you) that Michael Moore is not an Ann Coulter type (although sometimes, it sure seems that way...), but what he aims to do actually bears a lot of relevance to current social issues. Although I'm personally not a fan of his documentary work (I couldn't come to terms with some of the ethical issues he has overlooked in his films), I've heard some pretty amazing things about Sicko. Even though his tactics are brash, he is at least making an effort in revealing the disturbing nature of privatized health care. The way in which he reveals these truths may be flashy, but at least these are real problems that need to be discussed in a public forum...I myself am looking forward to seeing the film.
posted by vespertine @ 10:04 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I've seen the first 1/2 of Sicko and it made me glad to be back on Canadian soil. I liked it for the information that it presented and the unspoken truth behind the US healthcare system. I don't mind his style because when people are indoctrinated/numbed into a way of thinking, maybe a jarring 'in your face' is the only thing left. Whether you like Moore or not, at least he has arguments/facts whereas Coulter just calls people names. As a student, I had to pay over $4K to be covered for the 9 months that I was in the States! US healthcare insurance companies are $$ grabbing corporate predators.
I like Moore too and I agree with your comments. I think it's funny that he's been called a "liar" who "misrepresents the facts" by the American right wing when none of them have ever taken him up on his offer of $10000 to anyone who can find a factual error in Farenheit 9/11.
Now where can I find a copy of Sicko...
i think it's important to have people like moore
at least he gets the conversation going
remember how health care was on the tip of bush administration's tongue when he first got elected?
it's not even an issue anymore
i would go see sicko
but i think he may be inclined to oversimplify the good examples (ie. canada)
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