What do you think the filmmaker is trying to convey about democracy? What was new to you? What did the film contribute to your understanding of what democracy is and/or can be?
The filmmaker is starting us off with one idea. "What is democracy?" Another question she asks is "How should we live?" It is how democracy starts. The things that struck out to me were how some people couldn't answer the simple question "What is democracy?" What makes a life good? One thing that stuck out to me is Plato's idea that a cities ruler should be brought up in the city they rule with nothing. You can't forget about the poor people, a true democracy represents all. I think democracy is a beautiful thing and could work so much harder for Americans if the politicians don't use it for their advantage. There are so many rich people running for office and I believe it should be the poor people running. The poor people who were raised in a nation should be the ones running the country, not the ones born into status. How can you know what a people need if you never have needed things in your life?
Emma Finn I think that the filmmaker was trying to convey that modern democracy has strayed away from the real concept of a democracy. The filmmaker is trying to say that modern democracy is run on money. What was new to me was the ideas that came from ancient athens, and I may be wrong, but I think she said the ideas of pluto. The ideas of creating a community where you don't know anyone but still have to support each other were interesting to me. I liked the ideas of plato where the leader should not be someone who comes from money, but someone who was built up by the city so that they feel a moral duty to do what is right by the city. I think that specific interview where they talked about ancient thens was what built my understanding of what democracy could be. But I also thought about how the united states is governed on a much larger scale than the polis of Athens so I had to take that into consideration.
Elise Ginn One of the interviews summed up my understanding for democracy she said that democracy can be fluid and can be molded into many things even terrible or beautiful things. But each and every time we do somethings different, we come back to the idea of being governed by ourselves rather than a higher power. But there's always a high temptation to give power to algorithms. Something new to me was the idea of rich people wanting to be richer which causes them to take from others which causes them to be poorer. Another thing is that interesting is that if a higher power promises to overthrow the rich people tend to immediately flock towards them. My understanding of democracy is more than it used to be for example in the video one person's view of Democracy was "the American dream" and the ability to climb while other perspectives were just to live a happy life, but everyone's version of a happy life is different it can go from being rich in money to being rich with loved ones. But democracy can be many things and can be molded by the people.
Cady Ayers After watching most of the film, I’ve concluded that the filmmaker is trying to convey a more polarized view on democracy. As we go through the different guests and their input, most of which were more negative, we get an outlook on how some view democracy to be the cause of an economic shift. Democracy is impossible if we can’t agree that everyone is equal. At the time of this documentary being filmed, and in current times, most of the economic imbalance is due to the rich “hoarding” the money that the less fortunate do not have access to. Personally, I don’t see a solution to this issue being activated any time soon. The wealthy often look down on the poor, failing to understand why they don't simply "work harder." In reality, the money that could be accessible to the less fortunate is often concentrated in the hands of the rich.
Riley Baber I think the film maker is trying to convey that many people view democracy different. I think the interviews in particular really show how so many people not only have different definitions of what democracy is, but some don't have any idea at all. I've learned democracy can be shown on small scales as well as large scales. This film has contributed to my knowledge in this subject.
I think that the filmmaker was trying to convey that different places and people have different meanings and ways of going about democracy. It seems as though some people or places come up with their own definition and only follow that way. - Allie Mann
I think the film shows different views of democracy to different people. In the movie, we get other people from all over the world talking about what democracy is, I don't believe that the point is to focus on one definite answer of what democracy is but on what it looks like from different perspectives. No one person has the same story or the same feelings when it comes to democracy or even the same tone. In different parts of the film, you see anger, you see sadness, you see smiling, and you are also getting the hard truth of democracy. I also learned platos view on democracy I know of it but not exactly what he told and I found it very interesting.
I think that the main point of the film is showcasing all different viewpoints of democracy, and to help society realize that there isn't really a sound definition, at least in society. The film also showcases how democracy has changed overtime, and how in certain places, democracy was a pillar in society compared to other places. An eye-opening point that the film made was, how America has strayed from democracys in school, although they (upper-power people) claim schools do practice democracy. The students in the film, very much felt like they weren't being heard, and the only people being heard were the adults.
