This weekend I went to the AFI Film Festival in Dallas where the film Battle in Seattle was screened. This was a political film about activist protesting the WTO in Seattle and the corporate injustices. That alone is enough to make my eyes roll. Still, despite the fact that it was the same ol’ stale whine from Hollywood, I think there was an attempt at fairness on the issues. After the screening there was a panel discussion with writer/director Stuart Townsend, actor Martin Henderson, and actresses Charlize Theron and Michelle Rodriguez.
One of the comments Stuart Townsend made regarding his inspiration for the film was the imbalance between those that go hungry and those that make billions of dollars. Disclaimer: I am not saying that people should be rich at the expense of others in need. You should fight injustices of the world. There are problems and, yes evils, to combat within corporations. However, I find it ironic that here sits a guy from Hollywood dating and living with Charlize Theron. While I do not personally know her salary I am guessing that as an Academy Award Winning ® working actress she makes pretty damn good money…millions…being an ACTOR! It isn’t that acting and filmmaking aren’t worthy professions. They are and I went to college to pursue such things. If you make .85 cents on every movie ticket sold and that turns into millions then that is the nature of your business and money you rightfully earned. But taking that into consideration, please spare me the lecture on wealth distribution. Filmmaking is an effort to communicate truths and inform mass groups of people and that it is an outrageously expensive endeavor. You know what is even more expensive? Drilling and refining oil so that the world can keep production going in order for millions of people to have and keep their jobs and, therefore eat and live. The irony continued as people applauded how bad corporations are as they took pictures of the Hollywood stars from their iPhone.
Oh and p.s. Thanks Target for sponsoring this event.
Charlize Theron being smart said, “We are not anti-corporation just pro responsible corporation.” How can a corporation be evil or irresponsible? A corporation is nothing apart from the people who make up that corporation so evil or irresponsible ultimately lies within an individual. So to answer the film’s question…apparently an individual CAN make a difference…whether good or bad. This brings me to my final point. Michelle Rodriguez was actually very well spoken when answering questions from the audience regarding film content and the research of her character. At the end she is telling us about a funny moment when she was in jail (for a DUI). At that moment she negated anything she had previously said. Don’t talk to me about corporate irresponsibility (which as I just stated is individual irresponsibility) when you just nonchalantly and jokingly refer to your own lack of personal responsibility when getting behind the wheel and putting yourself and countless others in danger with your negligent choice.
And ask yourself where you would be and what state the world would be WITHOUT corporations. Keep this in mind and, at least, be willing to acknowledge your own hypocrisy from time to time.
I think it is so interesting that the same people who are opposed to any sort of Christian value/moral being “shoved down their throat” expect Christian behavior out of others. Giving to the poor/needy is a very Christian idea, but people who are very opposed to any public display of Christianity spout off ideals like that – scream “separation of church and state!” and in the next breath expect the state to act like a church.