David Simon on the End of the American Empire No. 3 of 3

Speaking at Loyola College, David Simon, an author and creator of the acclaimed HBO program, "The Wire," shares his views on the end of the American Empire in three video segments. He says we're headed for separate Americas of "haves and have-nots." Simon faults "unencumbered Capitalism" for making our country care less about the most vulnerable of our citizens. Unless we change, he predicts "we are doomed."

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[jka4188]

Your making his point: the men on the street in the wire like bubbles, poot and johnny don't matter as much as other people. They are expendible in our society and economy. By the way, they are very few "jobs of value" on Greenmont ave or in Franklin Park. Other than dealing heroin, which pays rather better than minimum wage.

[jka4188]

Marginalized? Like the people in West Baltimore? The unemployed rate for black men in those areas is 50%. Thats a heck of a lot high than Europe. Simon wants a society that is humane to all its members, not just ones with trust funds in the suburbs.

[unkletom9]

@jka4188 well said. It pays GREAT!!!!

[dankbot420]

the subtext is that the "have-nots" have a certain skin tone.....

[bapyou]

I teach at a communiy college in Los Angeles. Last year, a young black woman in my class came to me and said she wouldn't be at the next class meeting because her cousin was shot and killed and she'd be attending the funeral. She said this to me with a smile, as if her cousin had acheived something. I never saw this woman in my classroom again.

[JapeUK]

He makes a very good point about the paradox of Capitalism. It is all about improvement and competition. But the problem with competition is someone has to win. Its al well and good starting with 100 small companies in 100 fields but eventually oligopolies and monopolies arise as fields become dominated and then companies cross into other areas. The newer the industry the more centralised, Microsoft, News Corporation, Walmart etc.

[aswallom]

@Speegs23

One type of partisanship is saying "I believe X because I am a member of Party A and X is part of Party A's platform." If you believe X because you think it is right, regardless of what any party says, you've thought about the issue and made your own conclusion, you aren't being partisan from an ideological standpoint.

Of course, even with these conclusions, one can disagree with his party privately and parrot party dogma publicly, and that is also partisanship.

[DrScrawl]

that was really great to watch. I saw him once speaking in Dublin, he has such an interesting viewpoint. thanks for the upload.

[DoghouseTV]

bamadawgsc

Giving the better part of the last decade of your life to make The Wire = "wringing his hands"?

really?

[mmckendry]

Most eloquent guy I have ever heard addressing urban problems in the US.

[Speegs23]

Especially when he decries partisanship and takes partisan stances.

[bamadawgsc]

Not that I disagree with much that Simon describes, but it's just funny to hear a priviliged northeastern, upper-middle class white guy wring his hands.