This film was inspired by the true story of Masika, who lives in the Congo. But we set it in England because we want to ask the question: “Would we accept it, if it was happening here?”
Masika and her family were raped. Her husband murdered, and fed to her. Although deeply traumatised by this atrocity, she returned to search for other victims of rape and give them shelter. To date she has aided over 5,000 people.
There are hundreds of thousands of people being raped every year in a conflict that is fuelled by the trade in minerals used to make our mobile phones. This film is harrowing, but it is nothing compared to the nightmare going on in the Congo every day. Your phone manufacturer must act to stop using minerals from this region.
Going to warn you. It has rape, it has killing, it has blood, and it's very adult. There is no shock moment in it, but it only uses 6 minutes to draw out your emotion. I think it's a bit over the top in some scenes, but it gets its point across very well. I'm a huge cynic in the sense that I accept that this shit is going to happen, no matter what we do around the world and there is not much we can do about it. However, I did not know that this kind of shit happened over cell phones.
I signed the petition, but i am not going to watch this film. ive seen so much fucked up shit over the last weeks, i just cant. but now i feel bad because not wanting to see this film doesnt make it unreal and im just closing my eyes. fml
Signed it. I watched the movie and it's really no worse than any R rated movie. No nudity, some blood, lots of violence. The description the OP just gave is more graphic than the movie itself I think.
On October 23 2011 01:06 Candadar wrote: However, I did not know that this kind of shit happened over cell phones.
That's just weird to view it like that ... it happens over drugs and gold and diamonds and oil and cell phones for the same reason - money. Doesn't matter what is being sold and bought.
Also, it wouldn't happen no matter what - we have the military power to go in and take over the countries and run them and stop it. But that isn't something we want to commit resources to, nor would it be morally permissible as the world is at the moment. It's up the people there to stop it from happening, and they can't it seems.
This kind of shit happens, has happened, and will continue to happen, when there is no fear of consequences for those doing it, but much to gain.
You can just look at all the rapes and murders for gain that happens in western society, and then consider how many rapes and murders there would be if the criminals weren't considered criminals, because there was no due process, no authority, no central government, no system in place that upheld the laws - and they could go on committing crimes as much as they'd like to, with no real fear of consequences.
As for 'would we allow it if it happened in our nations' - no we wouldn't, but then we actually have control over them and can decide how they are run because they are relatively peaceful democratic states. Your responsibility pretty much ends at your border though, as it is at the moment.
Yeah I am cynical but looking at the world ... just look how Mexico is failing, how many african states are failing, how fucked up large parts of the world is - and recognize that it's mainly due to a lack of central stable government.
It's like smoking weed ... you are supporting murder, rape, modern day slavery, terrorism, but you are probably not thinking about it like that ... same with cell phones. There's a connection, but there are so many links between you the consumer and the person responsible for all that, that really - there's no real reason to feel responsible.
And unfortunately, there are similarly disturbing statistics for most Western countries.
This is what I'm getting at. Yes this is horrible. It's not new or an atrocity solely commited in the Congo however. Throughout human history and at present day disseminated across the globe are acts of rape and murder as a weapon to intimidate, control and destroy anyone that would fight or give aid to those that would.
It's what we do when we're not selling cheerful cereal boxes and magazines. It's a dangerous business walking out your front door- there are people outside.
For the people afraid to watch it, it wasn't graphical at all. Couple long distance shots from blood but if an adult person gets upset over that I don't know what to say. Lot of screaming though I guess...
On October 23 2011 01:21 tUUTZ wrote: It wasn't shocking.
Agreed actually, I thought it would be worse. It was filmed in such a way that it pretty much looks like the opening scene of any revenge type of movie, nothing unwatchable about it except 'based on a true story'.
To make it clear- yes I signed the petition and of course I want it to stop. but the petition will not stop anything and it is laughable to think it will raise awareness for longer than the memory of seeing a violent video takes to wear off.
There are hundreds of thousands of people being raped every year in a conflict that is fuelled by the trade in minerals used to make our mobile phones. This film is harrowing, but it is nothing compared to the nightmare going on in the Congo every day. Your phone manufacturer must act to stop using minerals from this region.
Wouldnt this kind of resource trading apply to a huge amount of Western goods, not just cellphones?
It is quite shocking when we can peer through the alienation from the means of production of our everyday items - fucking capitalism - Anybody would feel terrible that their product was causing such issues, but in a multi-national corporation no one has responsibility.
do we really accept it or is there just not much we can do?
I don't know. It's a decision every person has to make on their own and there are 6bn slightly different answers. but for all the shiny things we've made in the last century, we're still the same fucked up creatures from the last epoch.
On October 23 2011 01:21 tUUTZ wrote: It wasn't shocking.
Agreed actually, I thought it would be worse. It was filmed in such a way that it pretty much looks like the opening scene of any revenge type of movie, nothing unwatchable about it except 'based on a true story'.
Yeah, I thought it was going to be all gore, but there is less blood in that movie than the last child movie I saw. Of course this is gruesome considering it happens every day, but thats just it. It happens every day, theres nothing shocking about it, and theres not a thing we can do about it..unless your name is Rambo.
On October 23 2011 01:21 tUUTZ wrote: It wasn't shocking.
Agreed actually, I thought it would be worse. It was filmed in such a way that it pretty much looks like the opening scene of any revenge type of movie, nothing unwatchable about it except 'based on a true story'.