Claire Cook: I believe that the filmmaker is trying to convey that democracy currently has not changed much for the better. I think the point trying to get across is that democracy is no longer just related to politics, but it is also about equality and letting individuals have a voice in society. What was new to me was the huge struggle in democracy. In my last blog comment I had mentioned that I don’t often think about democracy, which also means that I didn’t realize how difficult it was to realistically achieve it. Of course I knew it wasn't easy, because nothing in life is. But specifically the part of the film in class where the people were given a voice by someone in the government in a referendum and then about a week later the majority rule was gone against, and politicians did what they wanted to with no care that the 62% majority voted otherwise. The film contributed to my understanding of democracy by showing me democracy is constantly evolving and changing, and has not been perfected yet.
Nida Hadi----I think the film is trying to help us, the viewers, understand not only what democracy truly is and what it represents but also how it has significantly evolved over time. At the film's beginning, we’re asked the Socratic question: what is democracy? Several people attempt to answer this question, such as the power of the people and by the people. The documentary opens up and introduces the ancient Greek philosophers such as Plato and his book The Republic. Interestingly, Plato was profoundly skeptical of how people should govern themselves and our capability as humans to do so. Plato believed a good life should be built by a good and just city. However, he notably discusses the idea of the desire among the rich to become richer while increasingly making the poor poorer, thus dividing up the city based on economic inequality, which leads to tyranny and, eventually, civil war. I think strategically using Plato’s philosophy while also interviewing notable politicians and people in our modern democracy allows viewers to understand not only how we drastically shifted since the inception and, more so, the adoption of the model of democracy but also what Plato himself feared would happen. I think it contributed to my understanding that democracy today has never been more fragile than ever. We now live in a world where the power of wealth and authority is concentrated by a few wealthy individuals. More so, oligarchy is now taking shape in replacement of what we knew democracy to be. A shattered and dismembered society of extreme socioeconomic inequality, plagued by the abuse of power for public gain at the expense of the general welfare of the people, eroding and allowing democracy to malfunction. As I watch the film, I’m reminded of how our country has completely overhauled the very principles of democracy we have glorified and upheld since the inception of our country's founding. In other words, the inherent act of demarcation has now been enshrined within our “democracy” by corrupt and exploitative means to categorize people as “separate beings,” creating a hostility of dehumanization and oppression for those in power to maintain their status quo and abuse, thus creating the socioeconomic inequality that philosophers such as Plato feared.
Yea, I agree with everything here. I really like your connections to Plato, and how our disconnection and separatization of each other has contributed to wealthy people staying in power and allowed for a such a corrupt rule. The division of class; the farther we push it, the weaker the foundation of democracy becomes.
I believe the film is trying to tell us that democracy is not a static state but a continual process. Which consists of constant reflection, participation, and struggle. Taylor's exploration is reflective and encourages viewers to question what democracy really is and what it truly means, which can also be reimagined or improved in the modern world.
Danny Trainham: The filmmaker presents a range of perspectives on democracy, exposing the systemic issues of fairness and equality in its U.S. practice. People of color were not allowed to vote until the 15th Amendment was ratified, and even afterward they were subject to mistreatment. Voter suppression often occurred/occurs in black communities. Poll taxes and language tests were used during the Jim Crow era to limit the ability to register or cast a ballot. I learned that in recent years (2010), the government legislature passed voter suppression laws in 22 states. If everyone is not given an equal opportunity to vote, then there cannot be democracy. Additionally, our society lacks a true democracy because of the large economic gap between the rich and poor. Wealthier individuals have more resources to influence political processes, leading to inequality.
audrey piekarski- I think what the filmmaker was trying to display about democracy is what it is and should be, but we live in a broken society where democracy only benefits the rich and powerful. There is no true democracy. The film showed me how beneficial democracy can be in many different aspects, some that I didn't think of before. My favorite part was when they were interviewing the children in the school and the girl was talking about how teachers tell them to go to college to do something you love but they don't even like their job lol.
