michael moore
You either love him or hate him, right?
Yes, he is sensationalistic. But damn, he speaks truth to power. (Have you seen the Oscars clip yet? It gives me the shivers: check it out. )
For me, Michael Moore raises a fundamental and fascinating paradox of social activism in the United States.
It's the same conflict that is at the heart of 2004 presidential elections. On one side of the ticket, we have a candidate who sees the world in black and white, whose followers praise the simplicity of his values. For George W. Bush, global leadership is as straightforward as a lightswitch. On the other side of the ticket, we have a candidate who is a champion of nuance. John Kerry's map of the world is three-dimensional because he carefully draws his lines after observing the road ahead from diverse perspectives. The news media repeatedly cites Kerry's complex and often-qualified statements in stark contrast to his opponent's simple and charming one-liners. In a culture of instant gratification, do the majority of Americans have the patience for nuance or complexity?
Michael's Moore's oeuvre offers a challenging response to that question. Moore's films are commercially successful, a rare accomplishment in the documentary medium. There is no doubt that the success of Moore's films is partly due to their accessibility and entertainment value. He appeals to our voyeurism by granting us access to worlds that exist behind closed doors. He disarms us by making us laugh. Michael Moore addresses complex questions in plain language. He's a good storyteller. Maybe someone should hire him to write speeches for democratic candidates. Or should they?
What happens when activism becomes a commodity in consumer culture? What does it mean to use your oppressor's weapons in the battle for justice? Will activism ever be successful on a mass scale if it is not entertaining? If activism is reduced to entertainment, how does that affect the causes we're fighting for? If you have to make your issues seem black and white in order to get people to pay attention, what happens in the gray area?