Yeah, I thought it was going to be all gore, but there is less blood in that movie than the last child movie I saw. Of course this is gruesome considering it happens every day, but thats just it. It happens every day, theres nothing shocking about it, and theres not a thing we can do about it..unless your name is Rambo.
Colonizing worked out pretty shitty, so that's not a morally permissible option to even consider attempting, therefore it's up to Congo to figure it out really.
We can apply pressure of course, but as long as they are lacking a strong central functioning government and law enforcement agency, meh.
Truly unwatchable... because the video kept lagging and lagging and I wasn't able to let it buffer or change quality -.-"
Even though I don't want this to happen to anyone I think it will occure again and again and petitiones can' t help. You need to fight these guys on another level with military force or something like that. I mean... Lets imagine the petition is a success and those raping guys in Congo really stop doing this because they can't earn money because some companies won't buy their minerals. Then they will find another way to earn money (or maybe sell those minerals to asian companies who flood our markets with cheap mobiles then) and since rape seems to be a legit tactic they will use it again... maybe just for fun then.
Okay here's what I think of the short film, I put it in spoiler-tags because it's a fucking insult to the victims. + Show Spoiler +
I thought I could watch the film because normally this kind of stuff doesn't "touch" me as I know it's just a fictional movie, but this one is just HORSE SHIT. I hate the creators, I hate the people that came up with this, and I want to punch them in the face. THIS is the kind of stuff that make people think "Oh rape doesn't happen that bad look at this movie it's SOOO unrealistic no way this is real."
It's the worst way to draw attention to something. What do you think when you watch this movie? Do you think that you get the point? Do you now think that you want to help people and that this is a bad thing? If you did before, yes, you probably still do, but if you had no intention doing that before or if you weren't aware of this now everything you think is "wow that movie is so disgusting".
To hell with the creators of this short film.
The real points made in this video are the texts. First of all, I think the question "Would this be accepted here?" is not necessary, as it already is accepted. Often times rape victims are treated like it was their own fault and rapist get low punishments because of that, in Germany we have cases where even people get low punishments because of their young age and this kind of bullshit. When it comes to sex crimes, rape etc our society was, is and will always be fucked up.
It's not a thing that only happens "over there", it's happening everywhere and every second. THIS is what people should really look for, but it's pretty hard to change the mindset of the whole world. It's not worse to rape for minerals, rape is always the same level of horseshit. You can't say "oh it's worse because they do it for the cell phones", no, it's just the same level of bad, actually thats an understatement, it's some of the worst things you can do. It's never "more okay" to do it in any situation and it always deserve the same punishment. And another problem is the double standard in the society, because women are also rapists, but it's funny for other people, especially for other women.
The problem with rape doesn't begin with uncontrollable sex drive or fucked up minds, it begins with how fucked up our society is when it comes to hurting other people and hurting their privacy. We have double standards about nearly everything and we treat perpetrators better than the victims, we are scared to stand up for the good because people might judge us for that(look at the chinese case where the women that cared about the child that nobody cared about, people now say that she did it only for the fame and now she's being scared away from her home.).
In my opinion, if you really want to stop rape, and as a rational human being that is something you want to do, you have to change the societies mindset, way of judging and usage of brain.
Sorry about my harsh language, but I'm still pissed of at this horrible short film.
On October 23 2011 01:57 Grettin wrote: Yeah, sadly these petitions wont help. Shitty situation but we can't do much.
The reason for such a terrifying video (and let's face it, if we were average people and not desensitized by internet use, it would be terrifying.) is because nobody looks past their own nose , especially to find trouble.
We can do much. We could stop it. but will we?
I don't see protests. I don't see angry people shouting at politicians to be heard..
It's just as much our fault for letting evil walk by as it is those that perpetrate it. As also said in a post above me- the consequences of rape even in first world countries are a joke.
Growing up I was against the death penalty. Now I think Starcraft neural resocialization is too kind. burn the fucks to the ground. Violence begets violence; it's the only way the world works once you go to the Congo.
Holy fuck. That really was Unwatchable for me. I am no stranger to the internet, so I thought I would be able to watch it, no problem, and take from it the message that it was meant to give. Well, I bloody got the message alright, but I couldn't watch all of the film. Jesus christ. That is fucked up. O_O
On October 23 2011 03:14 ShoCkeyy wrote: How long is the movie? I want to know if I can eat and watch it, lol...
On October 23 2011 01:06 Candadar wrote:
... Going to warn you. It has rape, it has killing, it has blood, and it's very adult. There is no shock moment in it, but it only uses 6 minutes to draw out your emotion....
Watched the video, I enjoyed it rather than being disgusted by it. (I'm an internet veteran so I've seen worse)
I don't support the petition though, I'd rather support another way to solve this if there is one. Not using minerals gotten from countries at war = phones get more expensive. Obviously I don't support rape but the correlation is too vague and I don't think technology companies are to blame for this.
... Going to warn you. It has rape, it has killing, it has blood, and it's very adult. There is no shock moment in it, but it only uses 6 minutes to draw out your emotion....
Definitely signed the petition.
The OP is accurate.
Errr, must of missed that... Could of sworn I didn't see how long it was lol -_-;;;
the difference between this movie and being in Congo is that this could never happen in England..if we had world parity the billion people on this earth above poverty would have to give to the 8 billion in poverty..fat chance of that happening. Help who you can, but it's never going to be "equal" for everyone.
