Wednesday, September 26, 2007
On "An Inconvenient Truth"
Why are we allowing environments across the earth to destruct? Is it human nature to consume and destroy? Or, have we simply been kept ignorant about the conseqeuences of our consumption? Alternatively, perhaps we have been too busy taking care of only ourselves, we haven't been paying attention. What has brought us to the current catastrophic extreme we now find out planet? Discuss this.
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We as an society have become so individualist to the point that we have no interest in anything that doesn’t pertain or benefit us, due to this our society has no interest in the greater good for all, which indicates why we have no interest in saving our persevering our environment, which is why our earth today is slowly being destructed. By being so self centered, some feel that our ignorance has become part of our human nature, which is why we consume and destroy without ever thinking about out our consequences. But, as Al Gore states in the movie An Inconvenient Truth “it is human nature to connect the dots over time”. So until society as a whole begins to connect the dots, the type of ignorance we brought a pond ourselves will lead us into a state of catastrophic extreme that will effect or environment, overall health, and the health and lives of our children and future generations.
I think the answer to why are we allowing environments across the earth to destruct is simple: it is about convenience. I do not think it is human nature to destroy the earth but I do think that people are not willing to give up some things to help the earth. For instance, people are not willing to use public transportation instead of cars to reduce the smog. I have heard that each house hold in the United States has an average of 3 cars. These families are not willing to share 1 car because public transportation is not an option. I definitely do not believe that we have been kept in the dark, there are numerous policies that are geared towards educating people about the importance of protecting our environment and the consequences of all our energy consumption. For instance, recently the motto “go green” has become very popular. Many corporate companies are adopting this, adding more publicity to the consequences of our consumption, yet people are not willing to give up the convenient things of life to help the earth. I think that the title of the movie: an Inconvenient Truth is very applicable to the movie and the message it is trying to send because there is a lot of statistics and studies that show the truth about the message and yet people see its solutions as inconvenient. I do not think that people have not been paying attention, I know a lot of people that know the consequences of for instance, not reducing the amount of energy, yet they choose to not give up certain things because we think about how inconvenient it is for us. I think the continue neglect of trying to improve our environment has brought our earth to its most extreme condition. In my opinion, I know the consequences of our neglect of protecting the environment yet, I choose to not give up certain things that will benefit our planet because I think that nothing really will happen. The idea of humanity totally destroying the planet is an idea so distant for us all that, we can not imagine a catastrophe to ever happen because of our neglect for protecting the environment. Even with all the images and proof scientist and documentaries like An Inconvenient Truth, I do not think people will get the idea of how important it is for humanity to do things that will ultimately be beneficial for the environment.
I totally agree with Kyra, it is not the fact that individuals are unaware of the issue on global warming and the slow deteriation of our planet, but instead it is because of the technological advancement in our civilization that we choose to have a household with three cars instead of one. People do not see global warming as a threat because it is slow progressing; just like some individuals do not notice that a massive amount of sugar intake can lead to diabetes, as humans we do not react to something quickly unless it seems like an immediate threat to us. In addition, most people believe that the small individual decisions which they could change (i.e. riding public transportation, switching to energy efficient light bulbs, driving more efficient cars, etc.) would not benifit the planet because they are one person. This is the same view some individuals have about voting, they do not believe that their vote counts because they are just one person, but what people do not realize is that it only takes one person to tip the scale. I believe that Gore makes a good point when he bings the audience attention to the scale of gold bars on one side and the earth on the other, when proposing the question: "do we have to choose between the economy and the environment?" As a society we are all caught up in trying to reach the "American dream" that we often do not realize that our individual decisions affect our future civilization, and the preservation and restoration of our planet.
Many people in today's society do not use items to their own convenience. For example, people rather "waste" energy and electricity instead of going to a local store to buy energy save light bulbs. America in general is about consuming more, seems like the more we have the more we waste. Therefore becoming more self center and not taking to consideration the consequences and affect to the planet. According to Arctic Climate Impact Assessment. 2004. Impacts of a Warming Arctic. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Also quoted in Time Magazine, Vicious Cycles, Missy Adams, March 26, 2006, has stated that "The Arctic Ocean could be ice free in summer by 2050" all due to global warming. Everyone one today can take a part in saving to planet to preserve of planet as long as possible by taking action whether its to change light bulbs, carpooling, taking the bus, riding a bike, conserving water and recycle.
I think the reason why we allow the environments around us to destruct is that it is in our nature to only think about the present and not our future. A lot of the times people miss out on the bigger picture and they want instant gratification. It is in our Human nature to consume and destroy, the pattern repeats itself over and over again in our history, from the extinction of animals to the depletion of our natural resources. The only difference between from then and now is that we have the ability to recognize our destructive ways and stop them before we face the severe consequences of our actions. I also think that when it comes to environmental issue people feel as though if it is out of sight it is out of mind. If it is not brought to their attention it continues to go on without being noticed. The title of the documentary after all is called an “Inconvenient Truth”, people do not want to know about the problem because once the do they will feel obligated to act. We are a country that has been blessed with a lot and we take that for granted. If people could just become educated about the small steps they could take then it could make a huge impact.