The piece that really stood out to me was the children speaking about the conditions of their school. I love it because it's showing at a very simple and basic level a sort of symbol of what's going on in our present day, but in a way where it's represented by the dynamic of an elementary school. In a way, it's the same kind of system as our government. And, it's the wisdom that these children have that just amazes me. How can children who have been alive for only a few years understand something that their elders have trouble grasping? They testify that, even if they do speak out about the conditions of their school, they know that their voice doesn't have an impact in the way that it should. And if they do band together and demand something different, then they will be met with fear-based control, or a removal of their privileges. It's the same thing with our government; there's only so much that we can do to speak up and make a change before they begin to hurt us as a form of control. The question of what is democracy is asking us to evaluate our definition and then ask ourselves if that is truly being fulfilled here in America. It's demonstrated in this film that there's a lot of crookedness in the system. It also amazes me that Rosseau, Plato, and the painting from almost 2000 years ago are clearly telling us the importance of democracy and why tyranny and oligarchy are detrimental to a working society.
Hi! I think one of the main points that the film maker is trying to display is we don't live in a true democracy, and to that point everyone's ideal democracy isn't really one at all. By showcasing so many different people from different backgrounds of life and asking them all similar questions while all getting vastly different answers to me, just shows that we are not all on the same page. While some people are fighting for the right to not be deported, or fighting for human rights, others complain about their parents making more that 150,000 dollars a year in reguards to fasfa. Though with that said, of course many people will have their own best interest at heart but until we learn more empathy, I don't think that the US will be in a true democracy or representative democracy. This film helped me to realize that much has not changed since 2018, people are still having the same problems if not worse since then.
Jordan Dent: The filmmaker shows a variety of perspectives on what people think democracy is or how the current system of society affects their demographic. In the film, there seems to be an effort to point out that the current systems of democracy are more of an illusion and that things are greatly impacted by the imbalance of power. The imbalance of power being the basic government vs the people, but also all of the intersectionality (race, income level, gender, etc). People are also so vastly affected by these things that make them different that they are all fighting for different issues/outcomes that others may not fully understand or even care about because it does not affect them.
The message that the filmmaker is trying to convey is that the concept of democracy, as societies envision it, is ultimately a delusion. Cornel West expands on this idea of inherent flaws in the democratic ideal with the reference of The Republic by Plato. Around the 9:40 mark, West argues that true democracy cannot function due to the conflicting desires and passions of individuals within a society. People’s ability to compromise on their desires becomes impossible as it ties directly to their living standards. West uses the example of the gap between the rich and the poor to explain further: the poor aspire to climb the social ladder, while the wealthy seek to amass even greater wealth, exacerbating social inequality. This growing divide between classes leads to increasing tension and can ultimately result in a tyrannical system, as those in power seek to maintain their position at the top. One thing that really stood out to me was when West referred to the Emancipation Proclamation. The decision to end slavery in the United States was not a product of the democratic will of the people; rather, it was a decision made by a single individual, President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln acted almost dictatorial, taking his own action based on his own moral judgment rather than relying on a broad democratic consensus.
Halie Murphy- I think that the directer was trying to convey that democracy has been skewed in our country and is not working for the people and the market had taken over. What was new to me is that most people do not know what democracy is and that is very concerning considering it is what our country is supposed to pride itself with. This film reminded me that true democracy needs to be for the people and represent their interests instead of what the big corporations and markets are interested in. Democracy could be a wonderful thing in this country that allows representation for such a large and diverse group of people.
I believe that the film maker is doing her best to convey is that a true democracy is almost impossible to live by. In the early stages it seems that a democratic way of life may be sustainable but as it matures, the levels of greed and corruption involved seemingly grow exponentially and destroy it from within. We have ideals and ways of thinking which give us hope that some day it can possibly return to a true democratic way of life but in the end it seems all too impossible to unravel the corruption from within, kind of like a cancer which cannot be removed. This film just kind of highlights the fact that things are not getting any better and are rough throughout the world. That the United States is not the only country struggling to find their footing and make the world a better place.
