The Wire

David Simon, author of the novel Homicide and writer of the television show “The Wire”, calls himself a pessimist. His talk about “The Wire” was a description on his view of the world today. He spoke about the value of people, logic of the dollar, and the “other America” and how each of them plays a role not only on “The Wire” but also in society.
Simon spoke not about hope for the future. He said that things are just getting worse in not just Baltimore, but all over the world. His reasoning, in part, for this was the decreasing value of human life. Simon said that “The Wire” was about “the idea that humans beings are worth less.” I do not necessarily agree with Simon. Yes, it is true, technology has played a significant role in diminishing the need for employees, but that does not mean that the role people play in the world has been depleted. I believe that people can make changes in society. Simon also made the claim that the show presents the idea about the “capacity of the individual.” Simon also made clear the show is fiction, and not any sort of viable journalism. I think that Simon’s lack of faith in people comes from seeing so much devastation, crime, and poverty. Although these are things that need to be attended to, people have made progress and developments in these areas in Baltimore and many more cities.
Simon spoke of the logic of the dollar and what it means in society. He talked about how America is more like an oligarchy then a democracy. He sees how power is routed by money. He presented examples of the “triumph of greed” in today’s world and how the media exalts the wealthy. Simon made the point that “the only way we can be saved from global warming is if the profit can be found in it.” I agree with Simon on this point. A good majority of the population see the importance of money and comfort before the dangers that the world faces. Simon gave the example of global warming and the dangers it presents. Without attention, global warming poses a serious threat to the world. Some people with the capacity to make a difference in this area are unwilling to give funds because they see no profit in money. Some might say that profit is presented in the form of preservation of the world for future people; others might disagree and say that profit is only worthwhile in dollar sums.
“The Wire” also depicts what Simon named the “other America.” Simon says the “other America” is the people that live in Baltimore and other cities that live in poverty. Simon presented the example of his own house being in something like another world from the world around the corner from his home. Simon said that the only jobs available for these people are selling drugs on the corner. He spoke about the lie of “just say no.” Simon’s position on this idea comes from the research he has done for the writing of “The Wire.” His work with the Baltimore Police Department and the Baltimore Sun has given him experiences that give strong reason for his opinions about society.
Simon’s talk really made clear the point of awareness and the lack of awareness in today’s world. I may not agree with all that he said, but from his talk, many people took away the importance of awareness about the problems damaging society. If people expand their knowledge and awareness about the current situations in society, hopefully changes can be made to make the world a better place.