That's the point Lamphead. They're transposing the events that are commonplace (except without helicopters) in Congo into a first world country.
It's not about parity or saving the entire world. We just need to stop ignoring Africa, specifically this time Congo, and letting mass murder, torture and genocides pass by.
On October 23 2011 04:24 Probe1 wrote: It's not about parity or saving the entire world. We just need to stop ignoring Africa, specifically this time Congo, and letting mass murder, torture and genocides pass by.
You want to commit 100 000 US troops to Congo? Go ahead.
If there was an easy solution like sending 100,000 soldiers it would be done and everyone could argue over it vicariously with tshirts and bumper stickers.
This is much more difficult than simply sending troops.
Didn't get it at first, what the film was supposed to say. Not really unwatchable tbh, was expecting worse.. I did sign the petition of course but i don't know what's true or not but I guess it's better to be safe than sorry, kinda.
On October 23 2011 06:24 Massing wrote: story of the film is we dont care about black people
We don't care about black people,, black people don't care about black people,, people don't care about people..
tbh and shameful its more disturbing for me to see a white child starving than a black one. Dont know why, maybe because im white or because im grown up with that awful hungry african kids pics and vids.
Come on. That's just how the factions get their money for modern weapons. If they couldn't, they'd kill each other with machetes and sticks and stones, like in Rwanda.
The West needs to stop blaming itself for other people behaving badly. Sorry, they wouldn't be singing kumbaya and having drum circles if we weren't buying minerals for cell phones. Factions and tribes have been killing each other in chronic warfare since the dawn of man - and Westerners weren't immune to it either.
We just graduated from tribes / factions to nation-states and from chronic mid-intensity warfare to industrial war and strategic bombing. So maybe graduated isn't quite the right word.
On October 23 2011 04:44 Probe1 wrote: If there was an easy solution like sending 100,000 soldiers it would be done and everyone could argue over it vicariously with tshirts and bumper stickers.
This is much more difficult than simply sending troops.
Not really. Thing is no one wants their soldiers dying there for those people - not your citizens.
That's just fact.
There's no doubt that NATO have the military power to destroy all the forces fighting there, and provide peacekeeping forces, but the cost is prohibitive, and would have to involve us pretty much take over the country - which no one wants to do.
It's not about 'sending troops' it's about troops dying for some place no one understands why you should be involved in.
There's just 30 000 troops fighting or so ...
Either way, the biggest problem in congo is not rape - it's disease and famine.
On October 23 2011 06:24 Massing wrote: story of the film is we dont care about black people
We don't care about black people,, black people don't care about black people,, people don't care about people..
tbh and shameful its more disturbing for me to see a white child starving than a black one. Dont know why, maybe because im white or because im grown up with that awful hungry african kids pics and vids.
Yeah from what I understand thats natural. Its instincts ingrained in to your head to be more apathetic towards those unlike you as a survival mechanism.
On October 23 2011 02:03 KeksX wrote: Okay here's what I think of the short film, I put it in spoiler-tags because it's a fucking insult to the victims. I thought I could watch the film because normally this kind of stuff doesn't "touch" me as I know it's just a fictional movie, but this one is just HORSE SHIT. I hate the creators, I hate the people that came up with this, and I want to punch them in the face. THIS is the kind of stuff that make people think "Oh rape doesn't happen that bad look at this movie it's SOOO unrealistic no way this is real."
It's the worst way to draw attention to something. What do you think when you watch this movie? Do you think that you get the point? Do you now think that you want to help people and that this is a bad thing? If you did before, yes, you probably still do, but if you had no intention doing that before or if you weren't aware of this now everything you think is "wow that movie is so disgusting".
To hell with the creators of this short film.
Don't get me wrong but i really do think you didn't get the point. Also i can not understand how you can generalize peoples opinions on that movie, that is yours and only yours. It is not that this movie is about rape, it is about arbitrariness, tyranny, brutal tyranny, defenselessness and of course globalization. We dare to take all the profit and benifit from globalization, but we do not want to question how all of this is achieved.
I acknowledge many things you brought up. But you want to hate and punch the directors in the face? Yes, i guess you are right about the double standards, but again, probably it's the societies fault... *sarcasm And trying to compare the crime situation in the US, UK or Germany with the situation for example in most of the Third world countries is just foolish.
Many of you guys stated that they "were not shocked". Sure, as an internet veteran in times of rotten websites and these brainfart movies like hostel or saw and what else, i don't even know... OF COURSE it is difficult to be shocked if you blunt because of such shit! What would it actually take to shock you nowadays? A real murder? No? A picture of a cut vagina with the note *real and authentic"? How blunt can people become....
The movie is made that emotional because most people do think more deeply about it when their heart is touched rather than if they get raw numbers or stats served. It's not only about rational ethics but about the ability to empathize. You can always say that the correlation is so strange, that there are so many relations, companies, people or contracts between "Us" and "them", that it makes no sense to feel "responsible". But sooner or later you will recognize that most things on earth engage with eachother, although you can not perceive it directly.
It is a thought-provoking short film, it's not the greatest art movie wise that's for sure, but we are discussing, no? So it has done some duty.
