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The Business of Being Born is a great watch. This map doesn’t do it justice. From IMDB:

While the United States has perhaps the most advanced health care system in the world, it also has the second-highest infant mortality rate of any industrialized nation, and many have begun to question conventional wisdom regarding the way obstetricians deal with childbirth. While midwives preside over the majority of births in Europe and Japan, fewer than ten percent of American mothers employ them, despite their proven record of care and success. How do American doctors make their choices regarding the way their patients give birth, and who is intended to benefit? Director Abby Epstein and producer Ricki Lake offer a probing look at childbirth in America in the documentary The Business of Being Born, which explores the history of obstetrics, the history and function of Midwives, and how many common medical practices may be doing new mothers more harm than good.

If you have Netflix you can watch it online. There were 2 or 3 water births
in the film, which Meghan and I had to go back and review because they were so amazing-looking.

All that said, Meg and I are going to go celebrate NOT being pregnant, and NOT wanting to be.

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“It’s not just a story about numbers, it’s a story about people and about how good people go bad. Our system not only allowed it to happen, but also almost encouraged it.”—Director Alex Gibney

I’m always amazed by how a documentary film can pack so many ideas and so much human drama into 2 hours. This one has it all: compelling story, great characters, and a kick-ass soundtrack (excellent opening and closing songs by Tom Waits).

In a company drowning in such a macho culture (Lou Pai had strippers in his office, Jeff Skilling organized these ridiculous daredevil excursions on motorbikes…) I think it’s no coincidence that the whistleblowers were women (Bethany McLean reporting for Fortune Magazine, and Sherron Watkins as Vice-President of Corporate Development).

Watch the whole thing on Google Video.

My question to you: if the most relevant fable in our times isn’t “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” what is?

This documentary was so good and so long (145 minutes!) that I made two pages of notes. Particularly great were the monologues by Noam Chomsky and Ray Anderson.

Link:

• An excerpt from the film dealing with the relationship between American corporations and Nazi Germany