More musings on Michael Moore

Ever feel some way about something but you can't quite articulate it correctly? You just can't put what you want to say in just the right words; they always feel like they're just out of reach of your brain. Michael Moore's recent Fahrenheit 9/11 has always made me a bit uncomfortable, but I couldn't quite express how or why. Yes the movie will make any anti-Iraq-War Democrat feel good about himself, but I don't think the movie really contributes much of anything to the discussion.

There's an editorial in today's New York Times by Nicholas Kristof that I think expresses this much better than I've been able to:

I'm against the "liar" label for two reasons. First, it further polarizes the political cesspool, and this polarization is making America increasingly difficult to govern. Second, insults and rage impede understanding... But the rush to sling mud is gaining momentum, and "Fahrenheit 9/11" marks the polarization of yet another form of media. One medium after another has found it profitable to turn from information to entertainment, from nuance to table-thumping.

And I think that sums it up very well. This movie seems to elevate the shrillness of the political landscape, but brings very little to the table.