The thrust of the film seems misdirected. It's caught between exposing the rape and violence in the Congo to a petition to keep manufacturers from using their raw materials for cell phones. I'm shocked at the level of violence. I'm shocked that, if true, rape is systematically used in warfare. But a boycotting of cell phone products? + Show Spoiler [Exports/Economy of Congo] +
The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - is slowly recovering from decades of decline. Systemic corruption since independence in 1960 and conflict that began in May 1997 has dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of more than 5 million people from violence, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. Conditions began to improve in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA began implementing reforms. Progress has been slow and the International Monetary Fund curtailed their program for the DRC at the end of March 2006 because of fiscal overruns. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector, and is not reflected in GDP data. Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth from 2006-2008, however, the government's review of mining contracts that began in 2006, combined with a fall in world market prices for the DRC's key mineral exports temporarily weakened output in 2009, leading to a balance of payments crisis. The recovery in mineral prices beginning in mid 2009 boosted mineral exports, and emergency funds from the IMF boosted foreign reserves. An uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of transparency in government policy are long-term problems for the mining sector and for the economy as a whole. The global recession cut economic growth in 2009 to less than half its 2008 level, but growth returned to 6% in 2010. The DRC signed a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF in 2009 and received $12 billion in multilateral and bilateral debt relief in 2010.
source: CIA World Factbook
GDP by sector agriculture (55%), industry (11%), services (34%) (2000)
Main industries mining (diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, coltan, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair Ease of Doing Business Rank 182nd
source: wikipedia
Looks like a number of different responses exist. What can be done to encourage pro-business reforms, encouraging foreigner investment? What can be done about internal corruption? I mean, do we really wanna bankrupt a country, ruin a prime export to show that the territory isn't worth fighting over, *ahem* raping over? Will this stop the wars, stop the method of waging war, or contribute to anything besides increased poverty?
-- Think the movie creators need to do some more thinking about the thrust of the film.
Hm, I do like the try to raise awareness - but there was nothing in that video that was terrifying or shocking. Like it really missed out on shocking images which I think are needed to move someone, I am still crying/raging about the chinese toddler, but there was not even partial nudity in this movie and the "gore" scence would make it into a disney movie anytime. A really failed attempt imo.
Stupid insinuating the mobile phone companies cause this. I'll blame them for sickening greed and indifference to human suffering, but rape? I think I'll blame that barbarism on the human beings in the country committing it.
I find it quite disturbing how people call this video not shocking at all if they know it has a realistic background. Ofcourse there are so many things going wrong in the world and this is not particular special even - also you are probably just honest and not trying to come over as "badass" for being untouched. Which makes it even more disturbing how dull we are due to media. Just a sidenote though...
Can't really say how much of an impact the minerals even have without further research and if this petition is going to have any effect at all; signed it anyway. Even if the petition is only a potential tiny step or if the video makes some people more aware and less dull it's worth it imo.
Now I'll try to enjoy the Blizzcon Finals somehow.
Well made short film. Good use of editing to convey the point about violence. Their entire focus is around cell phone companies and "blood minerals" It would have been better if there was some other way to illustrate that point in a way other than plain text at the end of the film.
I don't think the term "Unwatchable" was to make it out to be "The Human Centipede Part 3" by any means. Although I think it insinuates that and makes it rather hard to gather what's going on, the point it's trying to make is -- if a similar thing was happening to us, would we tolerate it? The answer is no, so why tolerate it there?
I'm not picking either side, just making that clear.
On October 23 2011 07:30 firehand101 wrote: I started the video, but turned it off... i just couldnt bring myself to watch it
but i signed the petition
I finished it but it left me sad. Not the normal sad, but the kind of "empty, disheartened, demoralized, unhappy" kind of sad. They're also right. I would have cared less if it wasn't a modern country, white people, and troops that are supposed to be defending me =(
I was asking myself "why the hell is this even happening? Troops land in helicopter, rape kill white people in a civilized country?" Then I understood that that was meant to show the message of what's happening in Congo... :|
90% of commenters in this thread seem to have no understanding of what the problem is here. The reason that this is different from normal rape (which is in itself underpunished in the western world) is that these militias that commit these horrendous rape waves through cities and murder entire families they do so to get control over resources that we then buy from them.
You, you'r mother, your father, your siblings and all your friends are indirectly funding mass rape and genocide. That is the message of the video and I can't believe that so many people either missed it or actually fool themselves into believing its not true.
For those saying that this doesn't make a difference: You are fucking ridiculous. Sorry, but your opinion is wrong and unaccerptable. When we as a society is enabling this by our indifference and we outselves are customers. It is completely ridiculous to say that we don't have any power over where the mobile phone companies conduct their buisness. This is the prime example of a marketing nightmare for those companies. If word gets out that they are in the forefront of sustaining these militias they are done. To email your phone company and tell them this aswell as spread this message DOES change things.
A few months ago there was a law going to be passed in Uganda that would give death sentences for gay people. The internet blew up and the bill was put on hold. If western netizen can affect a nations policy directly like that (through their own government ofc) then affecting companies within their own society is nothing.
I don't know where this rumor that the tantalum in phones is mostly from the congo got started from, some does indeed come from the Congo but the majority does not come from the Congo (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Global-mined-tantalum-production-1990-2009.png). I know the electronics manufacturing plant I am at uses 100% certified conflict free minerals(and we use a ton of tantalum), and I believe most other US based manufacturers are on the same page(its pretty-much required for anything that will source to the government in end).
The problem is that it is next to impossible to determine what is conflict tantalum and what is not in your supply chain. I remember reading an article a few years ago about how a lot of companies were importing tantalum into Australia from the Congo, then re-exporting it as Australian mined tantalum to get around the assorted embargos.
