Monday, February 2, 2015

Bowling for Columbine

What is Moore trying to say about American identity and values? Is this an accurate representation of our culture?

After watching Bowling for Columbine, many thoughts, ideas, and questions entered my mind. Throughout this documentary, film director Michael Moore addresses many intriguing ideas about American Culture as well as the issue of guns in America. After further analyzing the film, I think that Moore is trying to convey that the American Identity and values are lost. Americans have lost a sense of our culture. No one seems to have a grasp on reality at the moment--no one can "feel" anymore, no one cares, etc. We live in a scary world at the moment and the future doesn't look any better. In other words though, perhaps America is just changing. 

In continuation, Moore also conveys and relates this idea of change through the thought that American culture is changing.  He makes this very apparent through relating this topic to gun control and issues involving guns, but it can also be applied to other issues as well. It seems as if he implies that American culture is shaped by environmental factors as well as traditional American ways--but these variables are constantly changing. Not to say that they do not hold as truth, but they are not as accurate to hold judgement against. It is true that America and Americans are changing, especially in this day and age, but we have to do something with the change in order to better prepare us for the future. This will in turn influence these constant changes in America to help reshape our culture to a better standing.

Overall, I think Moore portrays a rather too realistic representation of our culture. It is almost frightening in a way. But it also lets us face reality and accept it, so that in turn we can help make a change in this life we are given. By being presented with this information, we can further reshape and define our lives and America.

2 comments:

  1. I thought it was interesting that you brought up that Moore portrays a rather too realistic representation of our culture. That it is almost frightening in a way. I'm pretty sure Moore wanted you to feel scared about it. Americans are forgetting the dangers of guns and the power they hold. I mean some people keep loaded guns in their house! I'm curious but at the same time scared to see how we define ourselves in the future. I don't want my kids to have to worry about guns being brought to school or even being around a gun.

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  2. I enjoyed reading your blog post! I agree that American values are changing and that the variable causing these changes are also, well, changing. Moore touched on the large amount of fears that Americans hold. I think these fears have altered American values. The more fears people develop, the more values they see as being threatened. I think that then they feel obligated to buy a gun in order to protect their values even if they value their iPhone more than anything else. Maybe America's "problem," as some may call it, is just that Americans have gotten their priorities all jumbled up.

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