Omni College Plus Up to October 2019

4. What is the most important ethical issue that the movie is addressing? Please explain.
That the public, including investors, should be more wary of fraudsters and not expect someone not to
be a fraudster simply because they are young and good looking. Investments, including investments of
trust, should be based on results, not appearances.
Critical Viewing Form: Enron
Instructions: Please address each item below for each movie. The total length of your critical viewing
form responses should be approximately one-half to one page, single spaced. This form will be graded
on a pass/fail basis. To pass, you need to provide reasonably detailed and insightful answers to the
items below.
1. Briefly summarize the basic plot, or issue that the movie addresses.
The movie documents the rise and extremely corrupt fall of Enron. Enron started out as a legitimate
energy-company and then invested heavily in a number of concerns that went belly up. Instead of
copping to its mistake, it cooked the books, with the assistance of accounting giant Arthur Anderson,
and squeezed investors and shareholder for money. Days before it collapsed, the top brass liquidated
their portfolios, knowing full well that everyone else who was invested would lose everything. The point
of the movie is that corporate capitalism, especially when unregulated, can become psychopathized.
2. What do you think is the most interesting point in the movie?
The most striking part was around 69 minutes in, when the Enron employees were coolly discussing
‘shutting down’ the California Power Grid, since this showed that it was not just about greed but a
complete absence of morality.
3. What is the most controversial statement you’ve heard?
1:20 minutes in it was said that Ken Lay’s friendship with George W. Bush made is possible for Lay to
keep on perpetrating fraud with impunity. This well have been true (I suspect that it is), but it is
obviously debatable and, in any case, controversial.
4. What is the most important ethical issue that the movie is addressing? Please explain.
Profits without integrity lead to large-scale financial loss and, therefore, that regulation is necessary to
prevent this.
Bribery at the California DMVL The Case of Kari Scattaglia