Additionally Tantalum is used in a heck of a lot more then mobile phones. Pretty-much every power supply in anything will have Tantalum capacitors, and Tantalum Nitride resistors..
On October 23 2011 10:47 InvalidID wrote: I don't know where this rumor that the tantalum in phones is mostly from the congo got started from, some does indeed source from the Congo but the majority is not sourced from the Congo (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Global-mined-tantalum-production-1990-2009.png). I know the electronics manufacturing plant I am at uses 100% certified conflict free minerals(and we use a ton of tantalum), and I believe most other US based manufacturers are on the same page(its pretty-much required for anything that will source to the government in end).
The problem is that it is next to impossible to determine what is conflict tantalum and what is not in your supply chain. I remember reading an article a few years ago about how a lot of companies were importing tantalum into Australia from the Congo, then re-exporting it as Australian mined tantalum to get around the assorted embargos.
It may be like this for America, but this video was directed towards England -- so perhaps you shoot look at the situation over there as well?
On October 23 2011 10:47 InvalidID wrote: I don't know where this rumor that the tantalum in phones is mostly from the congo got started from, some does indeed source from the Congo but the majority is not sourced from the Congo (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Global-mined-tantalum-production-1990-2009.png). I know the electronics manufacturing plant I am at uses 100% certified conflict free minerals(and we use a ton of tantalum), and I believe most other US based manufacturers are on the same page(its pretty-much required for anything that will source to the government in end).
The problem is that it is next to impossible to determine what is conflict tantalum and what is not in your supply chain. I remember reading an article a few years ago about how a lot of companies were importing tantalum into Australia from the Congo, then re-exporting it as Australian mined tantalum to get around the assorted embargos.
It may be like this for America, but this video was directed towards England -- so perhaps you shoot look at the situation over there as well?
Can't find any information about the laws in the UK. I guess in the US some new stricter laws about it were put in place a few months ago-you now have to publicly disclose any conflict mineral usage.
The problem is that it is impossible to trace the supply chain of tantalum back far enough to have any idea if it actually is conflict originated or not(outside of your suppliers word). You either buy the tantalum nitride from a distributor(who says its conflict free, and it probably is to the best of their knowledge), or you buy components from a Chinese manufacturer(who says it is, but who knows). Even if the distributor of tantalum does honestly believe that it is conflict free-they are relying on the word of the mining company, that is most likely based in Africa. The tantalum basically gets re-exported to other countries like Uganda or Rwanda, and mixed in with the tantalum mined in those countries.
This is sad and upsetting as it should be. The problem is that we vote with our dollars and that is the only language that companies listen to. If you try to regulate through government that just give them a set of rules to find the work-arounds on. To me, the only answer would be to boycott companies that support these actions if ending it is really what you want. Education and money are the answers, regulation I do not think will help too much.
I still signed though.
Conflict minerals have been something that I have been concerned with for awhile. I had a teacher in college that tried to go down to local jewelers, wanting to support local business, and get a certified non-conflict diamond for his future wife's engagement ring. Due to contracts of their company, they could not certify this. He then suggested that if he brought in a certified diamond that he purchased elsewhere, could they set it for them and make the ring, they still told him no due to their company contracts. That disturbed me then as it does now.
I just never ceases to amaze me the depths of horror that we as people are capable of. It also disturbs me the strong ability that we have to turn away from such unpleasant things...I am not saying I am not guilty of it as well...it is just weird...
please people open you eyes, this is real, i read that someone masturbated watch this movie, should be banned and should get a psychiatrist immediatly over canada.
the cynical viewpointed presented in this thread represents a tragically misguided way of thinking.
it involves not recognizing that the very act of being shocked/perturbed is in itself a potential opportunity of action. denying that potential is carrying out a self fulfilling prophesy.
If you've seen 3 guys 1 hammer, you just aren't phased by the things that might phase a lot of people. This is one of those videos that is... well, sort of bad. But then again without even considering its content or how bad it could possibly be -- it's just a movie. So come on, it should be perfectly uncensored and taken as anyone wants to take it. All in all, "whatever" is what I would like to see as the general reaction. This sort of thing intends to stir up trouble, and it's because not everyone has a "whatever" reaction.
So I'm supposed to feel bad for buying a mobile phone?
Don't get me wrong the movie was fucked and made me feel bad, but I'm not going to feel bad for buying a fucking smart phone. It's liek saying I am responsible for raping a girl for owning an iphone.
Dear movie producer, stop trying to get me to feel guilty for stuff I did not do. It's the same con that Avatar and countless other movies have already tried to pull on me, I am pretty immune to this by now. Just being honest does actually work better sometimes.
Yes, what is happening in most of Africa is horrible, however attempts like this do not help in any way. You are drawing focus to a single aspect of a complex issue, pretending that just solving that would solve the whole problem. Guess what, it won't.
On October 23 2011 11:33 R4TM wrote: please people open you eyes, this is real, i read that someone masturbated watch this movie, should be banned and should get a psychiatrist immediatly over canada.
No one on this thread has said this doesn't happen. However, the movie sets out to make us the bad guys, for buying phones. And hammers it in with a hilariously badly shoot/written shortfilm. No one is going to take this seriously.
Besides, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. Congo needs to figure this shit out themselves.
On October 23 2011 11:33 R4TM wrote: please people open you eyes, this is real, i read that someone masturbated watch this movie, should be banned and should get a psychiatrist immediatly over canada.
