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And the bad reviews keep right on coming….

In what is turning slowly into a mess of bad press, the newest reviews of Moore’s new opus “Capitalism” continue down a very negative, critical, and sometimes even scathing path. Here are a few more interesting pieces that made their way to my computer today.

From The Metro:

Many around Wall Street seemed unimpressed by the filmmaker’s argument that capitalism is an “evil” that needs to be replaced.

“What would be helpful was to teach people how capitalism really works rather than scare them,” said Alex G., a 36-year-old financial analyst. “I don’t have a problem with him, but I would wish he wasn’t so bombastic. Cut out the hype and deal with the facts.”

Much of the online commentary comes from Moore’s fan base, praising his genius and courage to speak truth to power. Not surprisingly, there are few tempered opinions of the provocateur.

“The man is a parasite who has carved out a market from the fringes of society,” wrote one poster to the Wall Street Journal’s Web site.

Jane Lee, 26, an associate at NY Pacific Capital said she appreciated Moore’s criticism, but thought he goes to extremes.

“I don’t see that capitalism is a bad thing,” Lee said. “I come from China, a communist country and I have experienced both.”

David Epstein, a professor of political science at Columbia University, said that Moore is right to say that capitalism “harnesses greed,” but added that it works.

“It’s seems he’s upset about concentrated power and its ability to influence policy but that happens in every single system,” Epstein said “I’m not sure why capitalism is especially bad in that respect.

From Newsday in a review that gave “Capitalism” a one and a half star review:

Most of what he rails against isn’t about economic philosophy, it’s about immorality; greed is certainly the lifeblood of capitalism, but greed is eternal and it’s human failing that has Moore at the ramparts, where he shrinks from making the big connections. That various corporations took out life insurance on employees and benefited from their deaths is low, but it isn’t criminal, and it doesn’t even victimize the survivors.

But if Moore could have accused Wal-Mart of denying health care to its employees in an effort to collect death benefits, that would have been something. While Moore is happy to imply the worst, innuendo is all we get.

Moore shares the blame for financial atrocities pretty fairly - he names Democrats as well as Republicans who have bellied up to the Wall Street-catered trough. But his trademark antics - wrapping Goldman Sachs in crime-scene tape, using a bullhorn to order Wall Street malefactors into the street with their hands up, or hassling security guards to give back “America’s Money” seem cheap, hackneyed and trite. Too bad: There was probably a good movie, even a funny movie, to be made here, but Moore has too much contempt for his audience to think they’d understand anything beyond the cartoonishness that is “Capitalism.”

This one from Opposing Views is my favorite. I wish I could reprint the whole thing because it’s a truly fantastic piece that breaks down the economics Moore rails against in “Capitalism”. I HIGHLY encourage you to go and read the whole thing, but here a taste for you:

The bad rap could not be more undeserved. Rather than mankind’s scourge, capitalism has been its greatest benefactor. It is, in fact, the only socio-economic system that can provide ordinary people with dignified and prosperous lives. It was only with the advent of capitalism that the common man was able to escape the penury and filth of his existence to which he had been previously consigned. Until then, the lives of most people were short, hard and miserable. Today, as if by miracle, we can enjoy greater comforts and ease of life than the kings of the past. It is to capitalism that we owe this good fortune.

Capitalism is responsible for nearly everything that makes human existence easy and comfortable. The automobile, the supermarket, the personal computer, the washing machine, the hammer-drill, the iPhone, the airplane, the TV set, the chewing gum, electricity and countless other good things have all been birthed and mass produced by capitalism.

Because of its immense wealth generating power, people who live in capitalist societies enjoy rising standards of living and material affluence. Conversely, those who live in non-capitalist societies invariably experience the opposite. To see this, it is enough to compare the experience of, let’s say, the United States, Switzerland and Australia, on one hand, with that of the Soviet Union, Cuba, North Korea and Saudi Arabia on the other. The rule always holds: Capitalist societies are invariably prosperous. Non-capitalist ones are always poor.

But wealth and prosperity are not the only benefits capitalism confers. Capitalism fosters freedoms of all kinds and affords unprecedented opportunities for personal fulfillment and growth. It rewards efficiency, resourcefulness, originality and inventiveness. Those whose oddness would consign them to marginalization in less free societies often excel under capitalism. Capitalism rewards good ideas regardless of who their authors are. Thomas Edison was a hearing-impaired eccentric while Bill Gates is a well-known nerd. It is inconceivable that these men could develop their gifts in the way they did under any other system. Mankind has benefited greatly from the fact that they were born under capitalism rather than under a communist or Islamic regime. Andrew Bernstein was right when he said that capitalism is, among other things, “the system of liberated human brain power.” Capitalism uniquely encourages individuals to realize their talents and pursue their dreams no matter how far-fetched they may seem.

Perhaps the most remarkable characteristic of capitalism is its ability to transform the pursuit of self-interest into the general good. In the process of pursuing profit, people satisfy the needs and wants of their fellow men. This is because success under capitalism is tied to one’s the ability to provide something – a product or a service – that benefits other people. In a very real sense capitalism is the most effective and successful welfare program ever implemented. In the process of becoming the richest man on earth, Bill Gates provided a product which tens of millions have found immensely useful. This is the story of nearly every successful capitalist. John D. Rockefeller provided the masses with cheap oil, Henry Ford with affordable cars, and Steve Jobs with ingenious gadgets.

Anyone who genuinely cares about the well-being of mankind – anyone who claims love and compassion as his personal traits – cannot but become a passionate advocate for capitalism. The question to ask is: Under which system are people best off? Capitalism wins hands down. The difference between capitalism and even the best alternative is that of light and darkness. Michael Moore and all those who oppose and revile capitalism cannot have the best interest of their fellow men at heart. If they did, they would dedicate their efforts to its defense. By trying to destroy it, they are inviting hardship and misery on their society.

Brilliant stuff from Opposing Views - please everyone check out the entirety of the article. I feel I can now saw that one thing is certain - “Capitalism” is going to have a very bumpy ride both at the box office and with the viewing populace.

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