Capitalism: A Love Story

[Good Gloria]

Capitalism: A Love Story
by Michael Moore


Your thoughts, or opinion, or debate........


Capitalism: A Love Story
A film I saw last night that educated, informed, and entertained me.

gg

 

[mimi]

I have to see it. I did see some prequel trailers in another show discussing the problem with our current system...very interesting.

 

[Big Dog Striker]

Capitalism is not perfect as the said movie would prove but I'd choose it over its alternative anytime of day. Besides, its the only political system that gives you that the real opportunity to climb the hierarchy of needs. Look at Chris Gardner in that " Pursuit of Happyness " movie.

The movie gives its viewers a better understanding of what happened in Wall Street ( i.e sub-prime mess, etc. ) and the corporate greed that goes with it. However, companies might have fallen and the players and the laws have changed but the game remains. All the players did was to adopt. As long as Capitalism exists, there's always survival of the fittest and greed.

The next game will be the environment. Obama recently approved a stimulus of US$ 70 Billion for clean technology. The next big thing or market will be carbon credits. It's presently a US$ 100 Billion market which is expected to be US$ 700 Billion by 2013 and a trillion bucks in a decade. In 5 years, every investment bank, securities firm, accounting firm will be heavily involved in this. The US presently needs to buy 2 Billion carbon credits to cover their shortage. Even Apple will be buying 10 Million carbon credits every year to offset their emissions. Even when people travel in the future, they will have to pay for the emissions of their flight by buying carbon credits. Just observed what happens to the next Kyoto Protocol in Copenhagen. In a few years time, you will see your financial advisers talking like Al Gore. That's the great thing about capitalism, there will always be an opportunity to climb the hierarchy ladder. Who dares wins.

 

[Krustee]

I have to see it. I did see some prequel trailers in another show discussing the problem with our current system...very interesting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Moore_Hates_America

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[Muffdiver69]

i am waiting for him to donate all the profits from this these movies
(sicko and captitalism) to the folks who do not have health care. ;-)

 

[leelee]

It was just fabulous

I just got home from watching Capitalism and I just loved it.

This movie is really good about explaining the financial system and its implications on everyday people.

For anyone who has seen it, I can't get over the "dead peasants" insurance polices that corporations take out on their employees as a form of investment return...scary.

This movie is highly recommended!

 

[bcneil]

I hate Michael Moore. He's a fat hypocritical bastard. This movie is tanking, worst opening ever for a Michael Moore movie. He's all about ambush journalism and nothing about facts or accountability.

I have to agree. Sicko was the best. A 400 pound man upset that healthcare costs too much

His comparisons on things like life expectancy between Americans and Cubans was funny.
The average Cuban is twice as physically active as the average American.
The average Cuban has a very healthy diet of fruit, veggies, fish and chicken.
Thats why they live longer.

 

[chilli]

I hate Michael Moore. He's a fat hypocritical bastard. This movie is tanking, worst opening ever for a Michael Moore movie. He's all about ambush journalism and nothing about facts or accountability.

And your facts are better?

Let's see them.

Are you saying the current system is accountable?

To who?

Seems to me you really have no clue what you are really talking about.

 

[chilli]

I'm not sure why Moore picked the title "Capitalism..." when I think most people would agree the real problem is greed.

It shows a certain amount of bias and ignorance.

Words are important, especially used in this context.

But I do agree with the overall message of the film.

And I do admire someone who has the "balls" to go after the big guns and tell the "other side" of the story.

 

[greatshark]

I work with a bunch of socialists, so I'm in constant debate with them on this issue. I can appreciate the arguments for and against capitalism and socialism. However, I'd give a significant edge to capitalism as it does result in a more productive society. The technological, medical and pharmaceutical advancements can be attributed to this system that is more than capable of self regulating itself.

