MovieChat Forums > Orwell Rolls in His Grave (2004) Discussion > whose voices you are not hearing

whose voices you are not hearing

posted 18 years ago by worddancerlac
4 replies | jump to latest

While I certainly appreciated the articulate (if familiar) criticisms that were being made by the interviewees, I found it worrying that the commentators were overwhelmingly white and male.

One of the things that should concern us is that the TOPICS of conversation in the media--mainstream OR alternative--often simply overlook issues that greatly concern people of color, and women. How the avowedly alternative media can talk about the narrowing of the conversation induced by corporate interests and NOT take any note of the fact that the commentators themselves include very, very few people who are NOT among the privileged group (white and male) beggars the imagination.

[–] Devans00 18 years ago

Often critics of the media talk about the echo chamber effect. Where a limited number of people only consult a limited group of people for their thoughts on topics.

This movie had that same effect. I got the impression that the people interviewed were all part of the same social circle. Everyone seemed to be within 20 years of each other. Which I guess makes sense if you want to be sure to know what they are going to say.

I'd like to see a range of ages, genders, races and social groups. Middle class educated white guys aren't the only knowledgeable and insightful people in the USA.

Life is never fair, and perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not.

[–] samplecd3000 17 years ago

Strange - that thought had not occurred to me. It's a very valid observation.

[–] toosexyforhotmail 17 years ago

nice observation, anyways you can take a look at "Voces Contra La Globalizacion" (Voices Against globalization) it's an 7 episode spanish documentary that tackles alot of issues including the role that corporate media plays in modern societies. There are over 40 analysts in the series including Manu Chao. I'm not sure if there's an english version but you can look up in some sites or ask some subtitles group to them for you.

PS. sorry for my crappy english. Also you can check this site where they talk about it http://www.otromundoesposible.com/?p=926

[–] BigFatLou 14 years ago

Good point worddancerlac. I was also puzzled as to why the filmmaker was interviewing politicians like Bernie Sanders; given the fact he's a politician, how do we know he's telling the truth? Politicians care mainly about staying in power, after all, so it's a bit credulous for the film to include them as interviewees.