Capitalism : A love story

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2007
Capitalism : A love story
18
Thu, 10-15-2009 - 11:22am

I saw Michael Moore’s new movie "Capitalism : A love story" last night. My daughter is a mystery shopper (just one of her many odd jobs as she struggles to make ends meet) and she was assigned to go to a particular theatre and see this movie. I don’t like to call Michael Moore’s efforts "documentaries" because they are usually one-sided and somewhat biassed. Of course, you could say the same thing about "An Inconvenient Truth" or "Supersize Me" or "What the Bleep Do You Know". But I digress.


So I saw the movie and enjoyed it. His stories this time around are good, very good. They made me laugh and cry and think and get upset in all the ways I’m sure he intended. Moore is a great storyteller if nothing else.


One particular story was quite poignant and moving. Woven throughout the movie is the story of a family that is being forced out of their home of many years. It seems that the bank has significantly increased their mortgage payments and they can no longer make payments. Adding insult to injury, the foreclosure company has offered to pay them $1000 to dispose of their own belongings, mostly by bonfire. The image of sheriffs officers literally forcing their way into one familys home to foreclose on it is difficult to watch. Isn’t the use of violence and force against unarmed, helpless people wrong under any circumstance?


Anyway, I left the movie and wondered how much further the gap between the rich and the poor would widen. As someone who has one foot firmly entrenched in financial ruin (and the other foot feeling around for a solid bedrock of financial security), I can’t help but worry.


Is prosperity really attainable?

Kate

Kate


empty purse

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-04-2008
Thu, 10-15-2009 - 11:47am

YES, I do believe prosperity is attainable.




Community Leader
Registered: 07-26-1999
Thu, 10-15-2009 - 11:52am
I have not actually seen any of Michael Moore's films, though I always have meant to go back and see Roger and Me since I grew up in Michigan and my grandfather retired from GM, but DH happened to get free tickets to the movie theater and said this morning to look up films for us to go out on a date night.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2009
Thu, 10-15-2009 - 12:36pm

"It seems that the bank has significantly increased their mortgage payments and they can no longer make payments".

It seems that these people could not afford, and should not be in, that house in the first place.

While I feel for many people who lost their homes due to illness or disasters such as earthquakes, fires, floods, there are just as many who wanted everything and everything now. I have friends of friends who must have the right house in the right neighborhood and the right car and "right" number of children right now, whether they could afford all that or not.

Prosperity is attainable, but it takes lots of hard work, and even more self-discipline.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-14-2008
Thu, 10-15-2009 - 12:47pm

Prosperity is attainable. It takes a lot of work though.

I'm not talking about sleeping as long as you can, getting to work, doing a half a$$ed job then coming home, doing something you want to then going to sleep and doing it all over again.

I am talking about composing, and having weekly budget meetings with your spouse or yourself and sticking to a well thought out plan. This would include making your lunch, working an extra job at least occasionally, making a conscious effort to save, pay down debt and really know where your money goes. I wonder sometimes how many people really do this or even have a clue what is in their bank accounts.

That is effort and that is what it takes.

I like to watch Moore's films, I be this is one is really interesting.


iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2007
Thu, 10-15-2009 - 2:38pm

Thanks for the replies.


The thing is, hard work does not guarantee financial security.

Kate


empty purse

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2009
Thu, 10-15-2009 - 3:00pm

Ah, I am going to get flamed for this, but I must say having children is a financial decision.

There are also other trade-offs. I was an absolute bookworm in high school and in college. Never dated until I had my first real professional job. Things are slightly more comfortable these days and allow myself some leeway, but there was a time not that long ago my grocery budget was $30 a week for one person and a large dog. No eating out, not giving out any gifts for anyone (and told everyone not to give me anything), and I did not even have a TV for several years.

What I am trying to say while working hard is important, there are other things to the equation. Getting the education/training/qualification for higher paying jobs is one, watching how much you spend is another.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-04-2008
Thu, 10-15-2009 - 3:13pm

Kate -


Have you ever employed a career coach to help you assess your career and find out how you can improve your financial well-being?


They are well worth every penny spent for the right coach.


-Marie




iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2009
Thu, 10-15-2009 - 5:08pm

Kate...I totally agree with you...


Poverty, workingclassdom, middleclassdom and beyond is very complicated...Some people work damn hard all their lives and are still poor, others have connections, charisma, good looks but the biggest factor is luck...


You need 33 percent planning, 33 percent hard work and 34 percent luck


I'm sorry I really dislike Michael Moore...left wing propoganda


The nice thing however about living in N. America is that most people (I said most...not all)

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2009
Thu, 10-15-2009 - 5:57pm

I disagree with you. It is so convenient to blame everything on bad luck.

With that, I am out of here. It has been an interesting several months of sociological observation here. Now it's time to get back to real life.

“I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.” - Thomas Jefferson

edited for spelling mistake




Edited 10/15/2009 6:01 pm ET by marie_1229
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-06-2006
Thu, 10-15-2009 - 6:35pm

It has been my observation that the excuse of "bad luck" is frequently a euphemism for a lifetime of poor choices and lack of planning.

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