Michael Moore Can Thank Goldman Sachs for "Capitalism"

[Jackpine Radical]

The opening and closing credits to Capitalism: A Love Story, Michael Moore's latest film, reveal an ironic twist. It turns out the movie was funded by some of the very companies it bashes, Ira Stoll notes at the Future of Capitalism. Paramount Vantage, which co-produced the movie, is owned by Viacom, "on whose board sit none other than Sumner Redstone and former Bear Stearns executive Ace Greenberg, who aren't exactly socialists," Stoll writes. And New York magazine reminds us that Capitalism executive producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein had Goldman Sachs raise $1 billion for their company. At one point in the film, Moore arrives outside Goldman Sachs headquarters in a armored money-transport truck and demands that the bank return their profits to Americans. But "If Mr. Moore appreciates any of the irony here," Stoll writes, "he sure doesn't share it with viewers."

Wasn't it Lenin who said that you could count on the capitalists to sell you the rope you intended to hang them with?

[xchrom]

1. he got the message out -- regardless of who sat where --

what americans DO with that information is the point.

so far we're teabagging.


but complain as you will.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. I think it was The Economist that missed the irony

of G-S "selling the rope."

[xchrom]

5. yes -- you're right.

and i often agree with articles in the economist -- however they seem to delight in attempting to stick it to moore.

and it's aggravating.

[Frank Cannon]

3. They say that like it's a bad thing

The implication being that if one is a sponsor of a message, one should just naturally expect that the messenger won't badmouth the sponsor. That's just how it's supposed to be done in polite society.

Which is why we have a bought-and-paid-for corporate media in this country, a point that Michael Moore has made multiple times.

[rawtribe]

4. This was addressed by Moore

on yesterdays Democracy Now.

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/9/24/after_20_years_of_filmmaking_on

[ecstatic]

6. I was wondering about the irony and hypocrisy myself...

Would he be able to make his films without capitalism? :shrug:

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. He said he now has enough money to not need corporate sponsors for his next film

So I think he understands.