Control Room & The Corporation

I spent the better half of today watching two very different but equally trail blazing & insightful documentaries: "Control Room" & "The Corporation"

Control Room:
This is a documentary set mainly within the confines of "CentCom" or Central Command in Doha Qatar which was the base of all international media who were covering the war in Iraq. In particular the documentary focusses on Al Jazeera, its coverage of the war in Iraq from day 1, its supposedly "controversial & biased" coverage of the war and insights into the philosophies of its journalists and the channel as a whole. It is a highly comprehensive insight into Al Jazeera's coverage of the entire Iraq war, the numerous ethical challenges the channel constantly grapples with and the stupefying propoganda machine it has to contend with in the form of the US Govt. & military authorities. One particular incident where 3 Arab news channel HQs in Baghdad are specifically targeted by air strikes leaving an Al Jazeera camera man dead is particularly shocking. Here I have to clarify that the documentary was not commissioned by Al Jazeera. In fact the producer of the documentary is an American.

The film also gives us a great insight into the Arab psyche through the anchors at Al Jazeera, especially Deema Khatib and Hasshan, where they frankly discuss Arab opinions on all things American in relation to the Arab world as well as the Arab world's own short comings. This is an openness and honesty one does not encounter often. Now when I think about it, to see such objectivity amongst such a large section of the Arab world just goes to show the "spin" one encounters via CNN being one's only source of information relating to the Arab world, especially during the war. There are so many instances whence I was shocked to learn about incidents which actually may have been completely opposite of what I saw on CNN. For example, the center piece of the war on Iraq: when the statue of Saddam was pulled down at one of Baghdad's main squares...Al Jazeera has a different opinion on the entire incident.
They ask:

• Why were there only a handful of supposed "Iraqis" celebrating the statue being pulled down?
  
• Why were there only youngish looking men in the group?
• How did one amongst them acquire the Iraqi flag before it was changed when Saddam came into power?
  
• Why were the people living in houses around the square not involved in the celebrations?
• The "iraqis" celebrating did not have Baghdad accents.....

The list is endless...fraught with flaws. I saw that entire incident in Rotterdam live on CNN and remember to this day...I clearly felt goosebumps because I thought, I really believed I was seeing history being made. I now feel a little like you do when you realise that you might have just been taken for a collosal ride but aren't really sure.
But the most striking realisation at the end of it all was that we need more Al Jazeera's. We need more of such bright & courageous Arabs to stand up to the world and dispel the myths that surround the Arab world. And I also realised we need more "Salaam" programs. Kudos to AIESEC US for this initiative. This is an incredible example of the power of AIESEC and actually impacting one of the most important flashpoints in recent world history. May your tribe increase.
All in all, a great movie and its made me see a lot of things about the Arab world and the war in Iraq in a different light.

Movie Number two after a short break was The Corporation:
An incisive analysis on the evolution of the corporate entity, why it came into existence and what it has evolved into today. The 2 hour documentary covered too many topics and provided such a wealth of information that I cannot possibly hope to do it justice with a brief write up. However, what I would heartily recommend is that every single AIESEC team or group of AIESEC alumni anywhere in the world must conduct this exercise:

1. Put down on paper what each thinks a company's role in society is today, what the benefits are, what the negatives are etc
2. Watch "The Corporation"
3. Re examine their beliefs and discuss on subsequent questions the film would definitely pose to those beliefs

:-) I can guarantee some of the most stimulating conversations you would ever have had

If I dare summarize the movie, it examines various big multi national brands, the power of propoganda, political clout and as a result, spin control these companies are capable of. The film delves deep into the issue of business ethics and the baffling, blatant lack of the same in most big businesses today right from Coca Cola to IBM to Bectel to Pfizer to Fox to Shell.....the list is endless...literally endless. Ranging from anti trust violations to financial irregularities to environmental damage, the film covers all aspects that create a conflict between where society's well being begins and a corporation's regard for the same ends. This film has fundamentally affected the way I look at brands and has once again pushed my sense of social consciousness into overdrive.

However, I shall continue to be patient until the most opportune moment arises which will allow me to turn my passion into action :)...to borrow a phrase!

Both films are a must see.

An aside: In the Corporation, there is a short report on sweat shops in Latin America with interviews: Soy feliz de decir que entendí varias oraciones bien.