How do you feel about economic exploitation & imperialistic BS?

[JanMichael]

Darwin's Nightmare and John Pilger's War on Democracy are both fine films that show the disgusting nature of globalization, destabilization and economic exploitation.

I should add that the first film shows the screwing over of Tanzanians so Europeans can get cheap fish and the second in a detailed description of US meddling in South America including Venezuela (2002) and Chile (1973).

This is what Western European and American lifestyles and economic prosperity are based on; what they are built upon and what maintains them. It sucks (and therefore something else sucks) and after watching these films I can't see how anybody could see it differently other than a rabid right wing loon.

[PDJane]

1. I've been a fan of Pilger's for a long time........

And I agree.

[BlooInBloo]

2. Dude - why do you hate America?

[JanMichael]

4. Hmmm. Rhetorical question?

Or other?

[BlooInBloo]

5. it's funny, see, because America is BUILT upon the exploitation of others.

[JanMichael]

6. Agreed.

And it needs to be stopped.

[Union Thug]

3. Haven't seen Darwin's Nightmare, but Pilger is spot on.

Required viewing.

[SmokingJacket]

7. Naomi Klein's book , Shock Doctrine: The rise of disaster capitalism

in incredible. Actually, it made me wonder if we're ever, every going to turn this ship around. The moneyed few now have SO MUCH of the world's assets, they can basically do what they want. Democracy is no match for MEGABUCKS.

[Fredda Weinberg]

8. This is silly. Life sucks ... industrialization can be managed

And in the US, history shows it has been. We've just elected a Dem congress that promptly increased the minimum wage ... if you don't take heart from that, there's something wrong with your info feed.

There's nothing romantic about manual agriculture; if you've never done it, don't glorify it. This is the first time in human history when we have more food than we need - the economic problem has changed from distribution of scarce resources to one of political equations. A few years of college level math should give you the skills to follow trends.

I've gotten to know too many despairing journalists - academics can be more inspiring.

[JanMichael]

10. There's something wrong with your ignoring of exploitation.

And the minimum wage hike means shit at the level its at.

Get over it yourself.

Did Mr. Palast ask you to act this way or are you a free agent now?

[Fredda Weinberg]

11. Accepting is not ignoring - it's the first step to constructive response n/t

[JanMichael]

12. There's nothing constructive about what's happened in Tanzania.

Period. Starvation, prostitution, homelessness, arms dealing and murder. All relatively "bad" things.

There's nothing constructive about the media assault on Venezuela either. Nor have Democratic led US governments been much better than Republican led governments in terms of imperialistic murder and mayhem. The point is that our standard of living is propped up on the backs of the rest of the world.

These things have been going on for centuries and continue unabated.

Also I should add that I have plenty of university math and knowledge to begin a thesis on this shit if you'd like. No, if I'd like, and I don't. It's late. Good night.

[Fredda Weinberg]

13. I disagree with 'continue unabated' and make no apology for

starting locally. I've done what I can when I could for international causes - once the right people were put in touch with each other, I didn't have a continuing role, nor should I.

Here we are, organizing ourselves and debating serious issues ... how can I dismiss my time here? This ain't the lounge. We're not going to change what's been going on for centuries overnight but we can make an intelligent contribution to the solution. Let's apply our engineering skills - rocket science ain't that hard - and alter the trajectory of human nature by applying pressure to leverage points.

Thanks for the polite conversation and seriously, I hope it continues.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

9. Those who live by exploitation shall inevitably suffer the consequences

of it. Nations who don't agree with shock and awe and I'll bomb you first cuz I think you might be planning the same shall surely get what's coming to them. Many already have.