The Corporation

First allow me to make a few surface observations. I like the use of the Base Nine for the section titles. Who doesn't love to use an Emigre typeface?! Also, it donned on me that Noam Chomsky seems timeless. Its almost like he always has and always will look the way he does right now. Sure you can find photos of him when he was younger but that wasn't Noam...I assure you.
Now, this movie was recommended to me twice in one week so I took it as a sign to move it to the top of my queue and watch it the very day that it came in. The opening scene was a flickering of logos. Though, each logo was held on the screen for a mere second, I could identify all of them. *drool* 'Wow' I think immediately, 'those must be very successful marks from a design stand-point if I am recognizing them all.' *snap out of it* Did anyone watch the cartoon Duck Tales with Scrooge McDuck and his nephews? Well, Mr. McDuck's motto was "work smarter, not harder" which seemed to be the heart of the first corporations. No doubt he was a rich duck with money first and foremost on his mind. While his nephews clearly reaped the benefits of his ambition they also acted as his conscience.
Anyway, what really shocked me was how quickly coporations found a loophole out of responsibility; as early as the 14th Amendment. This gave them the rights of an individual. A little tacky I think, but not half as tacky as deforming human beings and animals(seriously drove me to tears), trying to claim a living organism as your on patented creation or privatizing rainwater. Overall I thought the most acute statement was made by Ray Anderson from Interface: "I realized that I was a plunderer. To plunder is not mine, its something that belongs to every creature on this earth."
And while this devastating documentary ended on a positive we-can-all-make-a-difference note(much appreciated and its true we can...somehow), lingering in my head were the words of Jonathan Ressler, president of Big Fat and official mayor of Choadsville. After describing his deceptive methods of corporate guerilla advertising, he summed up what he thought the general public should do in response to this corporate dilemma. "Just Say Thanks." Hey thanks! Your choad-key to the city is in the mail.