Thursday, May 6, 2010

The truth is out there

Went to see A Film Unfinished at Hot Docs last night. What is scaring me, and what I'm finding more and more, is a total disregard for the truth in our society.
This film contains within it a 60 minute unfinished film on life in the Warsaw ghetto, interspersed with information about the film and people's reactions to the film. While moving and a fantastic piece of WWII history, I questioned the narrative added over the film (the original film was silent).
The film is made in Isreal and funded by a Jewish organization which is fine but doesn't add to the impartiality of this as a "documentary". The film even contracted itself, at one point saying the women is fancy suits eating lunch was actors portarying propaganda, at another having a woman say that she remembers her mother in a similar outfit having high tea.
I'm not saying like in the Warsaw ghetto was a piece of cake, but the narrative was slanted and presented as fact. At one point, they used cutting room floor footage to show that the entire film was staged. For example, the have "Take one" with a woman walking into a meat shop, saying there were no meat shops. In "Take two" we see the same scene, with a cameraman sticking his head out of the butchery. This is explaine as definitive proof that the entire film is staged, and the woman in front of me starts shaking her head and saying "Wow, all lies!"
I question when someone is telling you something, their opinion, and your eyes are telling you something completley different, how you can choose to believe what you're told. Does no one look deeper?
Another perfect example of this is the recent blow-up over health curriculam changes in Ontario schools. The myths, what people were saying, far over-shadowed the facts. "Orgies in grade three" far outweighed the facts, presented here from the rejected curriculam:

Teacher: "Sometimes we are different in ways you cannot see - such as how we learn, what we think, and what we are able to do. Give me some examples of things that make each person unique."

and

Teacher: "How can you be a role model and show respect for differences in other people?"

Well burn down the house, that's pretty hot stuff!

The final example happened in my mom's small town of Minden, ON. There 200 people gathered to protest "Health Care Cuts". Which would be fine if any health care cuts were made.
Instead the government cut the cost of generic drugs by 50%. Well, call the law! Now instead of paying $50 for a prescription, I pay $25. Where's my placard? I'm ready to protest!
Once again, the media message, funded by the pharmacies, triumphs and the truth is found under foot of 200 people on a small town sidewalk.

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