This is not a summery of The Corporation by Brooke Marcy

 

An interesting thing happened while I was watching The Corporation, I began personifying corporations and thinking of them in terms of being human.  What would a corporation look like if it were human and how would it act?  The image of a 60ish well dressed good looking white male came to mind.  He would be the kind of person who went to the right schools and lives in a large house surrounded by a fence. The fence enables others to see his house, envy it, but not get too close, keeping out the aspects of everyday life that don’t concern him. The man would have more money than he knows what to do with, yet no matter how much he has, it will never be enough. He doesn’t think much of others or worry about things outside his own wants and needs. The needs of the people who work under him are not his problem, and he has gotten where he is financially and professionally by exploiting others. He fits the profile of a sociopath, but he is thought of as savvy, not mentally ill. The only time he does something for others or the environment is when he can somehow profit from the action.  Laws are more like guidelines than actual rules, and breaking them is part of his job. His image is everything, and he will do anything to protect and promote it. He doesn’t understand what it is like to be poor or discriminated against, and those who are, don’t concern him. He is very cunning and able to manipulate others and influence their choices.  This is not person I would choose to be around. I could never respect him because of the way he treats others and the environment.  If he were anyone else, he would be in jail or at least heavily medicated.  Yet he surrounds me, and I thoughtlessly play my part by purchasing his products and ignoring his injustice. It is interesting how changing the corporation from an” it” to a “him” better enables me to view the corporation more objectively.

 

I do, however, live my life believing in the power of the people. We need to standup against injustices committed by “the corporation” and have our voices heard.  I was raised a Quaker and have been marching in protests, writing letters and signing petitions since I was old enough to write and walk. I believe that one person can make a difference and that making your voice heard is essential to promoting change.  I am worried that we are creating a generation of people who sit back and let others tell them who they are and what to think.  I guess we shall see.