"London is underwater, New Orleans won’t be rebuilt a third time, the arctic is ice free, and agriculture is failing, which leads to global food riots and ultimately the collapse of civilization…. This is the premise of the new crowd-funded British independent film The Age of Stupid.Set in 2055, the film portrays a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by the worst impacts of climate change, and looks back at the critical period between 2005 and 2015 to examine why we didn’t save ourselves when we still had the chance.
In an opening sequence, the narrator (played by Oscar nominee Pete Postlethwaite) takes us through a montage of news reports describing visible impacts of climate change: A 101 degree day in London, 700 dead after record flooding in India, record breaking drought in Melbourne, desertification in China progressing at the rate of 3 miles per year, dozens of Antarctic ice shelves collapsing faster than anyone predicted, 18 million affected by flooding in parts of Africa, and a glacier in France having shrunk 150 meters since 1945.
The fact that the clips in this montage are all real-life news reports from 2007 and 2008 is chilling. Indeed, although framed by a post-apocalyptic narrative set in the future, the bulk of the film is actually a documentary about the impacts of climate change that we are already seeing in 2009...."
From Climate Progress. You can read the rest of the post here.
Not sure about the Age of Stupid, but most certainly the Country of Stupid...
ReplyDeleteUnless I awaken from my own stupidity, then - yes - I am living in the Age of Stupid.
ReplyDeleteMy future arises from my present intention and action. When I can actually experience this mechanism, stupidity is replaced by clarity.
Doesn't happen enough!
Wow, you both make good points. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteBarry, you make me think....
Yes, I found this post on Climate Progress earlier this week and plan to feature it in Greener Times. In fact, my weekly column will use this as a motif because, in many ways, it applies across the board from environmental issues to a whole host of others.
ReplyDeleteIt really is chilling! I'm very much concerned about the recent thrust to suspend working on environmental concerns in order to restore the economy. As a commenter to a news story in one of the northwest publications said the other day, "we are at risk now of achieving a booming economy on a dead planet".
ReplyDeleteRT,
ReplyDeleteCool. I look forward to each new edition of Greener Times. Thanks for the work you do on it. And as for Climate Progress...well, perhaps you'll agree with me that it is quite simply one of the finest environmental blogs...?
Montucky,
Thanks for the comment. Always good to see you here. Your comment puts me in mind of an old phrase that shows up from time to time in presidential election cycles" "It's the economy, stupid!"
Hmmm. Sadly that may take on a whole other meaning....
I saw the trailer of this a couple of months ago...hopefully the tidal wave of change is happening...more people are talking about these things, not enough, but certainly the ridicule of holding beliefs for the environment is lessening. Look around, you notice that words like environmentally friendly, green, sustainable are not regarded with the same hostile reception. Blogs and the internet are proof that grassroots movements are building up momentum around the world. It is less threatening now to talk about the environment and well I don't feel hesitant to tell people things like: I don't wash my hair with any store bought shampoo as they are full of petrochemicals!, I do not have and will never use a microwave; I don't use any chemicals for that matter (perfume, hair colours etc) on my body; I use the old-fashioned soap our grandparents used to clean my dishes; I will never buy another plastic toy for kids presents; I try and eat locally grown foods...oh, and the horrendous child slave market of most of the major chocolate makers means I am reducing my chocolate consumption:)
ReplyDeleteOkay, I know, I'm probably a little too optimistic, well today, anyway..
Bella,
ReplyDeleteFirst, don't ever apologize for optimism. We need positive, motivating voices every bit as much as we need the alarm sounding prophets. After we are awake, we need direction, and just the sort of things that you outline here in your comment are practical steps that we all can take....
Thank you for this. You struck a note that needed to be sounded.
Yes, I'm hoping to go and see this film next weekend, although it's on very limited release.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what Amy means by the Country of Stupid. America? Every single country is culpable in getting to this point, my own (the UK) as bad as most.
And I agree with Bella (and you, FW)that optimism is necessary. Because without it we tune out and/or sink into paralysis.
Hi Tess, goof to see you. :)
ReplyDeleteI think I know what Amy means. For many of us until recently (Well, until the election of Barack Obama)--for at least about eight years or so--we felt like we were living in the country of stupid. The Bush administration waged a virtual war on science, reason, and sane thinking and instead substituted fearmongering and yes, a fair measure of stupidity.... But hopefull that is all behind us. We have hope again and reason to begin to not be ashamed of America.... All that said, yes, I'm sure there is no shortage of culpability to go around. I point the finger at my very own self as well, lest their be any doubt of that....
I'm glad you will get to see this film. And your comments about optimism are of course right on the mark.
Peace to you across the pond.
This sounds like a film my husband will really want to see, too. I'm trying to hang on to some hope that civilization will be someday be civilized. Treat the world and its people fairly. Course, we can spin--how do you define "fair," and so on. But you get the gist of my meaning. Maybe "reasonably" would be a better word. Maybe it isn't too late. Maybe. D
ReplyDeleteThank you Donetta Lee for the vist and the comment. Welcome.
ReplyDeleteHold on to hope.
Peace to you
FW,
ReplyDeleteThanks for introducing me to this film. I'll look for it.
And Barry, wow. Really insightful words. As always.
Tanks for the discussion, FW.
Metta,
Molly
Thanks Molly. Good to have you here again. :)
ReplyDeleteI had not heard of this film; I have to see it if it plays in my town.
ReplyDeleteI hope it comes to my town too, Grace! Keep us posted. :)
ReplyDeleteThere's a movie from a few years ago that's a perfect pair to "The Age of Stupid: - "Idiocracy." Have you seen it? It's a must-see.
ReplyDeleteAlice,
ReplyDeleteNo, I haven't seen that one. Thanks for the tip; I'll look it up.