Yesterday during our online class I briefly spoke about my goals for you in the Current Event component of the class. I'll post a summary of those goals at a later point, but I was surprised when I mentioned the Occupy Wallstreet movement in relation to the First Ammendment and no one had even heard of it. I hope that you take the time this week to find out what is going on in this movement. Take a look at their demands HERE.
Early this morning I watched a documentary film called 'The One Percent'. (This is available as an Instant Play selection on NetFlix.) It is not in any way I don't think a part of the Occupy Wallstreet protests - it was released in 2006. It was made by a grandson of the Johnson and Johnson corporation as he is grappling with being from one of the wealthiest families in our nation and yet he sees the disparity between the wealthy and the poor and realizes that he's a part of that. I don't know that this film presents any clear answers and I think that's why I like it. It causes one to ask questions and to struggle with what are the right questions? There are viewpoints in this film that I clearly disagree with, there are one maybe two viewpoints in this film that I find I do agree with, but that's not the point really. I like it because it's not propoganda - someone else telling us what we should think - I like it because it's a painful portrayal that puts us face to face with a struggle in our nation and forces us to think about what we believe. I also like it because of it's relation to a conversation we were having just this week.
This week we were talking about the struggle that John Adams had in the first congress and what his role in the government was going to be as Vice President. We talked a bit about why others felt he was making an argument for aristocracy and why America and Americans were so opposed to the idea of aristocracy. This film talks about aristocracy, and one of the questions we might ask is, is the idea of aristocracy still a repugnant idea in America?
This film plays into our economic discussions as well. We will talk more about free markets and more about the differences between capitalism and socialism. There is a reference in this film to 'Progressivism'. That is an idea that we will begin next year with - as we look at Roosevelt's 'New Deal'. I'm still struggling to figure out exactly what it means and what the implications of it are.
If you do watch it (and I hope you will) keep in mind it's POV (point of view) - who it was made by, why it was made, and what do you think he's trying to accomplish. Do you think he answered any of his own questions - how is it going to change how he lives his life? There are several men in this film that he could use as role models (sons born into wealthy corporations) - who do you think a good one might be? Does it change how you view your future at all? What's the goal of your education? What's the responsibility of being a Christian in America?
You could look at the drastic contrast between this film and his life and choices with those of this young girl who has written a book that has been on the NY Times Best Seller list for 12 weeks now:
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