Capitalism: A Love Story?

[Mannimarco]

I watched Capitalism: A Love Story yesterday. I think it's the most blatantly communist film I've ever seen that made it to mainstream media. Hell, when the credits roll, there's even the internationale playing in the background.

What do you guys think?

[mo7amEd]

I think it has been discussed... anyhow I kind of almost liked it.

Doesn't make any sense though, he is against capitalism or not? Obviously no, he only wants to regulate it. He supported Obama, and that says alot about him.

[VeganLiz]

I haven't seen this yet...I guess I will consider watching it but I just am not a fan of Michael Moore. It's not even his politics...it's him, as a person that I struggle with. It seems like I have a harder and harder time stomaching political pundits.

[Catillina]

Well he argues for a "socialist" system like in Europe. Well comparing to the USA Europe seems Socialist, but its still Capitalism.

[¿Que?]

http://larrykinglive.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/14/in-case-you-missed-it-michael-moore/

Moore on Larry King recently. The comments section does not require registration (but is moderated) hint hint...

[RedLeft]

Well he argues for a "socialist" system like in Europe. Well comparing to the USA Europe seems Socialist, but its still Capitalism.

I agree. I enjoyed Capitalism: A Love Story very much. While it does help to expose the evils of capitalism and the current system (specifically in the US), it doesn't seem like he is for abolishing the capitalist system completely. Or at least he won't come out and say it directly.

If you enjoyed it though, you would probably enjoy SiCKO as well. It is a Michael Moore film about the American health care system in comparison to other systems, such as those of Cuba and France.

[Apoi_Viitor]

Honestly, I felt that Capitalism: A Love Story was an awful movie. When I first watched it, I remember thinking that 'the facts' it presented were either incorrect, or very weak - plus, near the end of the movie, Michael Moore ridiculously champions Obama as some sort of "People's Candidate".... Not only that, but I remember the movie was mainly reliant upon a few emotional stories - and as I said before, the few facts it presented, were either incorrect or weak.

[Nuvem]

It's definitely an appeal to populism and not to intellectuals. That's why it uses a few emotional cases and such.

M. Moore is a strange case, drifting somewhere between left-liberal and left-social democrat. Either way, the film certainly wasn't the ideal Leftist appeal to the masses, just a nice emotional nudge in the right direction for people with little knowledge of Leftist politics. "Planting the seed" of sympathy for the working class, in a sense. Still, its support of Obama is frustrating. In any case you won't see blatantly Leftist-sympathetic material on the silver screen any time in the near future in America- not anything that accurately and truly depicts our intentions, anyway.

[RedLeft]

It's definitely an appeal to populism and not to intellectuals. That's why it uses a few emotional cases and such.

M. Moore is a strange case, drifting somewhere between left-liberal and left-social democrat. Either way, the film certainly wasn't the ideal Leftist appeal to the masses, just a nice emotional nudge in the right direction for people with little knowledge of Leftist politics. "Planting the seed" of sympathy for the working class, in a sense. Still, its support of Obama is frustrating. In any case you won't see blatantly Leftist-sympathetic material on the silver screen any time in the near future in America- not anything that accurately and truly depicts our intentions, anyway.

I agree with this two. While it may not be an "appeal to intellectuals", I still think that it was conveying an accurate message. Even if it was doing it in an "appeal to populism" sort of way.

[Jazzhands]

If you enjoyed it though, you would probably enjoy SiCKO as well. It is a Michael Moore film about the American health care system in comparison to other systems, such as those of Cuba and France.

Sicko is genuinely a much better movie. The statistics are more reliable, the facts aren't as convoluted/weak, and the actual case being made is more clear. You can find the whole thing on youtube. THANK GOD FOR THE INTERNET.

[WeAreReborn]

I thought a few facts were somewhat strong but overall yeah it is weak. And Communist? How is that? I never heard him supporting workers and equality and freedom for all. All he does is support Obama and makes him out to be the savior of mankind.

[MellowViper]

I think it has been discussed... anyhow I kind of almost liked it.

Doesn't make any sense though, he is against capitalism or not? Obviously no, he only wants to regulate it. He supported Obama, and that says alot about him.

He discussed workplace democracy and worker owned cooperatives as an alternative to capitalism, so I think he's more left leaning than your typical, social democrat.

[MellowViper]

I thought a few facts were somewhat strong but overall yeah it is weak. And Communist? How is that? I never heard him supporting workers and equality and freedom for all. All he does is support Obama and makes him out to be the savior of mankind.

He didn't exactly do that. In the movie, he noted how popular Obama was with the left. He also pointed out that citigroup and all these bankers threw money at his campaign to try to counteract the leftist supporters from Obama's campaign and kept it an open questions as to whether he was going to side with his working class supporters or big business once his term in office panned out. It was a very brief part of the film.

[Blackscare]

He's a rich liberal indulging in the light use of communist imagery to critique the more unsavory elements of capitalism. In the end he still winds up basically licking Obama's boots. He does make some decent points in the film, but hey, even a blind squirrel finds a nut from time to time.

Certainly not communist.

[Blackscare]

He discussed workplace democracy and worker owned cooperatives as an alternative to capitalism, so I think he's more left leaning than your typical, social democrat.


He talked about the relative merits of such methods, but never asserted that capitalism could or should be replaced by them (not that either of those things are inherently socialist, especially the latter).


This is the problem with liberals, they make vague critiques, cede that capitalism has it's evils or is even predominantly evil, but fail to take these points to their logical ends because they are scared.

[RadioRaheem84]

It's a start.

[bcbm]

i remember liking it, but i was also almost blacked out drunk when i watched it

[Sosa]

I loved it when I saw it. I even bought it. It was the movie that really got me into more radical leftist ideas. Before I saw the movie I would say I was more of a democratic socialist...afterwards I was a full-fledge socialist. So dont underestimate what it can do to the majority of the people. My criticism is that he doesn't really give any concrete ideas or alternatives to capitalism, but its great at pointing out its flaws in an easy to understand format for regular people.

After the movie, some old folks sitting behind me were actually talking about socialism and how they were raised to think of it as evil and that this got them curious into looking more into it..this is in a right wing city too!

[The Vegan Marxist]

Moore knows what socialism is, & he's actually become quite pro-Socialist lately. Though, he embraces it in a very odd way:

neyMdjrbM18

[mykittyhasaboner]

^How does that video, in anyway, demonstrate that Moore knows what 'socialism' is?

It was just bad populist rhetoric. If anything it demonstrates that Moore is pretty confused as to "what" socialism is.

About the film itself, the main problem with it is that it lacks a wider perspective. Only those familiar with the peculiarities of the US have anything to gain from it, and it's presentation of facts and history is deeply flawed. Also, I think his dry sense of humor fails to get any point across, this is just my opinion though. The entire film was a wasted opportunity. Instead of a "start" towards a critique of capitalism, we got a poor history lesson and some kind of populist appeal towards Obama.

[Amphictyonis]

Honestly, I felt that Capitalism: A Love Story was an awful movie. When I first watched it, I remember thinking that 'the facts' it presented were either incorrect, or very weak - plus, near the end of the movie, Michael Moore ridiculously champions Obama as some sort of "People's Candidate".... Not only that, but I remember the movie was mainly reliant upon a few emotional stories - and as I said before, the few facts it presented, were either incorrect or weak.

He mounted some lame half ass attack on Goldman Sachs then turned around and praised the political Goldman Sachs put in power. Micheal Moore is a fucking idiot.

[Cirno(9)]

I honest to god thought that his presentation of Obama as some people's champion was an ironic gesture that would then be countered by showing how pro-business and hawkish he is.