Life or Greed

    I think It's My Life is a film that hits hard in reminding us of the injustices towards those with HIV. HIV is not only a terrifying disease, but it's link to homosexuality results in a more negative opinion and avoidance of those suffering. I was also shocked about the xenophobia still prevalent in South Africa at the time of the film, or in Zackie's youth - shown in the separation of white and coloured bathrooms and libraries.  In Zackie's fight against the drug companies, we are also reminded of the greed that exists in these times - it's either "life or greed" as Zackie states. The recent attention paid to "the 1%" has made the public attentive to how broken capitalism has become, in that 99% of the world's wealth belongs to 1% of people, most of which is owned by the drug companies. But the USA is egocentric, and it is not publicized that this country affects so many people overseas, we only hear about the struggles of the middle class.
    I am one to believe the best in people before proven otherwise, that the majority of the world's people have sound morals. But when the most powerful people in the world are those with seemingly no morals at all, I lose a little faith in humanity which is replaced with outrage.  Even the 1% must see the deteriorating state of our world, yet they do not change anything!! Consumerism is still at the top of their priorities - 99% of the wealth is spent making more wealth by taking advantage of the population, hypnotizing them to think they need material things and making them forget about important issues. The only effort to make changes is through war, as if the world's problems can be solved by population control in blowing people up. Similarly, in It's My Life we see that they are trying to solve the problem of HIV by poisoning the infected or just letting them die. In realizing this, we can understand why Zackie would rather die than see that his country is still denied their right to affordable medicine.