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I went into the film a little anti Moore - the Oscars comment being one, and the in my opinion erroneous sociological assessment of Germany being the other.
But I walked away with respect.
Although - as I said to my American friends, who I watched it with, who became full of self loathing after watching it - America has done much good on the planet as well as bad. Moore painted a very bleak picture, which was making a point, but wasn't painting the whole picture. Americans, like all of us, should feel a balance of pride and shame with their country, not exclusively one or the other. Certainly that is how I feel about Australia. Shame for the mistakes and horrors and problems, and pride in the strengths and achievements.
That's how I feel as an individual. I seek to fix the character areas I am inadquate, deficient and mistake ridden in, but have self pride in the things I'm strong and beneficial in.
Why does America have 11,000 gun related deaths each year? I feel it is a combination of all those reasons, some more, some less. People often look for a convenient simple reason, for a simple solution.
To blame for Columbine:
1. Guns. No guns, no massacre pure and simple.
2. Kmart bullets - If bullets cost $5,000 as Chris Rock joked, we would indeed have less murders
3. Fear - huge. Moores doco makes this point adequately
4. Social attitudes re. self seeking rather than social support. Again Moores doco highlights the diff. between Canada and say Australias social health care, and what that does to a societies mental regard for itself. I think America could go a long way towards caring for those less fortunate, and this would erase many social ills.
5. Violent past. A nation forged by revolution, civil war and conquest of indiginous peoples has violence as it's foundational success value. Canada was not forged through revolution and had no civil war. Nazism for another example, was in my mind, a result of the centuries of defensiveness and zero natural boundarys for Germany, as well as a reaction against the social instability... (I'll stop there.. you could write a book on the reasons for Nazism)
6. Artistic influence. Manson in my mind shirked his power and responsibility as an artist shaping culture. Moore compared them listening to Manson with Bowling, but the two are totally different. Music is a language. Music is communication. You can radically change moods listening to music in ways you don't playing a sport. You receive the intent of the communicator - even if you then reject it.
I'm not suggesting censorship, but an artist should self censor, and be aware of the power of the medium they use. If you create mood depressing music that encourages suicide, the odds that someone already on a low hitting an even lower plunge are quite likely.
7. Desensitisation to violence in media. Other nations may watch American films, but we watch them viewing the country from afar. It;s like watching a scifi film. A world away. I've found films make som much more sense living here, and seem much more real world. Violence in an American film seemed more fictional to me living outside, and more real living inside.
8.Computer games reward violent resolution to problems. Whether our beloved Bladurs gate/Morrowind etc, to street fighter, you cannot succeed without violence.
A truly good character is impossible in Baldurs gate. A truly good character would be nonviolent. Finding a nonviolent solution, or dying instead. This is impossible in the game, You simply can't complete it, yet people are given the illusion that "Lawful Good" characters are justified in killing a person.
Anyhow... there are some thoughts. No one reason stands out to me, rather I see a combination.
How would you solve this problem?
I would ban all guns except the types of slow loading guns around when the founding fathers made the constitution. I'd tax ammunition so it was prohibitively expensive - especially for semis and automatics.
I'd educate artists and computer game designers on the power of influence and suggestion so they are more aware and responsible for what they communicate.
I'd bring in immediate health care and welfare programs AT THE EXPENSE of the ridiculously high defense budget. Who is America fighting?
I'd be putting a serious onus on news and media to present balanced news, not "Bad news if it snows" or the whole emphasis on covering violent crime. Not sure how to change an entire medias practices.... as long as the dollar drives the industry and they people are baying for blood....
What are your thoughts?
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