# Has anyone here read Michael Moore's "Dude Where's my Country"? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 19, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581 "2004-12-19T00:53:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vinniepaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@vinniepaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vinniepaz)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/1 "2004-12-19T00:53:57Z")
I received this as a gift, and thus I read it. I couldn’t believe how stupid it is. It’s like he doesn’t even have to try anymore. Here’s some examples: On a list of ways to prevent future ist attacks: “8. We need to offer the world a drink of water.” I won’t post the whole thing, as i don’t want to violate any rules, but he goes on to yell at some ambiguous undefined entity for not giving everybody in the world clean water. He just says it and stops. He doesn’t offer any sort of explanation as to how this would be executed or anything. “17. Start ing the hell out of people with WHITE skin” That is singularly the worst logic I have ever seen in my entire life. Words fail me. I’m too mad to find more. Maybe I’ll come back later. Suffice to say at one point he decides he can speak for God. Al Franken used the same thing in his book. God I miss being a Liberal… ---
**Author:** ![vinniepaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@vinniepaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vinniepaz)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/2 "2004-12-19T00:55:05Z")
So about posting from the library… \*\*ter orist attacks bo mbing the hell\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/3 "2004-12-19T00:59:24Z")
There’s was something in “Stupid White Men” that made me raise my eyebrow. In it, he advocated that the people in the L.A. Riots should have been going after the rich white men in Beverly Hills. And I’m thinking, “Like what you are now, Moore?” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/4 "2004-12-19T01:05:17Z")
I think Moore is a master liar, among other things. But you are almost certain to learn that I’m in the minority here. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/5 "2004-12-19T01:07:54Z")
Aside from being a master liar, I think he’s quite stupid. Seriously. His arguments have always sounded to me to be very superficial and lacking in insight. He’s a good filmmaker and has a good ear for comedy and satire, but when it comes to understanding geopolitical events, he’s WAY out of his depth. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/6 "2004-12-19T01:39:59Z")
I haven’t read _Dude…_ but I did read \*Stupid White Men, \* at least I started it. It was so lame I gave up one it before I was half way through. Loved \*Farenhite 911 \* though. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/7 "2004-12-19T01:48:10Z")
_Stupid White Men_ was good fun. _Dude…_ lacked any of the same energy or punch. It wasn’t driven by the same anger that fuelled its predecessor. Viewed purely as political tomes, of course they’re ephemera. But they have an important role, in that many people reading them don’t pay much attention to other forms of political discussion (columnists in decent newspapers etc.). I suppose that in that way, it’s a left-wing alternative to right-wing ranting on TV, radio and in newspapers. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/8 "2004-12-19T01:51:25Z")
> [@Agrippina](#): > > There’s was something in “Stupid White Men” that made me raise my eyebrow. In it, he advocated that the people in the L.A. Riots should have been going after the rich white men in Beverly Hills. And I’m thinking, “Like what you are now, Moore?” That’s a common viewpoint among white rich liberals in Beverly Hills, and not unique to Moore. [Twilight: Los Angeles](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385473761/qid=1103421028/sr=2-1/ref=pd_ka_b_2_1/102-0252821-8113730) had a particularly stirring perspective on the riots as revolution, and Moore may be parroting that. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/9 "2004-12-19T02:04:04Z")
Dude, it’s Michael Moore-what did you expect? He makes his living by being a self-righteous blow-hard. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/10 "2004-12-19T02:11:03Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > He makes his living by being a self-righteous blow-hard. Those are the exact terms that came to my mind as well. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/11 "2004-12-19T02:17:47Z")
I am reading it. Slowly. It’s kinda hard to get through. Doesn’t flow very well and I find myself losing interest. He tends to try to make his point way too many times, even if his point is kinda stupid. I agree with some of the stuff he says. Other stuff, not so much. Several times during the read, I have asked myself “What’s _THAT_ got to do with anything?” ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/12 "2004-12-19T02:34:39Z")
