Bindu's Repose

Bowling For Columbine

After seeing Bowling For Columbine, I feel violated! Not by the movie itself, but by the parts of our society (USA) that are brought into laser focus in the film. I feel outraged! Mr. Moore must have intended this response... well done!

While watching the film, I became aware of many analogs between the movies structure and critical writing techniques. I had a sense of the movie being a very carefully crafted argument that backs up a single strong thesis: the violence in this society can be completely explained by the institutionalized fear we are bombarded with. This single mindedness leaves me with some mistrust. I feel persuaded by the argument, and yet I’m left wondering if this "single bullet" theory isn't too simple.

Mr. Moore attempts to rebuke the idea that our problems come from a history of violence. He does this by pointing to other countries with histories that are even more violent than our own. He proposes that these countries are much less afflicted today (Germany and England for example.) I'm left with questions about the spiral nature of violence. How violence breeds violence and also how these cycles can be broken. I feel hope that there is a way to break the cycles (using England and Germany as examples) and some fear that the violence in these countries is just in a more dormant state at the moment.

Mr. Moore has provided a very substantial context for discussion about violence in our society, but he has not offered a vision about how we can stop the insanity. Once we understand the causes of violence, how do we break the cycles? Who will come up with solutions that we can work with? How will these solutions be implemented? Is there a way to break these cycles in a democracy that is governed by fear? Not many answer from me either, just more questions.

Does anyone have a good sense of the difference between the meanings of the words society and culture? I would be grateful for clarification. (The definitions appear to be recursive in my dictionary.)