No one on this thread has said this doesn't happen. However, the movie sets out to make us the bad guys, for buying phones. And hammers it in with a hilariously badly shoot/written shortfilm. No one is going to take this seriously.
Besides, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. Congo needs to figure this shit out themselves.
He most likely meant that people shouldn't underestimate how the situation is in Congo, not that people think that it isn't happening. >.<
Furthermore, the video doesn't set out to make us the bad guys in this all, at least not to me. If you feel that they do, well that's something called "impression" and clearly everyone will have a different one on this video. You find that they want to make us look like the bad guys, I see them trying to make us (the consumers) realise what the story is behind certain products most of us buy without a second thought.
Now (or perhaps you knew it even before the video) you know how it goes and as you said, you do believe it's true, still you will buy phones with this knowledge? Seeing you believe you... heck "we" can't do anything about it (your words), I am pretty certain you shrug this all away and are more then happy to buy a new phone no matter how it's made. Your life, your choice of course, but it's support nonetheless. Perhaps in words you don't support them, but your actions surely say otherwise, wheter meant or not.
It may only take 1 person to make a difference. Sure, it's perhaps rare for 1 person to really make a huge difference in the world, but the moment everyone in the world actually realises that 1 person can make a difference and acts upon this, is the moment we might actually can make a difference. When we come to realise that we might actually move forward as the human race instead of backwards into more shit that comes out of our asses. That's just how I see it though.
Also, let Congo solve it on themselves? Is it really that bad to help the ones in need? To lend a hand to people who need it? Sure, it's their problem and they will have to deal with it, but there's nothing wrong with helping them solving this problem. And the problem goes beyond just Congo, think it's pretty clear here on how. Ooh well, I somewhere hope that karma exist and people with such a attitude as yours will be left to care for their own problems on their own, because it's your shit that you need to figure out on your own, right? Why should anyone else care for that enough to help?
As for my opinion on the video, it brought the message clearly, one I already knew, and it was disturbing enough in my eyes. I know alot of people are used to way worse images, but that's the media/entertainment of these days, they numbed down alot of people. Even so, wheter you find such a act disturbing to watch or not, such acts, where ever they may happen and whatever reason, are not one people should accept nor support in any way.
The majority of consumers keep their eyes closed on their purchases and unfortunately this will most likely continue till the end of times. I feel like most humans are merely sheeps, caring and following only the ones around them blindly while ignoring the cries of suffering that reaches their ear from the ones that are outside their flock.
Be sure that "Unwatchable" won't be winning any accolades at any film festivals. The writer chose a great topic, but he and the director made a complete mess of it. The pro-active moral message at the end is just hilarious. What a grotesque and confusing piece of work.
It's not that I won't accept that on my country, it's just that I DO NOT ACCEPT THAT ON EARTH. Stop trying to make the news of the world like being a proxy, because it's playing on the field where you only care about you and the one you know or relate. Since when raping and killing white people sends a better message than showing the actual africans ? I signed the petition but I think this 6 minutes movie is wrongly made. Just make a good documentary and interview on Masika and the cell phone business around. They can't just do a sensionalist clip out of context just for the sake of it.
On October 23 2011 11:33 R4TM wrote: please people open you eyes, this is real, i read that someone masturbated watch this movie, should be banned and should get a psychiatrist immediatly over canada.
I think it's just a matter of "tough internet guy", or plainly trolling. I he actually masturbated to it, I would be worried about his mental health, but I doubt this is the case to be honest.
On October 23 2011 11:33 R4TM wrote: please people open you eyes, this is real, i read that someone masturbated watch this movie, should be banned and should get a psychiatrist immediatly over canada.
No one on this thread has said this doesn't happen. However, the movie sets out to make us the bad guys, for buying phones. And hammers it in with a hilariously badly shoot/written shortfilm. No one is going to take this seriously.
Besides, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. Congo needs to figure this shit out themselves.
Great way to deny any part of a system that is built on the slavery of a third of the worlds population so that we can buy cheap shoes and phones.
On October 23 2011 08:46 Soulish wrote: isn't congo just bananas and rubber?
no, there are conflict minerals in congo, such as tantalum.
tantalum is a rare mineral that is used to make computers.
We could've easily done something about the congo war imo, if people stopped being so retarded. And we wouldn't have to do something dumb like stop buying cellphones either.
Kinda hard for me to believe this since they are white and rich living in African country... Most of white folks in Africa live like kings. Thought its about Congo natives. It would be actually believable then.
I think this gets the story across better. However, it doesn't tie in to the whole minerals-in-your-cellphone message, which is the point these people want to get across.
I think Congo is rich in Coltan (a mineral used in making electronic capacitors for our daily electronics). Still I really hate what's happening over there, fucking rebel soldiers who's making excuses about fighting over freedom and shit only pillage and rape on the weak.. churns my stomach.
fuck after hearing her story I just want every asshole soldier in congo to die a horrible death.
Oh come on.If rape,violence and fear is the way to raise GDP,so be it! this poor african country needs every bit of capital and money they can get.And do not forget,another new cell phone means another new job for poor africano! Well i cant but agree with you,it is a bit rough around the edges but,hey,every country has to go through process of industrialization.
