Fahrenheit

Despite the fact that my primary occupation right now is loitering in my parents' basement, I seem to be busy all the time.

Thursday I went to see The Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind with some of my friends at the Princess Cinema. The movie was different, but good. I've never really been a Jim Carey fan, but I thought his acting was decent. I'd have to say that it's a film that is worth seeing.

Friday, I finished reading Hegemony Or Survival: America's Quest For Global Dominance by Noam Chomsky. I've never read anything by Chomsky before, but I have heard interesting things about him. I thought he gave compelling arguments for his thesis that America has held the prolonged goal to dominate the World at all cost (while eroding social programs and further enriching the elite). There is no doubt that the Right would describe it as seditious if the US was actually well read. (The National Endowment for the Arts said the other day that 53% of adult Americans don't read books at all). However, Chomsky is equal scathing in his criticism of Democratic presidents as well. (Although the Reagan-Bush-Bush administrations receive the bulk of his attack). Overall, I would say his assessment is a reasonable one. That said, there are a number of aspects where his argument is susceptible to a counter-arguments. (e.g. He scathes Clinton for acting in Kosovo, but also scathes Clinton for not acting in East Timor. If action and inaction are both reprehensible then it is hard not to be condemned). It is definitely a book worth reading as it adds perspective.

Yesterday I saw Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 with some other friends. I thought it was a good documentary. A lot of material was covered, but the current administration can be reproached along many avenues. However, I didn't learn a lot of new facts nor did the movie seem overly damning of Bush. Perhaps, it is because I live outside the US, where the media is not so sycophantic or perhaps it is rather hard to top the degree of criticism reached by Hegemony Or Survival. Or maybe after all the fuss made by the RNC, I expected the movie to be more assaulting. Again, this is worth seeing because it adds perspective. However, it lacks the entertaining moments contained in Bowling For Columbine or Supersize Me, so go expecting a more serious movie.