The+Insider

Audrey Newcomb Sustainability Problems

Film Annotation: “The Insider” Directed by Michael Mann and released in 1999 “The Insider” tells the story of Dr. Wigand and his relations with the tobacco industry. Dr. Wigand was the Corporate Vice President of Brown and Williamson Tobacco, Co. Dr. Wigand was a chemist by training and had previously worked at Union Carbide and Johnson and Johnson. He described himself as originally being in the “health care industry.” Soon after Dr. Wigand was employed at Brown and Williamson, the 3rd largest tobacco company of the time, he was fired. It can be inferred that he is fired because he voiced opposition to knowingly putting carcinogens in the cigarettes. Dr. Wigand had to sign a confidentiality agreement when he left. The confidentially agreement assured that he would receive his severance package and medical coverage in return for his silence on his experience at Brown Williamson. Lowell Bergman, one of the producers for “60 Minutes” seeks Wigand’s help in deciphering a Fire Safety Product Survey from Phillip Morris. Bergman becomes interested in Wigand’s resistance to talk and realizes that Wigand has helpful information to reveal to the public about the tobacco industry. “The Insider” conveys the difficulties Wigand and Bergman face in revealing truths of the tobacco industry.

This films draws out sustainability problems relating to the media, corporations, politicians, and the judicial system. The tobacco corporations were reluctant to reveal that cigarettes are a health threat to Americans because doing so would sacrifice profit. The transformation from tobacco seller to a “nicotine deliverer” purposefully manipulating the ingredients to result to greatest addiction happened as a result of chasing larger profits. Some people in the movie “The Corporation” would argue that this was inevitable because corporations are currently formed and obligated to exist for the sole purpose of making money. Another sustainability problem is who is controlling the media. In this film, CBS corporate was threatened by the possibility of a lawsuit from tobacco companies. CBS corporate was an obstacles for the successful CBS news’ show, “60 Minutes” as they tried to air Dr. Wigand’s confessional. If a news segment stands to not benefit those who own the news then it is unlikely it will be aired. Politicians were bought out by the tobacco industries in order to suppress the fact that nicotine is addictive. For example, when Dr Wigand went to Mississippi to film his deposition for the case of Mississippi v. Big Tobacco, the governor of Mississippi sued his own attorney general “to abandon litigation against big tobacco.” Obviously the governor of Mississippi benefitted from the success of big tobacco. There is something wrong with our judicial system if someone can be put in jail as a criminal for violating an unfair confidentiality contract. Dr. Wigand was told that he could be put in jail in Kentucky if he testified in Mississippi (because it would violate the confidentiality contract and a gag order that had been placed on him by Kentucky). There are two things wrong with Dr. Wigand’s potential incarceration. First, confidentiality agreements should be better regulated so that employees are not put in the same threatening situation as Dr. Wigand. It should not be illegal for someone to release truthful information they deem important for public health or safety. Second, the penalty of incarceration is not appropriate for the crime. Another strange thing about the judicial system, at least as featured in “The Insider,” is that sometimes the wrong people were regarded as experts about tobacco. The CEO’s of the seven biggest tobacco companies testified under oath that nicotine is not addictive. CEO’s are not scientists, and CEO’s of tobacco companies will not incriminate their own business. Perhaps they were questioned because the tobacco companies did have the most recent and factual information regarding nicotine and tobacco. I have the impression that a similar situation is surfacing in genetic engineering. Those who are knowledgeable about genetic engineering have to work for companies whose applications of the knowledge are questionable.

Lowell Bergman reminded and further convinced me of the importance of journalism. He believed that as a journalist it was his duty to convey factual and critical information the public. He used his forum of “60 Minutes” to feature stories that the public may not see otherwise. I admired how he was able to comfort Dr. Wigand and make him feel in control of the decision of whether or not to go on “60 Minutes.” Although I only watched an actor, I am convinced that the real Lowell Bergman had excellent people skills and was able to relate to people and gain their trust easily. What’s more is that Bergman truly had integrity and didn’t gain people’s trust for his own advancement. Their trust and his ability to elicit their story certainly affected his livelihood, but it is clear that Bergman honored their anonymity and respected his sources because he believed it was the right thing to do. Bergman quit his job when Wigand’s deposition and script of his interviews were printed because he didn’t think sources would trust him again. I don’t think this is particularly true and Bergman could have continued to make a living working as the producer of “60 Minutes.” However, Bergman was convinced his integrity was destroyed and could not under good conscious tell his next source that they would not be revealed when his latest source (Wigand) had been revealed. I am convinced that these skills and these types of people are essential to a sustainable world.

It is difficult for me to be convinced that at a time tobacco was the “biggest public health reform issue.” When Dr. Wigand finally got to talk at his deposition in Mississippi I was so surprised that all he did was define nicotine as a drug. The only truth I have known regarding cigarettes is that they are addictive and not good for you. The moment of Dr. Wigand announcing this is very sensational and emotional, but because it does not match what I consider to be a revelation, the moment just comes across as silly and over dramatic. It is hopeful to see how drastically different generations’ experience can be with an issue. My parents were not aware of the addictive affects of nicotine until they had already been smoking for many years while I have never known a different truth. It is exciting to think that certain radical observations my generation is making could become common sense for the next generation.

This film makes me reconsider the validity of health information that is distributed to me. I have to wonder how cigarettes are even still legal; it is strange that it is legal to sell something that has to print a warning label announcing that it causes cancer. What are the economic ramifications of illegalizing cigarettes? In my hometown it is popular in high school to work in the tobacco fields in the summers. I never did because my mom didn’t want me my touching all the tobacco leaves with pesticides on them. This film also examines the important role that scientists play in social issues. Dr. Wigand loves science; he has a Ph.D. in biology and endocrinology. Manipulating the levels of chemicals in cigarettes to enhance the delivery of nicotine is an interesting chemistry problem. It is admirable that Dr. Wigand recognized the consequences of his research. I do not want to be a pawn for a corporation perpetuating a cause I do not believe in. For engineers this can be difficult because sometimes the biggest recruiting companies provide service to the military. This is one example of why I can understand why the “Report from Iron Mountain” concludes that war is the glue that holds our society together.

“The Insider” was made for anyone looking for thoughtful entertainment. It has famous actors in it and is a well made piece of entertainment. “The Insider” can change the way viewers think about environmental problems in that it allows viewers to realize that their perception of what is true can change. “The Insider” gives viewers hope that the scientific truth will prevail. With sustainability problems such as toxics and global warming the facts can be complex and multifaceted, but that does not mean that there is not a truth. This film does not ask for any immediate action on behalf of the viewer. Instead it asks viewers to search for the truth and to not obstruct truth from being known.

The only thing that I think could have been improved about this film is a follow up with Dr. Wigand’s experience with aggressive police intervention. It is implied in the movie that even the police have been influenced by big tobacco because when Dr. Wigand feels threatened and calls the police they take away his computer and attempt to create guilt out of Dr. Wigand’s gun ownership. Americans have the right to own guns so it is strange that police treated Dr. Wigand this way. Was there reason for them to immediately consider Dr. Wigand as the most likely suspect of putting a bullet in his own mailbox? The role that police play in society is an important sustainability problem. There are advantages and disadvantages to living in a cooperative society that has collective protection versus every man for himself. A lot of the informative exposed in sustainability studies leads one to imagine the necessity of a cooperative world for the sake of humanity and the environment.

References: Lewin, Leonard. //Report from Iron Mountain: On teh Possibility and Desirability of Peace//. New York: The Dial Press, 1967. Print.