The Big One

The Big One.

Michael Moore, you just have to like a guy that is willing to walk calmly into major corporations and politely flay the skin off the coroporate drones. I will agree with anyone that says Michael Moore can be self-aggrandizing and downright annoying after an hour of his films. Totally agree, however, lets not understate the power of his technique and his ultimate goal. IMHO, Moore is simply trying to shed light (albeit a very biased light) on details surrounding a situation that some people may not know.

Take his movie, Bowling For Columbine. Gun control, good or bad? There are both sides of the issue and Moore clearly sits far to one side. He isnt trying to hide his personal opinion, he puts it right out there. But more than that, I think he draws awareness to the issue and insists that you come to your own conclusion. Personally I had a much lower opinion of Charlton Heston post movie, not that it was too high to begin, but he just totally walked away from very simple questions. Wow, got something to hide Chuck? Why agree to the interview at all? Saying no is better than saying yes then looking like a total idiot.

But I digress. The Big One is an expose on corporate America gone layoff happy in the midst of record profit. Common response to "why are you laying off in a time of record profit?" was "to stay competitive", read to attempt to generate bigger return on investment for shareholders. Not news by any stretch, anyone in corporate America knows that your boss holds a precarious position because you really work for the people that buy your company's stock. Hello? This is America and its still a bottom line profit agenda.

Disappointingly Moore never acknowledges this reality. Instead he focuses on the tactics corporations use to achieve this reality. I agree with Moore that these tactics are disturbing; I personally know many boomers that, due to repeated layoffs, have had to give up on their dreams of retirement and will now work until they drop. But what to do about that? Corporate America plays a sick game of follow the leader. If a market mover lays off their customer service department because they are moving it to the Phillipines, China or India, chances are their competitors will follow suit. Cheaper labor means more profit and that will mean happier investors.

Moore also never gives the viewer any recourse, just in case they are not in favor of this trend. Its a simple thing really, if you don't like a company's business tactics, don't invest in them and don't buy their products or services. Before you say, "it wont make a difference", please note this is exactly the same logic that passive, lazy people use when they don't take time to vote.

Example: I buy Dell computers. Several years ago I had some issues with one. I called Dell Customer Service. The rep on the line had such an undecipherable accent that I asked to be switched to someone else. This switching game went on for an hour, I was switched to 4 people before I got someone that I could understand. Dell had moved their Customer Service to South East Asia. After this episode I wrote to Dell explaining that I was paying for Customer Service and I didnt feel I was getting it. No reponse. Then I had another issue with another Dell computer and the same experience with Customer Service. Again I wrote to Dell but this time I wrote to Investor Relations telling them that not only would I never buy another Dell product but that I would liquidate my position in Dell stock. I got an answer the next day, a form letter from Investor Relations stating that they would be terminating their Customer Service abroad and bringing it back to the states.

I'm not delusional enough to think that my letters were the cause for the relocation. Rather, I believe enough people spoke out and wielded their power as consumers and investors and caused a change.

I do enjoy Moore's films, if only for entertainment value. I like the way he can turn a coporate PR person or CEO into a trite human jukebox of platitudes; they always wind up looking like assholes. However, it would be nice if Moore could add some paths for consumer power rather than just preying on the emotional upheaval of the moment to slap down a point.