Bowling for Columbine

Oral Production

The documentary, Bowling for Columbine by Michael Moore explores what Moore suggests are the causes of the Columbine High School massacre and the high crime rate caused by guns in the United States. One of the causes the film has explored is media manipulation. Media sources in the US including television, magazines, newspapers, internet, video games has been delivering more news about violence telling people to be afraid. It created a climate of fear in American households, giving them a reason to purchase guns for self-defence. And every year, it is becoming a bigger issue with the rapid development of technology with the invention of modern gadgets that allowed the media to even send messages faster.

Evident in the film is Marilyn Manson, a well-known rock star during the time when the Columbine massacre happened. He claims himself to be a “poster boy for fear.” People blamed him for having a bad influence on the two kids, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold who committed the attacks. In an interview with Moore, Manson stated that he believes the US society is based on “fear and consumption.” He cited the Colgate commercial that promised “if you have bad breath, people are not going to talk to you,” a commercial based on fear. Due to fear, people use Colgate to brush their teeth thinking it will give them a fresher breath and to the company’s advantage for profit. But Manson denies the accusations by the people. His songs apparently promote drug use, anti-social behaviour and many more. Just like the others, his songs created a sense of fear because he too is also consumed in fear. He created those songs out of fear. When asked by Moore what he would say to the kids and the community of Columbine, he replies, “I wouldn’t say a single word to them; I would listen to what they have to say, and that’s what no one did.” This allows the viewers to think that Manson is just another human being like us but what really drives us to do bad things and...