3 relatively-well-articulated-progressive-theses out of 4
It’s a simple fact of life that there are really only two kinds of people in the world: those who like Michael Moore and those who think he’s a self-obsessed, self-entitled, anti-American lunatic who spews progressive propaganda at every waking turn. In the spirit of full disclosure, I must begin this review by declaring myself a proud supporter of many of Moore’s arguments, as well as a fan of much of his work.
Where to Invade Next—a documentary both narrated and directed by Moore—asks a simple question defined by a substantial preface. America—the country and the idea—has a long, sordid history of implicit and explicit cultural appropriation. Since its appropriative tendencies are quite evident through no small amount of social and economic studies, why not look at what other countries are doing to guarantee their citizens a better life, and steal those ideas for the American people?
Moore travels to nations like France, Italy, and Slovenia to interview citizens in order to find out what America can steal to truly become great again. He interviews general members of the citizenry, as well as police officers, factory owners, the CEOs of Ducati, ministers of education and finance, and even prison guards to systematically dissect the cultural and social injustices plaguing America, while simultaneously showing that the solution to America’s greatest problems are not only well within grasp, they’re working quite well in countries that aren’t American.
“America—the country and the idea—has a long, sordid history of implicit and explicit cultural appropriation.”
There is method to Moore’s mad travels.
Beginning in nations like Italy, Germany, Portugal, and France, Moore attempts to prove that so-called civilized, first-world nations—especially nations that lagged behind America in the essential developmental years following the Second World War—are now leading America in terms of social equity.
However, by shifting his scope to nations like Tunisia—a nation that, to many, is most notable for its 2011 revolution—Moore attempts to showcase the manner by which even so-called second-or third-world nations still carry forward social ideals that eclipse those in America.
As a filmmaker, Moore has always made a stout point of not taking himself too seriously. Where to Invade Next, therefore, is a funny film, especially when Moore embodies the role of the haughty American tourist who travels the world with utter disregard for exploring the ideas of other nations.
“…Moore attempts to showcase the manner by which even so-called second-or third-world nations still carry forward social ideals that eclipse those in America.”
In one particularly humorous exchange, Moore lunches with a group of French schoolchildren, whose meals consist of an assortment of local meats, cheese, fruits and vegetables, prepared by local chefs. The idea? Teach children how to eat well at an early age, and they’ll carry those pro-health ideas into adulthood. To no surprise, when Moore tries to convince the children that a meal of french fries, ketchup, and other greasy fare typically serve as American school lunches, the children recoil in horror.
Moore’s film is ultimately both a deconstruction and testament to the ideals that America holds dear. One imagines that a writer more articulate than Moore would begin this film with a simple plea of decency: “There was a time when America was a proud global leader in education, civil rights, and labour rights.”
The film’s underlying argument, however, isn’t just that America has a lot to learn from other countries, it’s that other countries have taken ideas that were quintessentially American and expanded on them to better serve the citizenry.
“…it is a welcome reminder to open one’s eyes—and one’s mind—to the power of human unity.”
Italy, for example, employs labour rights that would make most Americans’ heads spin. Italian citizens are afforded substantial paid holidays, as well as a paid honeymoon, a bonus consisting of a 13th-month salary on top of the final salary, in addition to two-hour lunch breaks, and a substantial paid parental leave. These labour benefits, Moore argues, stem from the advances made to labour rights in America in the early 20th century.
In Norway, prisoners are entitled to rights that far exceed those of Americans. The Norwegian guards and prisoners, however, argue that these rights are also guaranteed under the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
For those viewers who do not find solace in examining America’s failings, Where to Invade Next is, at the very least, a travelogue insistent on demonstrating the simple fact that North America isn’t nearly as progressive as it purports to be. As such, it is a welcome reminder to open one’s eyes—and one’s mind—to the power of human unity.
Photo courtesy of Dog Eat Dog Films.