Soylent Green Movie

I recently watched Soylent Green, the 1973 movie starring Charlton Heston and Edward G. Robinson. I had not seen the movie based on my tender age when it first came out!! I knew the punch line but would have been sketchy on the real plot of the movie.

I was fascinated by the movie for all the issues it made me ponder, the least of which was probably the true nature of the food product called Soylent Green. I had not realized that "Soylent” (presumably the “Soy” refers to soy beans) was the name of the corporation that owned the food supply chain.

Here are some of the aspects that truly made me think. I don’t think I am giving away too much by bringing these items up for discussion…but I will say “spoiler alert” if you would rather watch the movie first and then read the rest of this entry.
· The movie takes place in 2022 in New York City. What fears and/or false beliefs did the people of what would be our current generation buy-into to allow one corporation to own the entire food supply chain? Are we on the verge of doing the same ourselves?
· Why were people treated with more humanity and compassion when they volunteered to be euthanized than they were treated when they wanted to live?
· Why didn’t more people volunteer to be euthanized? Were there certain criteria you had to meet to qualify to be euthanized?
· Did the movie only focus on single rich men and how they lived differently from the masses? Or were there some families / couples who lived in the wealthy apartments with plenty of hot water and a refrigerator full of food?
· Would men expect and women allow the in-equality of power between the roles of men and women to be the accepted norm?
· Was the power of the police so complete that you refused them nothing, knowing they would take it anyway?
· Do we really believe that 40 Million people in an area the size of the city of Manhattan could really be so efficiently and effectively controlled by riot patrol and fear of starvation and death?
· Why in the world did Charlton and Edward’s characters make a stew out of a perfectly good flank steak? (Seems sacrilegious even to this non red-meat eater!)

What points have I missed? Please feel free to weigh in with your comments. We could make this a lively discussion!