Here are two great video commentaries on our screwed-up consumerist society. The first, by Charles Veitch of the Love Police, is a hilarious performance art piece filmed at London's Canary Wharf. A man with a megaphone (Veitch) assures passersby that "Everything that you read in the media is true," and "If you don't have a job, you are a worthless human being!" What might come off as a crank protester haranguing a crowd is in fact an amusing, entertaining commentary that "breaks the fourth wall" of everyday street life.
Another video worth watching is Annie Leonard's new release, "The Story of Broke: Why There Is Still Plenty of Money to Build a Better Future." Leonard is famous for her viral smash, "The Story of Stuff." In the same spirit, "The Story of Broke" simplifies a problem that is deliberately made more complicated than it needs to be, masking the solutions that will help the 99%. The video makes the basic point:
"The United States isn’t broke; we’re the richest country on the planet and a country in which the richest among us are doing exceptionally well. But the truth is, our economy is broken, producing more pollution, greenhouse gases and garbage than any other country. In these and so many other ways, it just isn’t working. But rather than invest in something better, we continue to keep this ‘dinosaur economy’ on life support with hundreds of billions of dollars."
Leonard urges "government spending toward investments in clean, green solutions—renewable energy, safer chemicals and materials, zero waste and more—that can deliver jobs AND a healthier environment. It’s time to rebuild the American Dream; but this time, let’s build it better."
An illuminating, inspirational video by a master of plain talk.
Recent comments