He's that big guy who always a darn cap and goes around getting himself thrown outta buildings in America while trying to reveal evil conspiracies and stuffs . . .
Anyway I just want to run a little survey 'cause yeah . . . I'm curious!
Found out about Moore last year in my Philosophy class because we watched Bowling for Columbine and the other one on 9/11 which I can't remember the name of because there are way to many different names of 9/11 documentries and movies running through my head to remember which one is thr right one. Anyway . . . I also rented out the 2 seasons of his TV show The Awful Truth which me and my friend watched and personally we both think he is awsome and so does basically everyone else we are friends with and were in our Philosphy class.
However, my friend had gone on an exchange to America in January and she brought his name up a few times and was glared at like she was some sort of Satan worshiper or something horrid like that. So yeah and everything else I have heard is that basically 90% of American's hate him so . . . to all you American folks on here. Do you??
If so why . . .? It confuses me I guess . . .
I hate him, even though technically we're on the same end of the political spectrum. He tries to point out conspiracies and such, and many of the points he makes are, in fact, valid. However, he throws in so much sensationalism (not to mention directing techniques which make implications above and beyond the actual facts) that I find him no better than the people he's opposing.
I'm all for looking at the facts and calling people on their bull$***. However, let's at least try to be adult about it so that perhaps we can come to some solutions instead having a back-and-forth name calling fest all day long.
In an argument, being right isn't everything. You also have to present yourself and your information in such a way that ultimately something constructive can be taken from it. Aiming solely for knee-jerk reactions is an insult to the spirit of freedom, whether it's done by those in power to bolster support or by the underdog to break-up that support.
I will admit that when I first saw his work I thought it was fantastic. It wasn't until I actually started to look at the facts for myself that I realized how full of his own garbage Moore actually is. If Moore's only point is to make people take a look at things for themselves, then perhaps he makes an alright entry point -arousing an interest in things usually ignored. However, he presents himself as if he is indeed telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth... which is a complete lie. It is absolutely impossible for the two opposing sides of any argument to have a meaningful debate with the tone that Moore uses. Repeating his arguments as he presents them is actually detrimental to the process of moving forward more often than it is helpful.
While at one time I would have been shocked with the response your friend received to the name Michael Moore, I now understand it completely. The best advice I can give to anyone finding themselves in that situation is to take the questions Moore raises and search for the answers yourself. Take a careful look at how much of what you find so compelling is the actual facts, and how much of it is the implications that he's making through his visual imagery. Moore toes the line of fundamentalism (sometimes outright crossing over), and left-wing fundamentalism is just as dangerous as right-wing fundamentalism, even though its always harder to recognize it for what it is when its on your own end of the political spectrum.
I have never heard of Michael moore and i live in America... What does he do?
Yeah, I live some where in the US too, and I couldn't pick him out in a crowd of one. I have heard his name befor. Or maybe I am just putin' two compleatly diffrent peoples names together. Who knows! ;)