Well, ummm, water is kind of a big deal. It’s probably going to become[more](http://www.esl-lounge.com/level6/lev6water.shtml) and [more](http://www.cnie.org/pop/pai/water-14.html) [important](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3235829.stm) as time goes by. [American](http://www.indiaresource.org/campaigns/coke/) [companies](http://www.cbc.ca/news/features/water/spillet.html) and [WTO/IMF/World Bank supported](http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/shows/dammed/briefing.html)[projects](http://www.indiatogether.org/environment/water/nwp.htm) are causing real and actual harm today. It is not that we are not providing clean water, it is that we are pushing projects and policies that make this already scarce resourse scarcer and pricier and hurts the poorest people in the world. Our policies are putting a price on other countries natural resources that they can’t afford to pay. This is something worth studying, as it is likely to become a situation like oil…except nobody ever died from lack of oil. And it is something we as United States citizens can do something about. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/13 "2004-12-19T02:37:33Z")
I do admit that Moore’s lightly researched and heavily inflamed writing style- which is meant to drum up support more than to provide deep analysis- leaves a lot of desired. A good introduction to water problems is Arundhati Roy’s essay [The Greater Common Good](http://www.indiatogether.org/environment/water/nwp.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/14 "2004-12-19T02:48:40Z")
“Dude” basically has the same info we’ve been getting in the SMDB for months… so nothing shocking to us at least. “Stupid White Men” is great stuff though… unless you think its patriotic to shut up. ---
**Author:** ![Milkman\_Dan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Milkman\_Dan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milkman_Dan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/15 "2004-12-19T04:26:02Z")
> [@vinniepaz](#): > > So about posting from the library… > > \*\*ter orist attacks > > bo mbing the hell\*\* Are people seriously that paranoid that the FBI are monitoring the Straight Dope because of [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=292278)? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/16 "2004-12-19T04:33:59Z")
I’m pretty far leftward, and I consider _Roger and Me_, _Downsize This!_, and both of his TV shows to be brilliant. But I found both _Stupid White Men_ and _Dude, Where’s My Country?_ to be weak. I think that most of the points he makes can be legitimately made, so I don’t really understand why he relies on weak, spurious, or just outright incorrect information in order to make them. ---
**Author:** ![vinniepaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@vinniepaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vinniepaz)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/17 "2004-12-19T05:22:39Z")
> [@even sven](#): > > Well, ummm, water is kind of a big deal. It’s probably going to become[more](http://www.esl-lounge.com/level6/lev6water.shtml) and [more](http://www.cnie.org/pop/pai/water-14.html) [important](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3235829.stm) as time goes by. > > [American](http://www.indiaresource.org/campaigns/coke/) [companies](http://www.cbc.ca/news/features/water/spillet.html) and [WTO/IMF/World Bank supported](http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/shows/dammed/briefing.html)[projects](http://www.indiatogether.org/environment/water/nwp.htm) are causing real and actual harm today. It is not that we are not providing clean water, it is that we are pushing projects and policies that make this already scarce resourse scarcer and pricier and hurts the poorest people in the world. Our policies are putting a price on other countries natural resources that they can’t afford to pay. This is something worth studying, as it is likely to become a situation like oil…except nobody ever died from lack of oil. And it is something we as United States citizens can do something about. I think you’re misunderstanding my point. I am not doubting that the world needs clean water. I’m simply pointing out the ridiculousness of yelling at some random entity for not giving people water as if all it takes is bringing a cup over to the sink. Michael Moore is as good an example as any that just because you agree with someones politics doesn’t mean they can’t be an arrogant retard. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/18 "2004-12-19T10:55:51Z")
> [@even sven](#): > > And it is something we as United States citizens can do something about. I’m doing my part. I installed an Instapur filter. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/19 "2004-12-19T11:39:50Z")
Why the hell don’t the lazy bastards just go down to the grocery store and get some S.Pellegrino if they are so thirsty? Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581/20 "2004-12-19T11:46:02Z")
Or the bleeding heart bastards could go take them some. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-here-read-michael-moores-dude-wheres-my-country/280581.md?page=2)