Al Gore Claims: Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet (6 meters) with the loss of shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica, devastating coastal areas worldwide. (An Inconvenient Truth) This would put several pieces of land underwater misplacing millions of people. He also claims: The Arctic Ocean could be ice-free in summer by 2050. This would cause the sea level to rise and probably cause Polar Bears to become extinct. (An Inconvenient Truth) Although we have been busy taking care of ourselves and other social issues we still need to pay attention to this issue because in the near future there will only be more problems to come.
The answers to why we are allowing environments across the earth to destruct are simple, it is not happening to us directly so we choose to ignore the facts because they are inconvenient. Parts of our individualistic personalities have led us to consume and destroy. We consume things that are opportune to us regardless of the dangers to our planet because “how can one person possibly make a difference.” It is this ignorant train of thought that has led us to the position we find our earth today. It is interesting to note that according to the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States is the prime contributor of greenhouse gas emissions in our planet. This is in large part due to the huge-scale use of fuels in vehicles and factories. In addition, out of all the nations in the world we are also the ones that have done the least to change or improve ways to better our earth. It is not a matter of whether or not we have been to busy to notice the consequences of our actions, but rather a matter of how much money we would loose if we found new technology that would require less fuel. The difference between us and the rest of the world is that in those other countries government made a stance to create change so that future generations can enjoy the world. However, this has not been the case here in the U.S. Our government cares very little about changing because as Al Gore presented in his film, politicians cannot not come to an agreement on whether or not global warming is truly happening, even though the world’s leading experts have clearly stated that global warming is a fact.
Progression of pre-industrial society began to pave the way into the transition of progression and development fueled by capitalism. The improvement of social conditions during the industrial revolution had profound outcomes on the conditions of the times. The framework of human life was impacted in some way. A shift towards industry, expansion, and consumption fostered innovation and technology. It also influenced social structure and education. The drive towards consumption today is analogous with the advancement of our nations. Consequently, repercussions from these early technologies were not considered or known. A combination of scientific, political, and social concerns began to address the environmental movement in the 1950’s – 70’s. Emerging scientific research begun to draw connections between the environment, our activities, and its influence on humanity as well as our planet. Technological accomplishments can bring forth hypothetical threats validated by scientists and research. Mass media as a source of persuasion can now expose environmental negligence caused by man. Debates among scientist and politicians can further add to the confusion of the true magnitude of possible threats. A newly emerging emphasis of consequence through scientific measure leads us to look introspectively at technology and the world at hand. Catastrophic extreme entails delayed intervention. Many movements today draw new attention to awareness and an emphasis on individual responsibility. Our own realization, the life of humanity, and the survival of our planet depend on it.
The reason global warming has become an issue is because of the CO2 emissions that are going into the atmosphere. We as people continue to consume the earths reasources as if there is no consequence. I do not think it is human nature to consume and destroy, but it is capitalists nature to consume and destory. Capitalists are only concerned with their power, wealth, and economic prosperity. I believe that with global warming we have and continue to be ignorant about the situation. I think that we think to highly of ourselves and of our technological advancements. Because our science and technology has reached great levels, we sometimes tend to think of ourselves as untouchable and invinsible beings. Just as we fixed the hole in the ozone layer, we think we can continue with the same habits and eventually formulate some solution to our destructions. As Al'Gore states in the film, "old habits+old technology= predicted consequences, but old habits+new technology=advanced, dangerous, and unpredicted consequeces". Poeple are not concerned with preserving our only home as much as they are concerned with their self-interest and personal pleasure, and this leads to the current catastrophic extreme we find our planet in now, GLOBAL WARMING.
An inconvenient truth can very accurately explain why our environment is collapsing. The effects that carbon dioxide has on the environment are phenomenal, yet most people are unaware of what is going on. The government does a horrible job at educating people about the negative consequences we will have to endure if global warming is not controlled. The United States is the nation that contributes the most amount of carbon dioxide. One would think that because the United States has the most current technology that we would do more to stop this ecological problem. If the United States does not keep its citizens informed about global warming, why would other countries? One of the main causes of environmental disaster is population. In the film, Al’Gore featured a graph that illustrated how population was going to triple during the next decades. This “baby boom” is going to cause a lot of impact in our environment. More resources are going to be used, which leads into more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. As explained in the film an increased amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is going to cause global warming. Because of global warming scientists expect to have no more arctic areas and rising sea levels by the year of 2050. If this problem is not addressed our future generations are not going to have the ability to enjoy the beautiful glaciers or snow havens.
Global Warming is becoming a huge problem in today's society. The reason why global warming is becoming a problem is because the water that is in the air has begun to drop heavily and this is what causes Horricanes and Tornadoes. As Americans, we should try to prevent global warming by recycling and not destroying the air with trashy objects.
