RoR: Forum

I admit that - owing to a cheesy horror flick on FX starring the woman who played Faith the bad slayer - I didn’t catch all of 20/20, but my take on what I saw:

- It did have some moderately interesting factual points from studies, with varying levels of surprise – e.g. religious people give most even to nonreligious charities, conservatives give to charities more than liberals, working poor give the greatest percentage, followed by the wealthy (>$100K/yr), with middle class being lower than either.
- On the plus side, Stossel played up the value of productive labor rather than idle leisure in a segment on trust fund kids.
- There was an intriguing bit about a ‘giver’s high’ including brain studies reporting dopamine release after charitable giving or work. Given how dopamine really works in the motivational system of the brain and its relationship to addiction, I’d be quite curious to see follow on studies to confirm if all this indicates is that charity can be addictive.
- The bit on billionaires pissed me off. It mainly had Turner speaking, who I thought was handled far better 8 years ago in ‘Greed’. It then had 4 reasons billionaires gave for not giving more to charity, and presented them in a mocking manner, such as ‘they don't think they're rich enough!’
- TJ Rodgers, who kicked ass in Stossel’s ‘Greed’, was seen only in a brief flashback clip. David Kelley, who Stossel interviewed in that, was nowhere to be seen. There were simply no voices promoting self interest as proper behavior, indicating any difference between benevolence and sacrifice, or advocating any principles other than a dutiful ‘people need to give time and money’.
- The show said that ‘forced volunteerism’ (he at least did point out the irony in that) at one high school improved kids’ grades, that an elderly man volunteering helping kids to read resulted in the miracle of him being able to walk without a cane, and the show ended on essentially ‘Americans give a lot, and you go out there and give more!’
- Skip this tripe and go find an old copy of ‘Greed’ instead

Aaron

Post 1

Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 9:22pm

Like Aaron I was also disappointed in Stossel's bit on the billionaires. Stossel being a libertarian I guess I expected more out of him, but, then again, he is a libertarian and not an Objectivist.

Further, I was very disappointed in the billionaires that Stossel interviewed. What a bunch of morally unaware people they are. They offered no reason for their selfishness, no defense. I wonder how they would react to a visit from John Galt?

A plus to Stossel, concerning the billionaires, is that he did take time to point out how much more economically sound it is to hold on to one's fortune and continue to make more money. And, the economist blasting Turner as stupid for giving his money away was especially delicious.

Thanks for the heads up Mr. Rowlands. Overall it was an enjoyable show.

Post 2

Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 3:26am

Damnit, I missed this special all together. Thanks to Aaron for the run-down.

Post 3

Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 3:35am

There's no need to spend lots of time looking for old copies of John Stossel's "Greed"! You can find it in 3 parts at the following addresses:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3
(Edited by Scott Cram
on 11/30, 3:37am)

Post 4

Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 5:55am

Mitchell-
The person blasting Turner for giving his money away was the clip from Greed of T.J. Rodgers, CEO of Cypress Semiconductor.

Scott-
Excellent find, thanks!

Post 5

Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 7:55am

I admit that - owing to a cheesy horror flick on FX starring the woman who played Faith the bad slayer - I didn’t catch all of 20/20, but my take on what I saw:

Are you talking about the very bad Wrong Turn? Eliza is always worth watching though. She's much better in Bring it On.

Post 6

Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 7:57am

By the way, I didn't see this posting here until today. Notices such as these should have at least 24 hours advance notice.

Post 7

Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 10:36am

"Notices such as these should have at least 24 hours advance notice."

Are you volunteering to provide such service?

Post 8

Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 10:48am

Chris-
I never found out what the FX film was. It was bad enough I didn't watch it attentively either; just last-channel'ing back and forth. Bring It On is of course fine cinema. Were you like me disappointed by Tru Calling?

Post 9

Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 11:07am

A new book is out that may germane to this thread. I haven't read it, but Sowell's review makes it look interesting. It may have been one of Stossel's sources: http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MWJjZWVkY2YyM2I2NGNmZTFlNGNmNjcxMzI0MzQyYjM=
(Edited by Peter Reidy on 11/30, 11:08am)

Post 10

Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 11:28am

I hardly watch television, so I never watched Tru Calling.

Of course, it is a joy to see both Eliza and Kirsten Dunst as cheerleaders. Clare Kramer (Glory) and an actress who played one of the Cordettes were also in Bring it On.

I've seen every episode of BTVS, as you may have surmised. I could certainly appreciate the beauty of a Buffy-Faith fight.

Rent Bye Bye Love if you have time. It has both Eliza and the Great Amberous One--Amber Benson, that is.

(Edited by Chris Baker on 11/30, 11:29am)

Post 11

Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 2:19pm

Aaron and Chris, I believe it was Wrong Turn (inbred cannibals... sort of a cross between Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Deliverance). I just finished Stossel's book "Give Me a Break". Not exactly challengin material, but I enjoyed it.

Post 12

Friday, December 1, 2006 - 4:31pm