Sociological Implications of Maxed Out, Introduction

The film Maxed Out is a documentary by filmmaker James Scurlock that attempts to depict the present state of lending services and debt in the United States. Scurlock’s focus is not limited to any particular debt instrument, but encompasses lines of credit, mortgages, credit cards, and predatory lending practices. The purpose of the film seems to be to shed some light on the inequalities facing the American Proletariat with regard to financial instruments, debt instruments in particular. An undereducated American lower-class is being taken advantage of by major corporations, and simply because these individuals do not know any better, they are being turned into slaves, metaphorically speaking.

In essence, the United States has become a country where credit card use is a traditional practice, and going into debt is considered entirely normal. Most Americans experience at least the debt associated with a home mortgage. However, what’s being encouraged more and more in recent years is the use of credit cards. Americans are encouraged by their credit card companies, their friends, television commercials, and even the mass media which displays particular attitudes, to use their credit cards freely, and to charge even the most diminutive of expenses. Credit card use has become especially commonplace this day-and-age and Americans take that luxury for granted. In this country, it is expected that every type of expense will be charged to a credit card; in doing so, Americans expect to pay interest on the money that they borrow. What most people fail to realize, however, is the truly grandiose scale that interest payments take on in proportion to the amount of principal that they borrow. And so, some people become enslaved to the credit card companies, and must struggle each month to make the monthly minimum payments. “Where is the justice?” one might ask. What this implies, however, is that there is justice to be found, when in truth a more appropriate question is, “Is there justice?” The theories of four critical sociologists (three and one group of sociologists – Africana) will be applied to the film Maxed Out to examine the reaction each might have to the implications presented.

Other posts on sociology and Maxed Out:
Sociological Implications of Maxed Out, Introduction
Sociological Implications of Maxed Out, Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Response
Sociological Implications of Maxed Out, Jane Addams Response
Sociological Implications of Maxed Out, Karl Marx Response
Sociological Implications of Maxed Out, Africana Theorists Response
Sociological Implications of Maxed Out, Conclusion

Works Cited
Lengermann, Patricia and Jill Niebrugge-Brantley. 2005. “Class Notes The Africana Theorists, Spring 2008 American University, Washington D.C.” (https://blackboard.american.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_43370_1%26url%3D).
---. 2005. “Class Notes Karl Marx, Spring 2008 American University, Washington D.C.” (https://blackboard.american.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_43370_1%26url%3D).
---. 2005. “Class Notes Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Spring 2008 American University, Washington D.C.” (https://blackboard.american.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_43370_1%26url%3D).
---. 2005. “Class Notes Jane Addams, Spring 2008 American University, Washington D.C.” (https://blackboard.american.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_ 2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_43370_1%26url%3D).
Maxed Out. Dir. James Scurlock. Perf. Mark Mumma, Ronald Reagan. DVD. Magnolia, 2005.