In both Zinn’s chapter, “The coming revolt of the guards” and the movie Sorry to Bother You, we see division through class and wealth. Zinn discusses how divided we are as a country. He discusses the majority being middle and lower class Americans, and brings up the idea that if our country wants to see change, it is up to them. The tone Zinn has here is definitely more hopeful than he has been in previous chapters. He believes that if the middle class listens to him and acts, there might be change towards equal power.
The movie provides a lens into unequal power between classes. The movie shows lower and middle class citizens using the power they have to make change through protests. I think one thing that stood out to me was the fact that it was all about making money for the people protesting. I felt that Cash really cared about making money for himself, and he was able to move up in his job when he learned to talk in a “white voice.” After movie up, he is introduced to a customer of the company, who holds “horsemen” as slaves. When Cash first tries to fix these problems, he fails alone. At the end of the movie, there is a crowd of people a the protest, and he was able to lead change. I think this reflects Zinn’s point in that the middle class has the power to bring other classes together.
What I didn’t understand was the very ending, and maybe that’s because most movies have happy endings, but I didn’t understand what the meaning of Cash becoming a horseman was.
I was also a little confused on the ending of the film, with the significance of Cash turning into a horseman. I think the message behind this was that despite the effort he exhibited in making a change in society for the lower/middle classes and temporarily succeeding, they will never succeed 100% no matter what they do, as the elite will always triumph. I do not know if this is accurate, just my interpretation.
I think the ending was supposed to show that he is not powerless even though he is no longer a power called. Additionally, I think it was showing that even if you think youre untouchable something will always come around and humble you. I think this was a way to have a somewhat happy ending.
I find your take on Zinn’s text to be quite interesting. I believe that what you delineated above is true, that the majority of the country (the middle to lower class) should unite to spark change in this country, but it makes me wonder why that isn’t feasible. If those two groups of people were able, they obviously would ignite a revolt to try and obtain equality, but monetary equality is something that is unattainable in a country like America. Furthermore, you mentioned the idea of equal power; in my mind, money is power, and therefore the same principle applies that unless there is equal wealth distribution, some people will be more powerful than others, and that is something that is unchangeable.
I also was a little confused when I watched the ending, but reading these comments actually helped me understand why it probably was portrayed that way. I think that this movie brings up themes that are extremely relevant, especially after the pandemic. The rich got a lot richer, and the poor and middle class lost a lot. I am curious how this will play out, and there will be even more social tension as a result.
I mostly agree with everyone’s interpretations of the ending. Considering the strongly anti-capitalist theme of the movie, I thought that Cash’s sudden dilemma of turning into a horse-person after making some change through the workers’ movement indicated that no matter how much reform is made to capitalism, people under the system will remain slaves to it unless it is completely abolished.
I agree I was pretty confused as well about the ending of the movie. I feel as though the movie and the Zinn chapter brought up relevant topics that should be talked about more in modern conversation.