While watching the film, I had already heard to a small extent what had caused the financial crisis (and plenty about the corruption of Wall Street), and the information presented in the film had matched up with that pretty well, so it seemed trustworthy. On the other hand, I have little to no experience or knowledge of economics, so most of the stuff presented was entirely new to me. Not to mention, the film was pretty obviously biased (granted, it's nearly impossible not to get outraged when one finds evidence for that level of corruption, and I'd already heard a few of these stories before) to the point of being just plain comical at times, mainly with the numerous times they mentioned that "X declined being interviewed" (after the fifth time, I just started wondering how different the scenes would've been had at least half of the people that declined actually decided to be interviewed). All joking aside though, the movie is very effective and clear in getting its message across that we need to do something to change the corrupt practices of the financial industry.
On a side note, I actually remember when I was in the seventh grade (or sixth, my memory's a bit fuzzy on when it happened) around 2007 or so, somebody from Merrill Lynch had come to talk to our class on stocks and bonds or something along those lines (again, fuzzy memory). Looking back on it and realizing that it happened about 2 years before they went out of business, I find it kind of amusing.
I agree with you in saying the film did seem pretty trustworthy but yet it was good at portraying a sort of bias. We are in the same boat when it comes to knowledge of economics in saying that I have little to no experience in that area. On one hand I do feel as if those interviewees had declined their interview, the idea of corruptness could have made a different impact. On the other hand I also feel as if other people were interviewed, then another message could arise as well. All in all, in the end the documentary does do a very effective job in conveying the message that the United States is a in a financial crisis. It is made clear that something has to be done to end these economic downfalls.
ReplyDeleteIt is slightly ironic that a year before the recession someone came and talked to you about stocks and bonds. I agree that the film was bias, only giving the director's point of view.
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