The Dark Shadow Shrine

embrace the darkness; that you may see the light nestled within it......

Thursday, October 05, 2017

Climate change stumps Hollywood

Click HERE

Note celebrity influence in films:
He used the star power of Leonardo DiCaprio for his latest environmental film, Before The Flood, which examines global warming in a way he hopes would inspire viewers to change their habits.

Note impact of the media in generating awareness and galvanizing pple to action:
hopes to see discussions generated via "more movies, more television, more music

Note futility of films in rousing people to actions on climate issues:
"It's not a very sexy subject and people just don't want to deal with it and think about it."
"As opposed to terrorism or drugs, there is no clear enemy with climate change," he noted. "We're all participating in the climate crisis - if there is an enemy, it's us. And it's hard to go to war against ourselves."
And when climate change is depicted on screen, it is often an apocalyptic vision that hardly leaves room for a hopeful human response.
"Typically, if you really want to mobilise people to act, you don't scare the hell out of them and convince them that the situation is hopeless,"
Copious research shows that this kind of dystopian framing backfires, driving people further into denial and helplessness.

Despite this futility, one could perhaps argue also that unlike issues on terrorism and drugs, precisely because we are the 'enemy' when it comes to climates issues, it makes it easier for us to effect the change. After all, it's easier to convert and start with ourselves than with other people....We may not be able to control and stop others, but we are perhaps more likely to be able to do so with ourselves.... no?

Qn: Do films offer anything more than an escape from reality? (Cam. 2014)