The film Life and Debt provides insight into the contrast between the Jamaica we as tourists "know" and the real Jamaica suffering under crippling debt and poverty. The movie chronicles Jamaica's independence in 1962 to now and asks the question "are we worse off now?" I personally have been to Jamaica on a cruise line and the movie shocked me how accurate Jamaica is portrayed to tourists like myself. Even in the news today we don't hear about Jamaica's struggles.
While watching the film in class on Tuesday I was constantly reminded of the "big brother" role the U.S. has taken upon itself. The relationship between Jamaica and America is a perfect example how this interaction can leave a country at a standstill. What stuck out to me is how Jamaican farmers are unable to sell in their own market. One of the farmers said something that I found so profoundly stirring: "We're fattening a few people at the expense of a culture." Right on. That is exactly what this big brother role has created: a stifling of culture. As if Jamaican farmers could even begin to compete with the market monopoly of America. To suggest they could even have an equal competition is insulting and unrealistic.
I always thought the independence of a country would lead the way to better things. I just think that culture and social norms are relative and cannot be applied universally. And I would go so far as to make the claim that debt is also a relative concept. How could Jamaica meet the demands of the bank without a functioning and profitable economy?
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