by Roxanne -

Why the Movie “I Am” Isn’t

I AM is the 2011 creation of film maker Tom Shadyac, “one of Hollywood’s leading comedy practitioners and the creative force behind such blockbusters as “Ace Ventura,” “Liar Liar,” “The Nutty Professor,” and “Bruce Almighty.”” Shadyac uses the film to explore two questions: what’s wrong with our world, and what can we do to make it better?

In the film a series of experts explains that everything in reality is connected and when we don’t honor that truth, things go awry.

Shadyac should stick to comedy. These questions require digging below the surface and thinking at a deeper level. The movie fails at both.

This was truly a disappointing film. I would never show this in my classroom for the following reasons:

1. The film consistently uses non-gender inclusive language. For example “mankind” vs. humankind, “men”  instead of men and women or human beings, etc. What was he thinking? Was he thinking?

2. The scientific “experts” in the film are predominantly white males with the exception of one woman and one person of color, Archbishop Desmond TuTu.

3. Positive actions are portrayed by whites. Not so for persons of color. The first clip of a person of color is someone making a negative gesture in traffic, followed by another person of color aggressively picking a fight with someone in the car ahead. Wow, just wow.

4. Systemic aspects of the issues of patriarchy, racism, sexism, or nationalism are never even mentioned, much less addressed. In fact they are subtly promoted. This is done by using white males as “experts,” Obama’s presidency as evidence that the race issue is resolved – it isn’t, or the tragedy of 9/11 as moving the dial in an experiment – but what about the more than 5,000+ women who die every year in the U.S. due to rape, abuse, violence? Why don’t their deaths move the dial?

Basically this is a “warm, fuzzy, feel good” film that stays only on the surface. The economic, educational, taxation and legal systems that continue to transfer wealth to the rich, and rich countries, and keep the poor poor – by design are never discussed or even alluded to.

“I Am” is to systemic injustice what the movie “Crash” was to racism. Individualism is subtly promoted. It is a personal, feel-good message only; if we all just love each other the world will be healed. No. It. Won’t. Systems of injustice need to be dismantled. Laws must be changed.

The viewer is never challenged to think critically about the underlying causes. Perhaps this is because the director himself, a beneficiary of patriarchy and a very privileged background, experiences unearned benefits everyday due to his sex and skin color, to say nothing of his famous father. Who would want to question that?

As you can guess – I don’t recommend this film.

Instead I recommend the film: The Human Experience. You can read why in my write up of it here.

by Roxanne -

Economy Heads Downward – Again

In the U.S.A. the housing market drives the economy. A home is by far the largest purchase most people ever make. After the home purchase is made people typically buy additional furnishings, appliances, decor, etc. All of these puchases drive the retailing industry – one of the biggest sectors in our economy. So when the housing market declines – the retailing industry goes with it, taking along with rest of the economy.

A recent article at “The Big Picture” by Barry Ritholz details two facts that indicate underlying systemic reasons why the housing market will continue to decline driving our economy further south yet again..

First he notes, “2.8 million Americans are 12 months behind or more on their mortgages.” This means almost 3 million homes will be coming onto the market from foreclosure. This will add to the current glut of homes for sale along with those waiting to go on the market (the shadow supply). Because these are foreclosed home, it also means that these same homeowners will not be able to purchase another home. No longer homeowners or buyers – they will be entering the rental market.

Second he writes, “Since 2007, 19% of all borrowers (~9 million borrowers) have gone more than 90 days delinquent on their mortgages, or have had their mortgage liquidated.” This group will not be qualified to apply for another mortgage for many years. This means that nearly one in five borrowers (since 2007) no longer qualifies for a mortgage. The pool of homebuyers has declined dramatically. Further shrinking this pool of buyers are aging baby boomers. As baby boomers age and retire, they too are no longer buyers of large, pricey homes or homes in general.

Lack of buyers will make it even more difficult for existing homeowners to sell for possible employment opportunities elsewhere – further dampening employment. The American dream of homeownership has become, for many, an experience similar to driving with your emergency brake on – grinding down the engine & tires of family assets and guzzling resources.

So a rapidly inflating housing inventory combined with a rapidly shrinking pool of buyers will force home prices to new lows – putting more home owners underwater. I can hear the brakes of the non-existent homes sales screetching as the economy teeters on the edge of yet another cliff.

Who’s most vulnerable in all of this? Those without access to government safety nets – mainly women and children.

 

by Roxanne -

What Patriarchy Looks Like Everyday

People often hear the word “patriarchy” and understand that it means ways in which men discriminate against women or have power over women. It comes from the Latin root pater arche meaning “father rules” or “men rule.” However, it is a specific way of looking at the world through the viewpoint or interests of men. Women can have a patriarchal worldview too. This is a limited view that is frequently harmful to women. Patriarchy is present in every culture worldwide.

Just such a harmful patriarchal incident occurred recently in Shanghai as reported in an article by Zhou Wenting at Asia One. The author reported that,

the municipal subway authority [posted] that “scantily clad women attract molesters”

Further the article related that many women protested against the posting, insisting that wearing different clothing wouldn’t stop the harassment. Nevertheless, the author failed to state what is actually crazy about the request for women to dress modestly in public in order to avoid being harassed by men (whatever “modestly” means because dress codes vary greatly from culture to culture and who decides?).

Here’s the problem: cautioning women to change their behavior (in this case their clothing) in order to minimize harassment or abuse by men is the dysfunctional and crazy view of patriarchy. Instead, the subway authority and the author should have protested the men who harass and abuse women – or anyone – and demand that men treat women, and all people, with respect.

