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http://thelisteningprojectfilm.com/

Interesting trailer...anybody seen it the film?

Looks like a fascinating movie!

I think it looks very interesting as well but these types of films always make me think that the people that should go out and see them (i.e. my small-minded fellow Americans) probably will not.

Looks interesting. As an American, I'm really tired of incessant naving-gazing by certain Americans, as well as inordinate scrutiny by certain non-Americans. The trailer piqued my interest though, despite my initial scepticism.

Felix, considering the fact that there are people who see the USA as the incarnation of the Antichrist, I believe it would be very good for more Americans to understand the actual reasons for all that hate. What you get from the mass media is usually politically slanted and/or over-simplified. A true intellectual discussion on why that is so would be helpful to all.
(On a different note, after listening to Obama's speech about the Race issue, I think there's actually a chance that he could intellectualize the 'America as perceived by others' discussion as well. Which would be a sensational thing. De-intellectualization of complex social issues over the past 50 years is, in my opinion, the worst offender when it comes to all that is bad in todays word.)

bump.
Anyone seen this yet? It looks like it has been at a bunch of film festivals, but is not on netflix and it doesn't even look like you can order it on the website.
Another good find, Madhu! (Some of the others being Beyond Good Intentions and the mango pie of course )

Looks interesting. I would watch it to see what it is all about. To be honest though, i am always wary of these types of things and see your point Felix. I also see your point elAdi - the U.S. has done a lot of f-ed sh*t there is no doubt but i do get sick of being judged for things i have no control over. There are certainly a LOT of screwed up things in our nation but they are a not a representation of the people or what it means to be from this country. This, i believe is true of a lot of countries.

I don't think there are many people in any country who would raise their hands and say that their politicians are a true representation of who they are, yet Americans are continually held to that ideal (when most people in the u.s. are just as frustrated w/ it anyway) and critized for things they actually have very little control over. Sure I vote, but do i think it really matters? No. I wish it did but it just comes down to big business in my opinion. Look at what happened when Bush was voted in for a 2nd term, that was just ridiculous, what a lie, a horrible lie. I personally think it would be awesome if Obama was voted in and I think he could do a lot of good and he seems like a good person to me. But i don't really truly trust him. I don't trust anyone in politics - In the end, everyone's pocket is lined by someone else and usually it's big business with a big agenda and we all know it's really not global warming.

It is interesting and imp. to hear what people think only in that it shows we have something we need to work on (you'd have to be living under a rock not to know that) and perhaps it will help some people understand why there is so much contempt for America. But truthfully I would never really care to hear if someone thought so poorly of me simply because i was American and they didn't even know me, that would only be small minded of them, just as it would be of me if I judged them on the way their country operated w/out knowing them as a person.

It just makes me feel that as a country we need more time off, more people need to travel outside the U.S. and move around the world. Then others could see just how many really amazing people there are here and maybe help change the preconception that all Americans are stupid fools who sit around thinking their government is amazing and all-perfect.

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help change the preconception that all Americans are stupid fools who sit around thinking their government is amazing and all-perfect.

I did not get the impression that the film was about this at all.

I am interested in it because it seems that in the US, we have many opportunities and resources to make ourselves heard. People in most of the rest of the world - less so. That is why I think it would be interesting to see a film that focuses specifically on what people from other countries have to say. If people want to hear more about what people from the US have to say about every topic under the sun, there are a gazillion blogs and articles and movies and documentaries and so on. No so much for Azerbaijan, Croatia, Uruguay...

My 2 cents: the problem with america is not individual politicians like president Bush. President Bush, as much as I dislike him, is merely a product of the system. It's the system itself that is broken - it is a system that gives big business disproportionate power and influence.

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Originally posted by KateL57:
in the US, we have many opportunities and resources to make ourselves heard.
.....there are a gazillion blogs and articles and movies and documentaries and so on. No so much for Azerbaijan, Croatia, Uruguay...

Is that really how it works? Gazillion blogs?
You seem to underestimate the power of media corporates.

"I hate America but I love American people" - that's what the Asian man said in that trailer. How many times have I heard it!
You might think - is America and the American people two totally different things? Can you find a more contradictory statement?

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Originally posted by moniak:
"I hate America but I love American people" - that's what the Asian man said in that trailer. How many times have I heard it!
You might think - is America and the American people two totally different things? Can you find a more contradictory statement?

Yeah, I call bullshit on this too. And, as an American it seriously gets old trying to explain away something you can do next to nothing about. I try to put my energy into more constructive pursuits.

If I had the time or patience I could tell you a million things that are wrong with countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America...most countries that have had any semblance of power over the past 50 years have done some pretty atrocious things.