Charlie Campbell: I think the film maker is trying to convey that a democracy relies on economic opportunity for its success. Different trades and classes must mingle within their Polis in order to reach an agreement on governance. When economic opportunities are high democracy can thrive, but when youth unemployment is high (Occupy Walstreet, BLM Riots, Greek Economic Crisis) people will rebel
Taylor Duquette The documentary goes deep into democracy, revealing how different people see it in different ways. It challenges us to think about what democracy truly means, asking whether it’s really working or not. Some believe leaders should come from humble beginnings, understanding the struggles of the people they serve. The film makes it clear that democracy isn’t just about voting, it’s about equality. Yet, right now, wealth and power control the system, leaving many behind. The documentary calls for a democracy that truly represents everyone, where all voices are heard, not just the ones with money. It’s a powerful reminder that we must fight for a fairer, more inclusive future.
Veronica here The film shows how people view democracy differently and encourages us to consider how democracy can be used in different scenarios. It shows how it represents the people and what the people need/want. During the film, it made me see how the government/country would run without it.
Alistair here a little late! Here were some of my thoughts:
Where do we start to fix the corruption within our own democracy? How can we work the ‘Suit and Tie’ Klansmen out of our politics? My answer to this is Education!
In the end of the day, too many people exist in these places to let their governments fail them so much. How does this happen? How can we fix it? It seems so intentional that corruption finds its way into democracy, how do we destroy this?
In the Miami section, a lot of individuals were indifferent or pessimistic to their working democracy. How can we get individuals to trust in the government and democracy? How do we create a democracy for black people and other minorities?
The idea of democracy and citizenship is so complicated because it seems that there are always in and out groups, those accepted by a country and those not. How can we maintain political and social stability while being globally democratic and accepting?
I think this film really helped me begin to think critically about what democracy originally was and what it has become. I think the film is trying to explain how democracy has developed overtime by switching ancient Greece's democracy and U.S modern democracy. The filmmakers try to explain democracy as the idea of doing what is best and well for all the people, and explain how modern democracy has abandoned those ideas. This film helped me understand how there's been a shift in how democracy has become more centered around economics, money, and large corporations. This has made current democracy not for the people, leaving them at a disadvantage by lack of access to education and money.
Talia Gose What do you think the filmmaker is trying to convey about democracy? What was new to you? What did the film contribute to your understanding of what democracy is and/or can be?
I think that the filmmaker is trying to convey the different themes that democracy entails and how it is viewed through different lenses around the world. Honestly, I feel that I already knew a lot of things about democracy that were touched on. However, I enjoyed the elaboration on the patriarchal side of things and how "good governance" is viewed and executed through a male perspective. It also reiterated what I knew about capitalism and democracy. I genuinely really enjoy the concept of a democracy, capitalism is where things get a bit tricky though. I feel within the world, not just even the US, money is put before the citizens. We talk about civic engagement when it comes to democracy and it is supposed to breed community. Which I believe it does to an extent. Although I feel capitalism tends to divide rather than unify because it emphasizes the individual. In American society it is very apparent that no one is going to get your money other than you, this reinforces the idea that in capitalistic society you reap the rewards of YOUR effort. This tends to not account for nuance.
Deborah Mattos - I think that the filmmaker is trying to not only show us how democracy began, but the present and the future of it as well. By informing us about the origins we can see what modern democracy is now and possibly what it will turn into if we don’t change anything about the way we are doing things. The film showed us what democracy looks like to different people from around the country but also in different countries, in most cases it shows how those running the government are more worried about costs of things affecting the country's economy rather than what it will do to the people, more specifically the poor people who are hit the hardest.
