Originally posted 5/13/09
The last few weeks I have been emphasizing how individuals are shaped by culturally-defined contexts of race, ethnicity, nation, sex, gender, class, achieved vs. ascribed status, and much more. Ethnography gains insight into the cultural mindset through the ways individuals understand how their culture and/or the world works. This presumes a mindset that seems like it is reality but it is the glasses we were conditioned to see with.
In your introduction to anthropology (ANT1001) we examined how we evolved as a human species from the band, the tribe, the chief and the state out of which grew state economies and capitalism. Westernization, colonialism, and cultural imperialism was an outcome that could not be consistent with the values of the generalized reciprocity of the band. Or so we've been taught. Enculturation and acculturation is everywhere but it is not the end of possibilities in our choices as individuals or groups. But we'd have to be responsible for HOW we learned what we know and WHAT that learning has been for. Ethnography is the tool to excating that learning process and knowing way of being.
I didn't get to a set of short video clips from the award-winning Canadian documentary THE CORPORATION (watch the whole documentary here). Now that you have begun to see the power of ethnography as a tool for understanding cultural mindsets, probably one of our best tools students of culture and humankind has, this documentary takes the conversation to a level not often thought of.
How corporate culture has usurped the status of the individual and the effects that is having on our existence as part of a global human culture.
YOUR RESPONSE: Check out these segments and I'd love to hear how you think this connects to the evolution of the study of man -- anthropology.
YOUR HOMEWORK rather than reading an essay is to watch the documentary THE CORPORATION (3 hrs) on google videos
Come back to class Thu, prepared to share at least one thing that really stood out in this documentary about how the corporation has become a person in our culture.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
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10 comments:
I watched the movie and it was pretty sad and depressing on what corporations are doing, but than i began to wonder was trying to make the country a better place really a bad thing? The reason i wondered about this is because the reasons corporations were made in the first place was to progress the country with new technology and items. Now some people are becoming to greedy with money and that's all people care about getting no matter what happens to animals, people, or environments. Lets also think about the positive about corporations. Not everybody cares about money and those who don't, donate money to charities like Bill Gates. Corporations have its positives and negatives but if it weren't for them we probably wouldn't have the technology we have today.
Watching this video reminded me of an episode of Malcolm in the Middle, and if you watch it, youll see why.
Heres the link.
http://watchxonline.com/media/834-malcolm-in-the-middle-112-cheerleader.php
Also, to speed things up
you can jump to the following spots to see the connections i made between this episode and the doc.
2:50
9:22
19:37
21:32
I am so glad to watch this again as I am teaching a course on racism.
Not sure who posted the specific time markings references the connections between Malcolm in the Middle and the Corporation but the segment at 9:22 is perfect for my other class.
2:50
9:22
19:37
21:32
23:00 -26:00 Sweatshop labor production "The only thing they have to offer to ANYone is their labor" "come and rescue us" "Nike regarded as an enormous God-Send"
26:00 Nike operations
6.6 mins = 8 cents in DR (science of exploitation - separating ppl from their labor).
1:30:00 Decades of perception mgmt selling products as a story of the good life. (marketing). Selling domination and rule as regular folks down the block. (Pfizer)
1:37 mediated relationship on all levels.
1:59 school milk and Foz censors.
2:07 Fanta orange and Nazi Germany
2:10 - 2:14 IBM and Nazi coding of Jews with punchcards. Exxon & Amaazon fined for plotting with terrorists and despotic regimes.
2:21 Social and corporate responsibility. Nobel prize winner says it's not corporate role to detemine responsibility and not democratic. Power accountable to nobody = unethical
2:26 When you call a bluff, the tables turn.
2:30 See ourselves as part of the natural world not apart from it.
2:42 Capitalism is leaving many behind and we should care.
2:48 Saving seeds and violating laws in India (salt & Ghandi)
2:50 Model works when you leave ppl out. DEpartures from rational self interest (Known as YBG/IBG - you'll be gone, I'll be gone regarding corporate responsibility without a care).
2:51 Water privatization in Bolivia with ppl living on 2 dollars a day
2:54 People solving their own problems is possibility of upending corporate need for control. BEchtel sought $25 million for their losses in Bolivia from secret World Bank tribunal at the expense of 6 dead and 175 injured.
2:55 And the GAP stores
2:56 15 corporations are trying to define our lives globally and uprising of populations around the world are saying no
2:58 The rich man will sell you the rope and hang himself with it if he an make a profit. (MIchael Moore)
This movie reminded me of the documentary "Capitalism:A Love Story" by Michael Moore.After viewing this documentary it was easy to see how corrupted businesses in the United States can be. In order to make a profit and gain power, businesses would walk over anyone that gets on their way. "The Corporation" had a similar message to Michael Moore's latest documentary. I really liked the quote by Michael Moore that Professor Gaunt posted which states, " The rich man will sell you the rope and hang himself with it if he an make a profit". In my opinion it summarize the whole concept of a corporation. However, as Elvis stated corporations provide many benefits to the American society.Without Capitalism and corporations I can not imagine how the American society would be like.
JianYun,Wang
when we see the surface of
corporations, we may glad by how much they have contributed to economic,they could produce jobs and profits. However, when we deeply explore how those corporations are operated,we will see the cost of profits. They polluted our life environment, hundreds of thousands of other living species also face damage due to those toxin chemicals, which are produce by corporations. Such damage may hurt our planet and future generations. I don't want to criticize those corporations, but for save our planet, other species and future generations, we need to think about more besides money. For long-term benefits, it is useful to regulate some of corporation's activities.
"The main purpose of corporations is to make profits". This is what I learned from my business class. When I watched some parts of this video, this concept seems applicable. I believe this is the main and primary reason people go into business. The outcome of corporations is both beneficial and harmful to societies around the world. The products made from corporations increased our quality of life but at the same time endangered our live's envoirnment creating pollution. Corporations creates labor but at the same time minizes expense by getting low pay labors. To me, corporations have done goods and bads to our lives.
when i think of corporations, i think of these big giant comapanies that are out to make a profit. yes, they have many employees, which is good. but they also do a lot of damage and this movie helped me clearly see that. while it was honestly a little lengthy to watch in one sitting, it was interesting and made you think twice about your own view on corporations. i love that quote at the end from michael moore : "the rich man will sell you the rope and hang himself with it if he an make a profit." its funny but accurately depicts it.
It was very interesting when he had an interview with the president of nike. While nike is hiring workers in 3rd world countries to work long hours and work for low wages, the president is making millions of dollars in profit. He actually tried to get the president of nike to come with him to one of the factories that nike owns and show him the condition of workers who are there. But it turns out that the president of nike never been to any of these factories, I'm sure he doesn't care about anyone who work there as long as he is making millions. That's how the corporate world is, its all about the business and profit.
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