The reason 'Americans' turn a blind eye to our policies is simple. In most countries, it is it's citizens that bear the brunt of govermental aggression. Take Sudan, China, Egypt..ect.
In America its exactly the opposite. We live in relative peace while we blow up other countries. That's irritating. Infuriating. And makes countries dislike us a whole heck of a lot. For simple reasons such as envy and complex ones, such as local fisherman loosing jobs to a big ship parked off the coast of Yemen. So...I've found that while most people hate Bush, hate what America does, a lot of them really really want to live here because it's citizens are treated so damn well.

I actually think it's really interesting to read about. Thanks Madhu for the great find

Here's an interesting question, and I don't know the answer but maybe someone does...

In a democracy are the people who voted for a certain leader then responsible for the actions of the leader they have chosen? eg. Are Germans who voted Hitler, a known anti-semite, responsible for Hitler's actions? Are americans who voted Bush responsible for Bush's global foreign policy? Or can voters, in their defence, justifiably plead ignorance...?

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Originally posted by Craze_b0i:
Here's an interesting question, and I don't know the answer but maybe someone does...

In a democracy are the people who voted for a certain leader then responsible for the actions of the leader they have chosen? eg. Are Germans who voted Hitler, a known anti-semite, responsible for Hitler's actions? Are americans who voted Bush responsible for Bush's global foreign policy? Or can voters, in their defence, justifiably plead ignorance...?

Not to be smart, but how can you be responsible for the actions of anyone but yourself? Democracy or otherwise. Maybe I'm just in a bad mood today.

I think that question can only be answered with context. For instance, when Hitler was in power being an anti-semite was not a huge deal. It was...common. It wasn't common in a 'I want to kill all the Jews' sort of way...but take for instance...Arabs.
While there was racism towards Arab-Americans and Arabs in general before 9/11, 9/11 really helped spark that flame.
Okay very, very few Americans (and I only metion some because of wayward crazies) think nuking Mekkah or killing all Arabs and 'converting the rest' is a truley good idea. But given the right propaganda and the right amount of fear you'll find that most arn't that opposed to locking them up without due process or keeping them in 'secret prisons' for no other reason then "they may pose a threat".

I dont think the voters are directly responsible. But there is a feeling of culpability that does go along with it. I'm not going to blame my dad, who voted for George W., for Gitmo or Iraq. But is he a bit responsible? Sure. A bit. But I didnt vote for him, encouraged my representatives not to go into Iraq, and they still went. Am I responsible? You could say no but my tax-dollars are still feeding Gitmo, Iraq, and paying Bush's salary.
So I am indirectly helping. I dont really have a choice. But it dosent take away the fact that I am contributing and financing what I personally believe to be wrong.

Meh. I'm sorta torn on the issue. Part of me thinks that no matter how many demonstrations we have nothign will change. Wait...peacefull demonstrations. W had the largest protest in the HISTORY OF THE WORLD held against Iraq and he still went ahead. I dont think that taking to the streets peacefully has gotten us anywhere with this administration.

So unless we riot using violence...which of course nobody will condone outloud (at least I wont)...I really dont believe anything will or can change.

I have to say I agree w/ most of prisa said and also the comment that Craze_boi said about the system. It is a system and that's all it is. As much of an idiot as Bush is he is just a puppet.

He certainly doesn't make the decisions for this country (listen to just one interview w/him and you can see there is no way his mind could store all that information), he simply is the mouthpiece for what the system wants. I feel very sadly about the state of affairs with our politics. Mainly i feel that, contrary to MTV, our vote does not matter.

I do believe the striving thought behind America as the land of opportunity, the land where you can make anything you want happen for yourself and your family is true. It is a very positive place in that way and i wish more people could see that. Unfortunately we are a young country and have fought every step of the way for that freedom and have not learned yet how to make peace with the world and ourselves.

This discussion reminds me of one of my favorite George Carlin bits, on Voting & Politicians.

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by KateL57:
in the US, we have many opportunities and resources to make ourselves heard.
.....there are a gazillion blogs and articles and movies and documentaries and so on. No so much for Azerbaijan, Croatia, Uruguay...



Is that really how it works? Gazillion blogs?
You seem to underestimate the power of media corporates.

My point is, American perspectives are overwhelmingly available in the US, and perspectives from people from 170-some other countries much less so. It’s definitely not perfect – and if you are saying media corporates limit the diversity of views … I would agree! But the views they do promote tend to be American ones still in the general sense.

Prisa,
You sound like a Russian under Stalin regime, or a German under Hitler. They both had a legitimate leader.