Why can probes mine minerals without raping other probes or even stalkers, but africans can't mine minerals without raping each other
[spoiler alert] This proves probes are smarter then kanye gayfish west trying to be extraterrestrial with kate perry, he does look kinda like a zergling
On October 24 2011 03:35 whitelly wrote: Oh come on.If rape,violence and fear is the way to raise GDP,so be it! this poor african country needs every bit of capital and money they can get.And do not forget,another new cell phone means another new job for poor africano! Well i cant but agree with you,it is a bit rough around the edges but,hey,every country has to go through process of industrialization.
I don't recall mass rape and pillaging (or rebellion) for that matter in the US, UK or the rest of Europe while we were industrializing. This can only lead me to conclude that it is not part of the industrialization process. I also doubt that it raises GDP in and of itself.
I kind of read your post as a troll (or sarcasm) but you seem so serious at the same time.
On October 23 2011 01:34 parkin wrote: Cant they just mine the minerals without the raping?
I asked myself that before and after watching. Pardon me for asking OP, but how are the victims of rape(for example the ones in the movie) related to blood minerals?
Stuff like this needs to end. Don`t even comment if you think it`s impossible.
We construct weapons powerful enough to eradicate entire cities in a matter of seconds but we can`t, we absolutely fucking can`t help ourselves and stop insane shit like this from happening. Oh really.
If everyone believes something is impossible, then well, for all the practical reasons, it very well might be but the problem is why everyone believes so and not that it is impossible in reality.
Unfortunately, there are too many people brainwashed into believing humanity is not really their business, their business is confined to themselves and few others. They and their survival-based worldviews is what animates and makes shit likes this possible.
On Oct 22 2011 17:34 parkin wrote: Cant they just mine the minerals without the raping?
I asked myself that before and after watching. Pardon me for asking OP, but how are the victims of rape(for example the ones in the movie) related to blood minerals?
On October 23 2011 11:33 R4TM wrote: please people open you eyes, this is real, i read that someone masturbated watch this movie, should be banned and should get a psychiatrist immediatly over canada.
No one on this thread has said this doesn't happen. However, the movie sets out to make us the bad guys, for buying phones. And hammers it in with a hilariously badly shoot/written shortfilm. No one is going to take this seriously.
Besides, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. Congo needs to figure this shit out themselves.
Great way to deny any part of a system that is built on the slavery of a third of the worlds population so that we can buy cheap shoes and phones.
Did I deny it? I even spesifically said "No one in this thread has said this doesn't happen"..is that denial to you?!
What you want me to do? go down there and play Rambo? Think before you post.
My only point was rape is an epidemic (to use the term loosely).
The entire globe is rife with atrocities and while we certainly should focus a lot more on the Congo where we've never quite turned a blind eye but certainly never helped enough to matter.. The entire human race is fucked. We're just shitting all over each other with the most horrible things we can and without being conspiracy theorist level of doom and gloom..
We really don't have much time left to live the way we have been. If we don't stop hurting each other soon we'll drown.
On October 23 2011 11:33 R4TM wrote: please people open you eyes, this is real, i read that someone masturbated watch this movie, should be banned and should get a psychiatrist immediatly over canada.
No one on this thread has said this doesn't happen. However, the movie sets out to make us the bad guys, for buying phones. And hammers it in with a hilariously badly shoot/written shortfilm. No one is going to take this seriously.
Besides, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. Congo needs to figure this shit out themselves.
Great way to deny any part of a system that is built on the slavery of a third of the worlds population so that we can buy cheap shoes and phones.
Did I deny it? I even spesifically said "No one in this thread has said this doesn't happen"..is that denial to you?!
What you want me to do? go down there and play Rambo? Think before you post.
Not quite, but you are the end user of those minerals, and your money finds it's way to congo and funds these things.
One of the things about capitalism is that companies will act to keep the populations favour, it's competition. So when people pressure companies to ensure their money doesn't make into the hands of a warlord in congo, it can happen. No one expects you to solve it yourself.
On October 23 2011 01:34 parkin wrote: Cant they just mine the minerals without the raping?
I asked myself that before and after watching. Pardon me for asking OP, but how are the victims of rape(for example the ones in the movie) related to blood minerals?
Well basically the Coltan in the Congo is pretty easy to mine: basically a dude with a shovel can do it. So the warlords enslave a bunch of people to mine Coltan for them and then smuggle the minerals across the border to finance their "military" operations. Without any money to buy guns and food, or minerals to fight over, the rebel groups will presumably disintegrate.
On October 24 2011 05:28 Probe1 wrote: My only point was rape is an epidemic (to use the term loosely).
The entire globe is rife with atrocities and while we certainly should focus a lot more on the Congo where we've never quite turned a blind eye but certainly never helped enough to matter.. The entire human race is fucked. We're just shitting all over each other with the most horrible things we can and without being conspiracy theorist level of doom and gloom..
We really don't have much time left to live the way we have been. If we don't stop hurting each other soon we'll drown.
I'd argue things have been getting progressively better since the times of the plague. If you think it's bad now, imagine what it was 200 years ago. We progress kind of slowly I guess, a lot of attitudes disappear only after waiting for those people to die off, but I truly believe we're progressing, however slowly. And everyone can do their little bit to help push it forward
On October 23 2011 11:33 R4TM wrote: please people open you eyes, this is real, i read that someone masturbated watch this movie, should be banned and should get a psychiatrist immediatly over canada.
No one on this thread has said this doesn't happen. However, the movie sets out to make us the bad guys, for buying phones. And hammers it in with a hilariously badly shoot/written shortfilm. No one is going to take this seriously.
Besides, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. Congo needs to figure this shit out themselves.