I do not think it is human nature to consume and destroy. Instead, society is consumed with their personal well being rather than the greater good for all. If it is not immediately affecting a person’s life then they will continue to ignore the problem. Even if a person knows there is the possibility their actions may have a negative outcome they will not stop what they are doing. If the consequence is not immediately affecting them at the moment then they could care less what happens. Society allows environments to be destroyed because they are not immediately affected by the destruction. Though they may be slightly informed habitats are no longer in existence, it does not have an effect on their work, school, or personal life. I would not say that the world’s current state is due to ignorance but due to naïve inconvenience. People are accustomed to the culture they live in. They are not willing to change or lose the things they treasure so dearly. Many of the things people are used to are unnecessary. For example, society is hooked to the television. As soon as they get home the TV is on. It’s alright to enjoy watching TV but its unnecessary to have multiple TV’s on in multiple rooms when its only one person to watch the TV. I have a friend, whose mother always has the TV on. Even she is sleeping she keeps it on. If someone tries to shut it off then she wakes up. Al Gore came up with the title, An Inconvenient Truth, for a reason. Global warming doesn’t have an easy solution which is why society has not made a difference. Society would have to change its lifestyle and that’s something it’s not willing to cope with.
Global warming is destructing our society ironically both rapidly and slowly. Because of the carelessness we have as individuals in regards to our environment we are not acknowledging the great danger we are creating. Our world is falling apart, little by little, throughout the world. But because the media and other leaders do not take the time to inform us or even accept it as the truth we continue living our everyday lives as usual. However, there are some individuals that are accepting the truth and are striving to bring upon immediate change. Various organizations are fighting to stop actions that are hurting our environment. Not only are we hurting our environment but we are destroying the chance of future generations to live.
It is part of human nature to consume and destroy what little resources are provided for them. Many people believe that are society is ignorant about the issue of global warming the truth of the matter is that individuals are too afraid to believe that the world might come to an end because of what self acts they have committed. Just little kids no one likes to be blamed for making a mistake and that’s how humanity is acting on the subject of global warming. As usual society is acting self centered and careless about what it consumes, the world is so busy putting blame on each other that they have forgotten that there is still an issue that needs to be solved. The environmental defense states that there are several misconceptions about global warming. The misconception that seems to bother most Americans is the belief that even if global warming is a problem, addressing it will hurt American industry and workers. This is absolutely not true; the environmental defense states that a mandatory cap on emissions could spur technological innovation that could create jobs and wealth. Allowing the problem to continue will disrupt and severely damage our economy, or even worse destroy it completely. It is time to act and speak out about the problem if every just did there part it would help the situation. Whether it be helping buy buying light bulbs that conserve energy, or writing to congress about the problem. If every individual helped and did there part the situation would be addressed and hopefully the problem would at least be under control. Global warming is an issue and a serious threat for the whole planet. Maybe it is time to get the government to focus there attention on a real threat instead of focusing on WMD’s that don’t even exist.
People allow the deterioration of forests, lakes, and glaciers not because humans have been ignorant of the consequences of their actions, but because people have placed environmental issues as a low priority.
Nations aim to increase their economy’s strength and their military’s power. The ideals of developed nation-states are based on capitalism, industrialization, and the McDonaldization of society. For instance, the high demand of paper goods is obtained through the elimination of millions of tree wiping out forests and natural habitats of animal and plant life. These paper goods are then utilized to wrap hamburgers, to refill printers, and to box electronic devices. Large companies, corporations, and governments aim to modernize the world. We have transformed into a society that believes that bigger and more is better.
Tall sky-scrapers, buildings, cars, gated communities, and massive malls have gentrified our society at the cost of our environment. We as a people view moving forward and advancing as a positive movement, but we tend to ignore the environmental consequences that result from industrialization and capitalism.
People tend to ignore environmental issues because of myths and misconceptions we hold of the planet. For instance as stated in the film “An Inconvenient Truth”, people believe that the world is so big that one person has little effect over the earth. A reason why governments and corporations might under prioritize the security of the environment is because people believe that the earth’s resources will naturally remain here forever.
Nations focus their attention more towards terrorism and engaging in warfare against other states they believe are a threat to their security. Nations do not prioritize the fight to end environmental destruction because they do not believe that nature and the environment is a threatening entity. They believe it something we humans can control.
I think it is human nature to live as consuming and selfish beings. It is innate for humans, who are the most intellectual and rational beings on earth, to consume the resources of the earth for survival and advancement. I believe that it is our right to be able to take from the earth and to benefit from it. However, as intellectual and rational beings, we should be able to respect the planet which is the only home for us and for future civilizations. I also believe in taking from the earth in a friendly, ecological manner. We should carefully calculate what we are taking from the earth and not merely steal the planet’s resources conspicuously.
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