I'm not going to sit here and write an essay on how it does so, but I will state that in a true capitalistic economy, the greed we are witnessing today would not happen. That's because you'd have to base your monetary system under the "Gold Standard". You must understand that although the U.S is a free market, it is highly controlled and manipulated by government and private bankers (The Fed) who permit themselves to print unlimited amounts of currency, thus disrupting free market economics. That's where the greed starts and that's how the average middle class citizen is harmed. The rich get richer (ie. private bankers, big investors), and the middle class get poorer and poorer due to currency inflation and all the excess debt created in the process.

The Gold Standard LIMITS currency and thus LIMITS greed which provides the free market more of a chance to self regulate itself based on interest rates and the freedom to succeed and fail.

I hope you can appreciate that I've only provided a simplistic example within a complex system. Having said that, the "Gold Standard" is vital for the survival of a true free market system.

I wonder if Michael Moore touched upon this important point.

My colleagues give me the sarcastic eyes each time we discuss this issue. I'm going to be very annoyed if anybody here gives me the sarcastic eyes. I HATE the sarcastic eyes.


Topper

I believe in the " Gold Standard ", and I don't think we should have gotten away from it.

But, the lack of a "Gold Standard" is not what led to our current economic crisis. It was due to systematic de-regualation of financial sector and its instruments, which has happening slowly since Regan. Much of the de-regulation took place acutally under Bill Clinton, who foolishly believed in Greenspan's ideology of Milton Freeman's free market capitalism, with the only check being an invisible hand that would supposedly stop corporations and individuals from greed and acting in a selfish self-interest.

Well we seen what happened last year, and fortunately it looks like we will recover without a depression.

Recall, the stock market crash of 1929 which led to the Great Depression of the 1930's (only ended because Governments spend and employed people for the 2nd World War) - the Gold Standard was in place. It was because of this, markets became regulated, yet over the last 20+ years, Governments to the whim of big business, have allowed many of these safeguards to be removed, in order to allow these corporations to "self-regulate" themselves.

History repeats itself once again.

 

[HankQuinlan]

I just saw it today. Love Michael Moore or hate him, point out the exaggerations and emotionalism he uses to make his points, no thinking person can deny that his points have validity....and that it is one of the few places you get a broader perspective on what is happening.

I also learned a few things. Never heard of FDR's second "Bill of Rights."

I did think he was a little easy on Obama, though. Although he implied that nothing much has changed in the system under Obama, and showed the campaign funds he was getting from Wall Street (and how he was co-opted, it would have made a nice balance if he had shown Obama swearing in Geithner, and pointing out explicitly that Goldman Sachs was still in charge of the economy.

 

[Big Dog Striker]

Goldman Sachs

The movie just goes to show that Goldman Sachs is still in charge of the American economy. As they've been doing for the last few decades. The billions Warren Buffet invested in Goldman Sachs late last year is now reaping profits. Christmas in October for Goldman.

 

[TheGuy]

I hate Michael Moore. He's a fat hypocritical bastard. This movie is tanking, worst opening ever for a Michael Moore movie. He's all about ambush journalism and nothing about facts or accountability.

Well, I don't hate him - I think he is entertaining - but he is fat and clearly represents what is wrong with America. No discipline and blame others when things go wrong.

Sure the bankers are like drug dealers but who was buying the drugs?

Everyone should read Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged!

 

[MaxBoner]

A Gold Standard that can be repealed at any time may be better to fight inflation. A pure Gold Standard will not work ; reference Great Depression.

 

[Shakerod]

Satire is the way Michael Moore gets his point across to the public in his movies, he exaggerates a fair bit, but so what, every producer does that from time to time. His movies are always thought provoking and bring up a lot of good points about the history of the U.S. that people don't know about, or choose to ignore.

I thought the beginning of the movie, when he compares the present U.S.system to the old Roman Empire was classic Moore. Although I don't believe capitalism is the biggest problem in America, it is their corrupt unregulated banking system that needs to be fixed.