Great way to deny any part of a system that is built on the slavery of a third of the worlds population so that we can buy cheap shoes and phones.
Did I deny it? I even spesifically said "No one in this thread has said this doesn't happen"..is that denial to you?!
What you want me to do? go down there and play Rambo? Think before you post.
Not quite, but you are the end user of those minerals, and your money finds it's way to congo and funds these things.
One of the things about capitalism is that companies will act to keep the populations favour, it's competition. So when people pressure companies to ensure their money doesn't make into the hands of a warlord in congo, it can happen. No one expects you to solve it yourself.
But you can help
The problem is that it is fricking difficult to do this. We have laws in the US to try and stop conflict minerals from being used, but they are ineffectual because of the laundering. Pretty-much every country with significant remaining coltan reserves is a developing country. Even Australia which is a developed country was used as a center of coltan laundering. A lot of the coltan mining is done by local artisanal miners not big industrial operations. The smugglers just go across the border to Rwanda and sell the coltan cheap to the local Rwandan mining outfit, who then resell it as non conflict tantalum. So either you screw over what is a successful example of positive development in Africa(small locally owned mining businesses), or you solve the problem some other way. I am not saying there isn't a good solution, I just don't know what it is, and I haven't heard of anyone claiming to.
The majority of tantalum is not conflict tantalum, but it is basically impossible to determine what is and what is not conflict tantalum.
I'd like to see everyone actually do their little bit but that mean more than signing another uneventful internet petition. They feel good and you can say you helped accomplish something but unless there is an organized and concerted effort to change the political and human reality of the Congo or any other central African country.. these things will go on.
(Unrelated but the fact that it is over cell phones and not diamonds or foodstuffs is irrelevant. It will and has been happening anyway)
On October 24 2011 05:40 Probe1 wrote: I'd like to see everyone actually do their little bit but that mean more than signing another uneventful internet petition. They feel good and you can say you helped accomplish something but unless there is an organized and concerted effort to change the political and human reality of the Congo or any other central African country.. these things will go on.
(Unrelated but the fact that it is over cell phones and not diamonds or foodstuffs is irrelevant. It will and has been happening anyway)
The "over cell phones" is a bet of a misconception. Tantalum is used in pretty-much anything with a power supply, and inside pretty-much any microchip as a thin film resistor, among other things. Even if every cell phone manufacturer were to strengthen their auditing procedures the demand for conflict coltan would hardly be budged.
Although I was unaware of the details, our posts share a similar point. If it wasn't over minerals or materials it would be something else. There's always something worth stealing and destroying. As long as central Africa (.. as well as most of Africa) retains such a weak and at best impotent government these things will continue.
This film was inspired by the true story of Masika, who lives in the Congo. But we set it in England because we want to ask the question: “Would we accept it, if it was happening here?”
Masika and her family were raped. Her husband murdered, and fed to her. Although deeply traumatised by this atrocity, she returned to search for other victims of rape and give them shelter. To date she has aided over 5,000 people.
There are hundreds of thousands of people being raped every year in a conflict that is fuelled by the trade in minerals used to make our mobile phones. This film is harrowing, but it is nothing compared to the nightmare going on in the Congo every day. Your phone manufacturer must act to stop using minerals from this region.
I hate when people try to push this viewpoint on me. Like it is the company's fault that they are killing each other over minerals. In fact, the companies help to provide work for the people of Congo by buying their minerals. It's not the company that should be held responsible for those atrocities, but the government of Congo.
For those saying that this doesn't make a difference: You are fucking ridiculous. Sorry, but your opinion is wrong and unaccerptable. When we as a society is enabling this by our indifference and we outselves are customers. It is completely ridiculous to say that we don't have any power over where the mobile phone companies conduct their buisness. This is the prime example of a marketing nightmare for those companies. If word gets out that they are in the forefront of sustaining these militias they are done. To email your phone company and tell them this aswell as spread this message DOES change things. A few months ago there was a law going to be passed in Uganda that would give death sentences for gay people. The internet blew up and the bill was put on hold. If western netizen can affect a nations policy directly like that (through their own government ofc) then affecting companies within their own society is nothing.
The problem is that it is next to impossible to determine what is conflict tantalum and what is not in your supply chain. I remember reading an article a few years ago about how a lot of companies were importing tantalum into Australia from the Congo, then re-exporting it as Australian mined tantalum to get around the assorted embargos.
Of course we do. We could boycott any cell phones manufactured with African materials. That wouldn't change shit though.
Come on guys. Be alerted to such an appalling situation and don't prattle off with a boycott as the solution to the world's ailments. Let's plant little tracking chips on the atoms of the African exports to make sure not one gram goes into my next cell phone! This is capitalism, this is the global economy. You get the cheaper raw materials not from Shady Businessman Dude but some trader of a kind, who gets his from another and on down the line (reread to find that cell phones are not even over 50% conflict-material-derived).
Oh god that my industry isn't targeted by a campaign to prevent slave miners of raw materials a world away. All the good intentions in the world aren't gonna lessen the poverty inflicted on those least connected to the thing. Say, struggling third world economies with decent governance and rule of law that supply of 51% of cell phone materials, nah include them all and make that percentage higher. These things always more directly impoverish the fair players than the unfair. Middlemen that didn't know exactly where the products come from or go but are not out of jobs, Shippers in the same likeness.
Recognize the problem and propose a more effective route, for the love of all things holy. Feel-good boycotts indeed.
EPT
