Perception, Other People's Money & Hollywood

Perception. A new series staring Eric McCormack. After the first episode I knew how they were slanting the series. I liked that he was having conversation with his delusions. After the 4th episode, it really hit home. Big business, bad. Corporation, bad.

Coming from a family farm, my father had a sizable stock portfolio. I also learned to learn land. But you can't dig up a pound of dirt and take it and buy a loaf of bread.  We as a human race have evolved from simple hunter and gathers. And simple farming. Just like the newspapers. If you over-extend yourself, you will end u in a bad position. but the evil corporations offered us or .  I am not saying there aren't bad corporations out there, but not every corporation is inherently bad. Just like not everybody is bad. 

Another favorite of mine is Other People's Money. That movie actually proved something, and its funny that it was made by Hollywood. The premise is that this little wire and cable company is debt free. The bad guy, DeVito is buying the stock, he then plans on getting control and selling it off to make the most money. But its not like he gets all that money; the stock holders get that from the price going up and such. Gregory Peck, the owner makes a stirring speech at the shareholder's meeting. Then its Devito's turn. After a little condescending remarks about his foe, he says something that I think was meant to be the typical bad guy speech, but it is the best speech I have ever heard about what is going. He says yes he can get more money doing what he plans, but then, thats why the shareholders invested; to make money. Thats why you do that.  It would be the same if you went to casino and gambled and then complained that you didn't make any money. You are investing in the hope you make money. Do people only invest in companies that are good? No. A company has many layers and as a 'person' grows and evolves. Like you. You make friends. Not all your friends are 100% good. Some are reckless. They tend to be fun. Some are very stable and down to earth. They can be boring. The majority are just like you and me.

Having businesses in this day and age, I have had corporations that have 'lived.' Simply put, you do that to protect yourself. That way if you get a whacko who stumbles over a piece of carpet that had started to come up and you didn't get around to fixing it and they fall and bruise their ego and want to sue; they sue the corporation and you don't loose everything you worked for.

Its all on how they are used or abused. If people took responsibility for their own actions and were a little nicer and not greedy s.o.b.s, maybe someone who spills their McDonalds coffee and then sues, we wouldn't be in this position.

Perception seems to do the every other episode they will beat you over the head with the 'bad' guys. And even his character's name; Pierce, reminds me of Alan Alda's character from MASH. Another bleeding heart. There was one episode where they even shoved it in his face and he wouldn't see it. They had saved a female North Korean woman who had tried to kill some soldiers. They had brought her in and there was a South Korean officer waiting for her release. Of course Pierce and Honeycut, both of whom I can't even see without wondering why I even thought I lied this series, were trying to save her by sneaking her out. The South Korean officer caught them and he took charge of her. Pierce tried to plead with them. She starts to tell them that yes, she did indeed try and kill one of the soldiers in the hospital and she would do it again if possible. Of course this infuriates the two doctors and they start to rush the officer. Luckily his two MPs have M-1 and cock and train them on the two pill pushers, which of course stops them in their elf righteous., in their minds, attack.Liberal Democrats hate having the truth shoved in to their faces. Of course they will say the same about Conservative Republicans. If you are good enough, anyone can make anything into the truth any more. Percentages and facts and figures can be twisted to say whatever you want.

Back to my original rant; Perception is interesting, just recognize the biases. I like anyone who talks to himself, even if he is obviously nuts. But Hollywood; what ain't fruits and nuts is flakes, in my opinion. Personally I thought Jeff Goldblum did a much better and funnier job in Raines; as in my opinion, this is just a bad re-do of that great series. Unfortunately Raines only lasted 7 episodes. And there was no political agenda. Probably why it only lasted 7 episodes.