Documentary Notes

How America works.

Requiem for the American Dream (2015)

"Through interviews filmed over four years, Chomsky unpacks the principles that have brought us to the crossroads of historically unprecedented inequality - tracing a half century of policies designed to favor the most wealthy at the expense of the majority."


Money runs politics

Wealth -> fund political parties  -> influence legislature: tax loopholes, corporate oversight, -> higher wealth

Adam Smith: the principal architects of policy are the people who own the society. They make sure that their own interests are very well cared for, however grievous the impact on the people of England or others.

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Comments:

Selfishness feeds into corporate endorsed inequality

People are selfish. They want to benefit themselves, inconsiderate of the burden that action places on others. They are unwilling to inconvenience themselves, regardless of how much it inconveniences others. Why don't you just use the trash can, right there? Let the retail employee throw away my Starbucks, that's their job.

Chomsky later points out, this is not by our inherent nature or by accident. The corporations want Americans to be selfish, to look out for their own interests, not to be united and supportive of one another. Because that keeps the larger population from organizing, sharing their resources and taking power back from the elite few.

My father would point out over dinner how TV commercials glorify the negative tendencies of people. Selfishness, greed, making fun of people. A candy that is so tasty, you want all of it for yourself and refuse to share: Twix, two for me - none for you! Another commercial tells you to subscribe to premium cable so you can talk about shows at the office, and leave the awkward guy out. Don't be that guy!

This was not typical of advertising from his day in China - those would simply boast how great a product is, this style of mockery is distinctly American. This is the corporate culture being indoctrinated into our brains. We want to feel good at the expense of others, not by making others feel better. It is a message to keep us divided and in competition with one another! Because when consumers compete, corporations win.

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