The filmmaker is starting us off with one idea. "What is democracy?" Another question she asks is "How should we live?" It is how democracy starts. The things that struck out to me were how some people couldn't answer the simple question "What is democracy?" What makes a life good? One thing that stuck out to me is Plato's idea that a cities ruler should be brought up in the city they rule with nothing. You can't forget about the poor people, a true democracy represents all. I think democracy is a beautiful thing and could work so much harder for Americans if the politicians don't use it for their advantage. There are so many rich people running for office and I believe it should be the poor people running. The poor people who were raised in a nation should be the ones running the country, not the ones born into status. How can you know what a people need if you never have needed things in your life?
ReplyDeleteEmma Finn
ReplyDeleteI think that the filmmaker was trying to convey that modern democracy has strayed away from the real concept of a democracy. The filmmaker is trying to say that modern democracy is run on money. What was new to me was the ideas that came from ancient athens, and I may be wrong, but I think she said the ideas of pluto. The ideas of creating a community where you don't know anyone but still have to support each other were interesting to me. I liked the ideas of plato where the leader should not be someone who comes from money, but someone who was built up by the city so that they feel a moral duty to do what is right by the city. I think that specific interview where they talked about ancient thens was what built my understanding of what democracy could be. But I also thought about how the united states is governed on a much larger scale than the polis of Athens so I had to take that into consideration.
Elise Ginn
ReplyDeleteOne of the interviews summed up my understanding for democracy she said that democracy can be fluid and can be molded into many things even terrible or beautiful things. But each and every time we do somethings different, we come back to the idea of being governed by ourselves rather than a higher power. But there's always a high temptation to give power to algorithms. Something new to me was the idea of rich people wanting to be richer which causes them to take from others which causes them to be poorer. Another thing is that interesting is that if a higher power promises to overthrow the rich people tend to immediately flock towards them. My understanding of democracy is more than it used to be for example in the video one person's view of Democracy was "the American dream" and the ability to climb while other perspectives were just to live a happy life, but everyone's version of a happy life is different it can go from being rich in money to being rich with loved ones. But democracy can be many things and can be molded by the people.
Cady Ayers
ReplyDeleteAfter watching most of the film, I’ve concluded that the filmmaker is trying to convey a more polarized view on democracy. As we go through the different guests and their input, most of which were more negative, we get an outlook on how some view democracy to be the cause of an economic shift. Democracy is impossible if we can’t agree that everyone is equal.
At the time of this documentary being filmed, and in current times, most of the economic imbalance is due to the rich “hoarding” the money that the less fortunate do not have access to. Personally, I don’t see a solution to this issue being activated any time soon. The wealthy often look down on the poor, failing to understand why they don't simply "work harder." In reality, the money that could be accessible to the less fortunate is often concentrated in the hands of the rich.
Riley Baber
ReplyDeleteI think the film maker is trying to convey that many people view democracy different. I think the interviews in particular really show how so many people not only have different definitions of what democracy is, but some don't have any idea at all. I've learned democracy can be shown on small scales as well as large scales. This film has contributed to my knowledge in this subject.
I think that the filmmaker was trying to convey that different places and people have different meanings and ways of going about democracy. It seems as though some people or places come up with their own definition and only follow that way. - Allie Mann
ReplyDeleteI think the film shows different views of democracy to different people. In the movie, we get other people from all over the world talking about what democracy is, I don't believe that the point is to focus on one definite answer of what democracy is but on what it looks like from different perspectives. No one person has the same story or the same feelings when it comes to democracy or even the same tone. In different parts of the film, you see anger, you see sadness, you see smiling, and you are also getting the hard truth of democracy. I also learned platos view on democracy I know of it but not exactly what he told and I found it very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI think that the main point of the film is showcasing all different viewpoints of democracy, and to help society realize that there isn't really a sound definition, at least in society. The film also showcases how democracy has changed overtime, and how in certain places, democracy was a pillar in society compared to other places. An eye-opening point that the film made was, how America has strayed from democracys in school, although they (upper-power people) claim schools do practice democracy. The students in the film, very much felt like they weren't being heard, and the only people being heard were the adults.