A patriarchal view puts the onus on women to change and makes women responsible for the abusive behavior choices of men. As you can see, this is crazy and dysfunctional thinking. Rather, men are responsible for their own choices. When men don’t treat women with respect that is abusive. Abusive men must be held accountable.

While the article appeared in Asia One, it could have easily been published in this country. We often fail to see the crazy thinking of patriarchy too. Anytime we think that a woman behaved in a way that resulted in her harassment, abuse or rape we are succumbing to patriarchal thinking. If we think that a woman shouldn’t have been “out alone at night” or that she was “asking for it” or “provoking it” we are succumbing to patriarchal thinking.

People (both men and women) should be able to go out safely at night. There is no behavior that ever justifies harassment, abuse or rape of one person by another. Ever.

You may also like Conventional Marriage Makes Women and Children Vulnerable and Our Deepest Fear.

 

by Roxanne -

America in 1492

What do we really know about American history? I don’t know about you – but the American history I learned began in 1492 – the last five hundred years of history on this continent. But what about before that?

We were often led to believe that this land was simply vast and empty – a big wasteland – waiting to be “settled.” But this isn’t even remotely true.

Alvin Josephy Jr. has compiled information about our continent from the best authorities in this area in his book America in 1492: The World of the Indian Peoples Before the Arrival of Columbus.

Publishers’ Weekly writes this about the book America in 1492,

In a concerted effort to quash myths and stereotypes, Josephy assembles essays by noted writers and scholars that depict Native American culture at the time of Columbus’s first voyage to the Americas.

From the inside cover,

When Columbus landed in 1492, the New World was far from being a vast expanse of empty wilderness: it was home to some seventy-five million people. They ranged from the Arctic to Tierra del Fuego, spoke as many as two thousand different languages, and lived in groups that varied from small bands of hunter-gatherers to the sophisticated and dazzling empires of the Incas and Aztecs. This brilliantly detailed and documented volume brings together essays by fifteen leading scholars field to present a comprehensive and richly evocative portrait of Native American life on the eve of Columbus’s first landfall.

Developed at the D’Arcy McNickle Center for the History of the American Indian and edited by award-winning author Alvin M. Josephy, Jr., America in 1492 is an invaluable work that combines the insights of historians, anthropologists, and students of art, religion, and folklore. Its dozens of illustrations, drawn from largely from the rare books and manuscripts housed at the Newberry Library, open a window on worlds flourished in the Americas five hundred years ago.

From the back cover,

“A teeming panorama of North and South American life from prehistoric times through the 15th century …. A book like [this]needs no recommendation beyond its accuracy, comprehensiveness, and serious of purpose.” — Cleveland Plain Dealer

“America in 1492 totally shatters the pious fiction that there was no civilization here before the arrival of Columbus.” — Dee Brown

Both continents were filled with many nations, advanced cultures, languages, and even national federations for thousands of years prior to the invasion of Europeans. The genocide committed by conquering Europeans, largely destroyed existing peoples. Today First Nation decendents continue to be the victims of racism and are made to live in poverty in the U.S. as the result of current U.S. policies and laws that denigrate those of First Nation decent.

We are forced to pause and ask ourselves, “Who were the savages?”

Without acknowledgement of wrong doing there can never be forgiveness. Without justice there can never true reconciliation. Justice requires the correcting of racist laws and policies and the return of stolen lands and wealth – or restitution.

This book was an eye-opener for me. Learn about the amazing history of the land we are living on. New scholarship details an ancient and fascinating history that extends back thousands of years.

The true history of the people already here in 1492 compels us to realize that we live the lifestyle we have, in part, due to ill-gotten land and wealth stolen from these First Nations. Our own United States is founded on the genocide of millions. We need to acknowledge this. This is the first step. This is the beginning of justice.

You may also like What is White Privilege? and Prisons for Profit.

by Roxanne -

Confusing “Literal” with “True”

Our U.S. American culture tends to conflate and confuse the words “literal” and “true.” Using the bible as an example, many believe that in order for something to be “true” it must be understood only as “literally happened.” This results in some very bizarre interpretations of biblical literature.

The bible is a compilation of many books of various literary genres including poetry, song, narrative, lament, metaphor and many other literary forms. We would not read a poem and insist that it be interpreted as literally factual. Why, then, would someone do this with scripture?

Using symbol and metaphor in literature, including in scripture, actually deepens the nature of the truths recorded there. Because something is symbolic doesn’t mean that it is fictious or not true. Quite the reverse. It means that something is true at a very deep level.

Children’s fairy tales are a good example to demonstrate this. The story of Hansel and Gretal (children alone in the woods are in danger) teaches children about a deeper truth: that the world can be dangerous for children alone – they need parents to guide them.

The symbolic nature of scripture allows us to access the deeper wisdom present there. The story of Exodus can be understood as a historical event where the Israelites leave Egypt to wander in the desert finally arriving in the promised land.

But this same story has many other interpretations. It can also be understood as our spiritual journey as a faith community: we leave the dominant culture or the land of our egos (Egypt) to enter a time of confusion where we must walk by the Spirit (time in the desert) – learning to allow Spirit to emerge from within ourselves bringing peace and a new, other-focused perspective on reality (promised land).

Best of all with scripture, we needn’t be limited by just one interpretation. Symbols have many meanings and speak to us in different ways at different times. God speaks to us afterall, through the events of our lives. God is present and acting through history.

Literalism is a modern development that restricts our ability to understand. It flattens meaning, limiting “truth” to that which similiar to a “video of an event.” It is reductionistic.

Expand your world. Think symbolically. Ask a better question.

Here are wise words from a seasoned professor I know. “All of the bible is true, and some of it actually happened. Therefore, instead of asking ‘Is the bible true?’ it’s wiser to ask, ‘Where’s the truth in the bible?'”