Flint, once a thriving industrial city in Michigan, suffered a severe economic downtown during the 1980s due closing of several General Motors (GM) factory closing. Roger & Me is a documentary following Michael Moore, the director, on a quest to confront Roger Smith, the then GM CEO. The effects of the downsizing can still be felt to this day. The documentary examine the amount of corporate greed and disconnect between the upper and lower society classes of Flint. Captures our unique form of capitalism. The drive for money and profit and the complete disregard for the lives of many who may be affected by the pursuit of the dollar. Moore narrates, “Meanwhile, the more fortunate in Flint were holding their annual Great Gatsby party at the home …show more content…
And he appeared to have a brilliant plan: First, close 11 factories in the U.S, then open 11 in Mexico where you pay the workers 70 cents an hour. Then, use the money you 've saved by building cars in Mexico to take over other companies, preferably high-tech firms and weapons manufacturers. Next, tell the union you 're broke and they happily agree to give back a couple billion dollars in wage cuts. You then take that money from the workers, and eliminate their jobs by building more foreign factories. Roger Smith was a true genius. (Moore)
Coupled with a detachment from the common person and an insatiable thirst for profit, corporations can destroy thousands of lives. Tom Kay, GM spokesman and lobbyist, argued that GM does not own the people of Flint anything. “I believe it 's a corporation. It 's in business to make a profit. It does what it has to do to make a profit. That 's the nature of corporations or companies.” With this quote, perfectly highlights that it is in a corporations’ nature to do whatever it takes to maximize profits even at expense of working people.
The documentary highlights and exposes the level of corporate greed and lack of empathy upon the well-off member of Flint society. Ultimately the GM factory closures meant 30,000 people struggling to find another livelihood in Flint, Michigan. Flint, Michigan is, to this very day, still feeling the effect of the GM