ReplyDeleteClaire Cook:
ReplyDeleteI believe that the filmmaker is trying to convey that democracy currently has not changed much for the better. I think the point trying to get across is that democracy is no longer just related to politics, but it is also about equality and letting individuals have a voice in society. What was new to me was the huge struggle in democracy. In my last blog comment I had mentioned that I don’t often think about democracy, which also means that I didn’t realize how difficult it was to realistically achieve it. Of course I knew it wasn't easy, because nothing in life is. But specifically the part of the film in class where the people were given a voice by someone in the government in a referendum and then about a week later the majority rule was gone against, and politicians did what they wanted to with no care that the 62% majority voted otherwise. The film contributed to my understanding of democracy by showing me democracy is constantly evolving and changing, and has not been perfected yet.
Nida Hadi----I think the film is trying to help us, the viewers, understand not only what democracy truly is and what it represents but also how it has significantly evolved over time. At the film's beginning, we’re asked the Socratic question: what is democracy? Several people attempt to answer this question, such as the power of the people and by the people. The documentary opens up and introduces the ancient Greek philosophers such as Plato and his book The Republic. Interestingly, Plato was profoundly skeptical of how people should govern themselves and our capability as humans to do so. Plato believed a good life should be built by a good and just city. However, he notably discusses the idea of the desire among the rich to become richer while increasingly making the poor poorer, thus dividing up the city based on economic inequality, which leads to tyranny and, eventually, civil war. I think strategically using Plato’s philosophy while also interviewing notable politicians and people in our modern democracy allows viewers to understand not only how we drastically shifted since the inception and, more so, the adoption of the model of democracy but also what Plato himself feared would happen. I think it contributed to my understanding that democracy today has never been more fragile than ever. We now live in a world where the power of wealth and authority is concentrated by a few wealthy individuals. More so, oligarchy is now taking shape in replacement of what we knew democracy to be. A shattered and dismembered society of extreme socioeconomic inequality, plagued by the abuse of power for public gain at the expense of the general welfare of the people, eroding and allowing democracy to malfunction. As I watch the film, I’m reminded of how our country has completely overhauled the very principles of democracy we have glorified and upheld since the inception of our country's founding. In other words, the inherent act of demarcation has now been enshrined within our “democracy” by corrupt and exploitative means to categorize people as “separate beings,” creating a hostility of dehumanization and oppression for those in power to maintain their status quo and abuse, thus creating the socioeconomic inequality that philosophers such as Plato feared.
ReplyDeleteYea, I agree with everything here. I really like your connections to Plato, and how our disconnection and separatization of each other has contributed to wealthy people staying in power and allowed for a such a corrupt rule. The division of class; the farther we push it, the weaker the foundation of democracy becomes.
DeleteI believe the film is trying to tell us that democracy is not a static state but a continual process. Which consists of constant reflection, participation, and struggle. Taylor's exploration is reflective and encourages viewers to question what democracy really is and what it truly means, which can also be reimagined or improved in the modern world.
ReplyDeleteDanny Trainham:
ReplyDeleteThe filmmaker presents a range of perspectives on democracy, exposing the systemic issues of fairness and equality in its U.S. practice. People of color were not allowed to vote until the 15th Amendment was ratified, and even afterward they were subject to mistreatment. Voter suppression often occurred/occurs in black communities. Poll taxes and language tests were used during the Jim Crow era to limit the ability to register or cast a ballot. I learned that in recent years (2010), the government legislature passed voter suppression laws in 22 states. If everyone is not given an equal opportunity to vote, then there cannot be democracy. Additionally, our society lacks a true democracy because of the large economic gap between the rich and poor. Wealthier individuals have more resources to influence political processes, leading to inequality.
audrey piekarski-
ReplyDeleteI think what the filmmaker was trying to display about democracy is what it is and should be, but we live in a broken society where democracy only benefits the rich and powerful. There is no true democracy. The film showed me how beneficial democracy can be in many different aspects, some that I didn't think of before. My favorite part was when they were interviewing the children in the school and the girl was talking about how teachers tell them to go to college to do something you love but they don't even like their job lol.
