There is a lot of odd issues about this pseudo-documentory. the most astonishing to me was, that almost everybody interviewed in the film is either (obvious and heavily) drunk or paralyzed on glue or on some other drugs. Could it be possible, that the maker had difficulties in convincing his actors to say the right lines in front of camera while they were sober ? Or is whole africa on drugs ?
shareThey're not drunk, they're just really worn down from living in those not-so-great conditions.
shareI think you're on drugs, or just too stupid to see beyond your narrow-minded life.
shareDear mgmadeinchina,
thank you very much for your concern, but your comment is not an answer to my question. I think I can judge a person being drunk from a person being generally exhausted. Besides: If this movie did help you, mgmadeinchina, to see beyond your "whatever" life - great.
I am just a bit afraid, that the movie might provide you (a caring person being concerned about exploitation of third-world-country-societies by down-and-dirty eu-neoliberals) with a motive as much as any neo-liberal, who could get the impression, that 3rd world poverty and exploitation sort of "lies in the eye of the beholder", and is a question of standpoint.
Which it is not, not in real life, not to my opinion. To my my opinion this movie says a lot about european or western prejudices about africa and people living there and not so much about the general situation in tansania or in which way the fish-industry contributed to it - good or bad.
" To my my opinion this movie says a lot about european or western prejudices about africa and people living there and not so much about the general situation in tansania or in which way the fish-industry contributed to it - good or bad."
Thanks, WB, for your cogent analysis!
The film appears to me to be a screed decrying what evil Euros are doing to Tanzania, with litle examination of what Tanzanians have done, and are doing, to one another to exacerbate this disaster.
In the spirit of offering another question to the debate:
Just what would happen if the Euro public suddenly just stopped the whole shebang by ceasing to buy the fillets?
Would that suddenly increase food supplies to the local poor?
What would the jump in already-crippling unemployment figures do the local poor?
IF such a thing were to happen, what should be the response of Euro nations: more gov aid; more private charity aid; more personal aid; more UN aid, etc.?
(PS to WalterBenjamin: They look drunk to me, too. No an uncommon problem around the world, but definitely a deeper problem in the 3rd World and the former Commie nations than in the West.)
So, all you paleo-liberals: Just what are your proposals for 'solving' this 'problem'?
Um, Walter Benjamin, this is a DOCUMENTARY. There were no actors in it. Did you notice one of the "characters" was murdered (for real). You give stupidity a shiny new face.
shareJust wondering why there are so many folks on the boards regarding this film willing to hurl ad hominem insults to most of those offering anything but unqualified support for the film, let alone to those asking any question at all about the film?
If one cannot dispassionately debate arguments concerning that which one cares deeply about all discourse devolves to destruction.
As to the point in question, would you care to elucidate to us just why your opinions in this matter evoke within you so much rage?
Rampant substance abuse is partly due to lack of a real future and crippling poverty. Then again, in North America, we celebrate the drug culture now so everyone here is walking around either stoned or on something.
share