AGREE? DISAGREE?
___ 1)General Motors Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) ROGER SMITH is a heartless “jerk”, the “villain” in a tragic story of needless, human suffering he imposed upon abused, “exploited”, then laid-off G.M. workers. Briefly explain:
___ 2)MICHAEL MOORE is a stupid, obnoxious “jerk”, a “REBEL without a CLUE” (of “reality”).
Moore IGNORES economic REALITIES.
First, business is subject to the law of SUPPLY and DEMAND.
If less customers demand (buy) cars, a business needs to cut the supply of cars made.
For many years (even today?), General Motors management did not design cars people wanted to buy.
The quality of cars made by workers were inferior to competitors. (e.g. Japanese cars)
Moore “SCAPEGOATS” Roger Smith for G.M.’s systematic and long-term problems. (G.M. was recently “bailed out” by taxpayers at a cost of $9-10 BILLION dollars.)
Second, “destruction” is part of the “production” process.
Tragically, elimination of the unproductive (e.g. workers) is sometimes necessary for future survival and “re-birth”.
Third, a business does not “owe” anybody a job.
We have the right to pursue our own “happiness”, not have it provided by another.
Briefly explain:
___3)Moore portrays Roger Smith and “the rich” for the careless, clueless and cruel people they are.
They enjoy the BENEFITS of “the good life” while the workers bear the BURDENS of EXPLOITATION and MISERY.
These rich people have no sense of “SOCIAL JUSTICE”.
___4)Moore unjustly DEMON-izes “the rich”.
Moore is the “master” of class warfare – (us vs. them”), which brings division, deception, dysfunction, destruction and “dystopia”.
Roger Smith becomes a stereotype, cartoon caricature of being an evil man with no humanity or conscience.
A corporation and its shareholders should be allowed to pay an executive however much they think they are worth.
Is paying Smith tens of millions worth it if G.M.make hundreds of millions or billions?
Profits take the “selfishness” and “interests” (the “invisible hand”) of individuals (“alienation”) and turn it something that benefits everyone involved (“altruism”) – owners, workers and the nearby community. Briefly explain
___5)Roger Smith and General Motors are corporate “parasites” who “exploit” their workers.
The “rich” do not do much to earn their money.
This corporate greed is cruel, inhumane and irresponsible, exhibiting no sense of “social justice” to the community they “inhabit, use, oppress and exploit”.
“The SYSTEM” is a cruel but serious joke that does NOT work.
Briefly explain
___6)Roger Smith and General Motors do not “owe” anybody, including its workers and the Flint community.
The profits they earndo far more to benefitmore people (jobs, taxes, philanthropy) than they do to hurtsociety. (lay-offs)
The capitalist “system” is not perfect, (the word “utopia” literally means “nowhere”) but it worksfor most Explain
___7)”Rabbit Lady” is a sad victim of society, forced to live like an “animal” in the cold, cruel world of “nature” and “The Jungle”. (the strong “survive”; the weak do not)
The “truth” or “reality” of life is that rabbits are both pets and/ormeat.
She was a victim of government “harassment”. Briefly explain
___8)”Rabbit Lady” is a strange, cruelperson that “victim-izes” rabbits. She is a selfish, sadistic menace to society that government rightly sought to “regulate”. Explain
___9)Moore brilliantly uses Christmas celebrationsin juxtaposition to the sadness, misery, suffering and despair that many people experience during this time.
Roger Smithis the cruel and clueless “SCROOGE” making a mockery out of Christmas.
The jobless have no opportunity to “celebrate” or pursue their happiness. Briefly explain
___10)Michael Moore is a confused “kill-joy”and “SCROOGE” who does not “get’ Christmas.
It is a time and joy and celebration for untold millions. He seems to want to portray Christmas as a time of shame, guilt and misery.
Moore seems to think Roger Smith and “the rich” are obligated to play “Santa Claus” to the less fortunate.
There is no Santa Claus that can magically provide for everybody’s “happiness.” Briefly explain
__11)Michael Moore shows “the rich” to be generally cruel and clueless to the plight of “the poor”.
They destruction,“chaos” and economic inequalities (“have nots”) caused by factories, mass production and the Industrial Revolution. Explain
___12)The Industrial Revolution did/does bring chaos.
However, a long-term historical truth is that it has brought untold millions OUT of poverty, creating a world-wide “middle class”.
The Industrial Revolution’s benefits have far outweighed the burdens. Explain
___13)Michael Moore is a brilliant, successful crusader against the rich against the “underdogs” and “victims” of society.
Moore is a force of “good” in a world of “evil”.
Moore is an admirable, utopian “idealist”
___14)Michael Moore is a big, fat, stupid HYPOCRITE.
His personal net worth is at least $50,000,000.
He made this movie Roger and Me by raising money at Flint bingo nights and eventually sold it to Warner Brothers for $3,000,000.
Moore is a risk-taking entrepreneur who got RICH, yet DEMON-izes those who do the SAME thing.
He profit$ making cartoon-like movies that IGNORE the COMPLEX TRUTHS and REALITIES of life. Explain: