"My task which I am trying to achieve is, by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel--it is, above all, to make you see." -- Joseph Conrad (1897)
In all honesty, it's a great and necessary thing he's doing, and I'd vote for him again in a second of course, but...I could do without the rather pat optimism at the end (everyone can help themselves, etc).
This problem is so serious that people deserve better than ponderous, feel-good endings; they should be made to leave quaking in their boots.
Most importantly, perhaps, he neglects the time-lag aspect of the problem. That no matter what we do, even if we were to stop polluting instantaneously today, things would continue to worsen (exponentially) for at least 40 years. (See the latest issue of n+1 for a well-written article on this theme.)
"Like Oedipus, we've been warned."
But hell the truth is, it may already be too late (to prevent a new ice age from descending on Europe).
Naturally that's a truth maybe a tad too inconvenient for *any*...politician.
I haven't seen the movie yet, but I wonder Matt if they leave the ending as "everyone can help themselves" so that people will try to do what they personally can to mitigate further damage? In the sense that if it is explained as a problem no matter what we do because of what we've already done, then perhaps people will feel "helpless" in a way that they can do anything to help the problem. I don't know, like I said, I haven't seen it yet. =) But I have it in my blockbuster queue so I will!
As for Gore, I too would vote for him again. The polls that I saw indicate many that had would not again. I'm not sure why. If anything, I believe his image of being stiff has WAY changed the last few years in interviews, etc I've seen of him. He seems much more relaxed and funny imo.
4 comments:
wow, I look forward to seeing that!
In all honesty, it's a great and necessary thing he's doing, and I'd vote for him again in a second of course, but...I could do without the rather pat optimism at the end (everyone can help themselves, etc).
This problem is so serious that people deserve better than ponderous, feel-good endings; they should be made to leave quaking in their boots.
Most importantly, perhaps, he neglects the time-lag aspect of the problem. That no matter what we do, even if we were to stop polluting instantaneously today, things would continue to worsen (exponentially) for at least 40 years. (See the latest issue of n+1 for a well-written article on this theme.)
"Like Oedipus, we've been warned."
But hell the truth is, it may already be too late (to prevent a new ice age from descending on Europe).
Naturally that's a truth maybe a tad too inconvenient for *any*...politician.
Good points Matt--he is afterall a lifelong politician.
I haven't seen the movie yet, but I wonder Matt if they leave the ending as "everyone can help themselves" so that people will try to do what they personally can to mitigate further damage? In the sense that if it is explained as a problem no matter what we do because of what we've already done, then perhaps people will feel "helpless" in a way that they can do anything to help the problem. I don't know, like I said, I haven't seen it yet. =) But I have it in my blockbuster queue so I will!
As for Gore, I too would vote for him again. The polls that I saw indicate many that had would not again. I'm not sure why. If anything, I believe his image of being stiff has WAY changed the last few years in interviews, etc I've seen of him. He seems much more relaxed and funny imo.
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