yes men.

I just finished watching "The Yes Men". The film comes from a group of pseudointellectual activists that seek to expose the exploitative behaviors of global power brokers (big business, WTO, the US). Their intent is to "turn up the volume on their [the power brokers] ideas as we talk, until they can see their ideas distorted in the funhouse mirror". The documentary follows its founders as they impersonate WTO representatives at conferences and in classrooms - brandishing phallics and butt sensors or discussing the possibilities of recycling the McDonalds hamburgers Americans eat for third world consumers. They run a number of spoof web sites including sites for the WTO (http://www.gatt.org/), Coca-Cola (http://www.coca-colacorporate.com/), Halliburton (http://www.halliburtoncontracts.com/), and Cargill (http://www.cargillcorporate.com/).

I do see a problem with their work.

It is not with satire. Good satire is insightful.
It is not with activism. Activism for something beyond one's self is admirable.
It is not with rebellion. The right form of rebellion for the sake of truth will ultimately yield its intended result.
It is not with their implicit cause - if it is truly the plight of the exploited global poor. That cause is worthy.

It is with their explicit cause. The cause that has become the cause.

Their web site (http://www.theyesmen.org/) includes a FAQ that asks "What are your ideas and ideals?"
Their response : "We are your standard-issue revolutionaries. For example, we would hope that our impostures so shame Messrs. Cheney and Bush that they crumble into regime dust along with their motley assortment of clever-ass thugs. "

It seems that somewhere along the way toward seeking the betterment of mankind, they got wrapped up in themselves. Their work is self-indulgent. It brings attention to them. The issues are lost somewhere. They relish political smack talk. They can do it better than the suites and the "top %1 of intellectuals" at the conferences at which they speak. I guess they are more intelligent. They win.

Perhaps this was the true cause from the beginning. Perhaps their impostures are multifaceted. The global poor were an afterthought. A nice bow on their true identities.

In renting the movie, I was hoping to find insight from bright and creative people intent on raising important issues. I found a group of people that exploit the poor for their own political agenda and narcissism. They may have entered the fun house with the best of intentions, but they seem to have brandished clown suites and got caught up amusing themselves in the funhouse mirror.

I hope that they soon tire of the circus and focus their wit and cleverness on fresh ideas on true reform. True activism. True rebellion. True cause. The world needs those kind of people.