The piece that really stood out to me was the children speaking about the conditions of their school. I love it because it's showing at a very simple and basic level a sort of symbol of what's going on in our present day, but in a way where it's represented by the dynamic of an elementary school. In a way, it's the same kind of system as our government. And, it's the wisdom that these children have that just amazes me. How can children who have been alive for only a few years understand something that their elders have trouble grasping? They testify that, even if they do speak out about the conditions of their school, they know that their voice doesn't have an impact in the way that it should. And if they do band together and demand something different, then they will be met with fear-based control, or a removal of their privileges. It's the same thing with our government; there's only so much that we can do to speak up and make a change before they begin to hurt us as a form of control. The question of what is democracy is asking us to evaluate our definition and then ask ourselves if that is truly being fulfilled here in America. It's demonstrated in this film that there's a lot of crookedness in the system. It also amazes me that Rosseau, Plato, and the painting from almost 2000 years ago are clearly telling us the importance of democracy and why tyranny and oligarchy are detrimental to a working society.
ReplyDeletePeyton Plummer
ReplyDeleteHi! I think one of the main points that the film maker is trying to display is we don't live in a true democracy, and to that point everyone's ideal democracy isn't really one at all. By showcasing so many different people from different backgrounds of life and asking them all similar questions while all getting vastly different answers to me, just shows that we are not all on the same page. While some people are fighting for the right to not be deported, or fighting for human rights, others complain about their parents making more that 150,000 dollars a year in reguards to fasfa. Though with that said, of course many people will have their own best interest at heart but until we learn more empathy, I don't think that the US will be in a true democracy or representative democracy. This film helped me to realize that much has not changed since 2018, people are still having the same problems if not worse since then.
Jordan Dent: The filmmaker shows a variety of perspectives on what people think democracy is or how the current system of society affects their demographic. In the film, there seems to be an effort to point out that the current systems of democracy are more of an illusion and that things are greatly impacted by the imbalance of power. The imbalance of power being the basic government vs the people, but also all of the intersectionality (race, income level, gender, etc). People are also so vastly affected by these things that make them different that they are all fighting for different issues/outcomes that others may not fully understand or even care about because it does not affect them.
ReplyDeleteRosalyn:
ReplyDeleteThe message that the filmmaker is trying to convey is that the concept of democracy, as societies envision it, is ultimately a delusion. Cornel West expands on this idea of inherent flaws in the democratic ideal with the reference of The Republic by Plato. Around the 9:40 mark, West argues that true democracy cannot function due to the conflicting desires and passions of individuals within a society. People’s ability to compromise on their desires becomes impossible as it ties directly to their living standards. West uses the example of the gap between the rich and the poor to explain further: the poor aspire to climb the social ladder, while the wealthy seek to amass even greater wealth, exacerbating social inequality. This growing divide between classes leads to increasing tension and can ultimately result in a tyrannical system, as those in power seek to maintain their position at the top.
One thing that really stood out to me was when West referred to the Emancipation Proclamation. The decision to end slavery in the United States was not a product of the democratic will of the people; rather, it was a decision made by a single individual, President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln acted almost dictatorial, taking his own action based on his own moral judgment rather than relying on a broad democratic consensus.
Halie Murphy-
ReplyDeleteI think that the directer was trying to convey that democracy has been skewed in our country and is not working for the people and the market had taken over. What was new to me is that most people do not know what democracy is and that is very concerning considering it is what our country is supposed to pride itself with. This film reminded me that true democracy needs to be for the people and represent their interests instead of what the big corporations and markets are interested in. Democracy could be a wonderful thing in this country that allows representation for such a large and diverse group of people.
I believe that the film maker is doing her best to convey is that a true democracy is almost impossible to live by. In the early stages it seems that a democratic way of life may be sustainable but as it matures, the levels of greed and corruption involved seemingly grow exponentially and destroy it from within. We have ideals and ways of thinking which give us hope that some day it can possibly return to a true democratic way of life but in the end it seems all too impossible to unravel the corruption from within, kind of like a cancer which cannot be removed. This film just kind of highlights the fact that things are not getting any better and are rough throughout the world. That the United States is not the only country struggling to find their footing and make the world a better place.
ReplyDeleteThis entry by Robert Horvath
DeleteCharlie Campbell: I think the film maker is trying to convey that a democracy relies on economic opportunity for its success. Different trades and classes must mingle within their Polis in order to reach an agreement on governance. When economic opportunities are high democracy can thrive, but when youth unemployment is high (Occupy Walstreet, BLM Riots, Greek Economic Crisis) people will rebel
ReplyDeleteTaylor Duquette
ReplyDeleteThe documentary goes deep into democracy, revealing how different people see it in different ways. It challenges us to think about what democracy truly means, asking whether it’s really working or not. Some believe leaders should come from humble beginnings, understanding the struggles of the people they serve. The film makes it clear that democracy isn’t just about voting, it’s about equality. Yet, right now, wealth and power control the system, leaving many behind. The documentary calls for a democracy that truly represents everyone, where all voices are heard, not just the ones with money. It’s a powerful reminder that we must fight for a fairer, more inclusive future.
Veronica here
ReplyDeleteThe film shows how people view democracy differently and encourages us to consider how democracy can be used in different scenarios. It shows how it represents the people and what the people need/want. During the film, it made me see how the government/country would run without it.
Alistair here a little late! Here were some of my thoughts:
ReplyDeleteWhere do we start to fix the corruption within our own democracy? How can we work the ‘Suit and Tie’ Klansmen out of our politics? My answer to this is Education!
In the end of the day, too many people exist in these places to let their governments fail them so much. How does this happen? How can we fix it? It seems so intentional that corruption finds its way into democracy, how do we destroy this?
In the Miami section, a lot of individuals were indifferent or pessimistic to their working democracy. How can we get individuals to trust in the government and democracy? How do we create a democracy for black people and other minorities?
The idea of democracy and citizenship is so complicated because it seems that there are always in and out groups, those accepted by a country and those not. How can we maintain political and social stability while being globally democratic and accepting?
Tola Reasons- apologies this is so late! :)
ReplyDeleteI think this film really helped me begin to think critically about what democracy originally was and what it has become. I think the film is trying to explain how democracy has developed overtime by switching ancient Greece's democracy and U.S modern democracy. The filmmakers try to explain democracy as the idea of doing what is best and well for all the people, and explain how modern democracy has abandoned those ideas. This film helped me understand how there's been a shift in how democracy has become more centered around economics, money, and large corporations. This has made current democracy not for the people, leaving them at a disadvantage by lack of access to education and money.
Talia Gose
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think the filmmaker is trying to convey about democracy? What was new to you? What did the film contribute to your understanding of what democracy is and/or can be?
I think that the filmmaker is trying to convey the different themes that democracy entails and how it is viewed through different lenses around the world. Honestly, I feel that I already knew a lot of things about democracy that were touched on. However, I enjoyed the elaboration on the patriarchal side of things and how "good governance" is viewed and executed through a male perspective. It also reiterated what I knew about capitalism and democracy. I genuinely really enjoy the concept of a democracy, capitalism is where things get a bit tricky though. I feel within the world, not just even the US, money is put before the citizens. We talk about civic engagement when it comes to democracy and it is supposed to breed community. Which I believe it does to an extent. Although I feel capitalism tends to divide rather than unify because it emphasizes the individual. In American society it is very apparent that no one is going to get your money other than you, this reinforces the idea that in capitalistic society you reap the rewards of YOUR effort. This tends to not account for nuance.
Deborah Mattos -
ReplyDeleteI think that the filmmaker is trying to not only show us how democracy began, but the present and the future of it as well. By informing us about the origins we can see what modern democracy is now and possibly what it will turn into if we don’t change anything about the way we are doing things. The film showed us what democracy looks like to different people from around the country but also in different countries, in most cases it shows how those running the government are more worried about costs of things affecting the country's economy rather than what it will do to the people, more specifically the poor people who are hit the hardest.