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The Age of Stupid - putting climate change in perspective

Published 23rd September 2009 - 4 comments - 1527 views -

Tuesday September 22nd the movie Age of Stupid was shown worldwide to ask for attention for Climate Change. The movie reports from a preservation archive in 2055, about our times. It was the age of ignorance, the Age of Stupid. We know the facts, we are not bad people, but we did not change anything. A good concept to open our minds.

The Age of StupidWhat I like about the movie, is that it does not put climate change in an absolute perspective. We are shown an indian low cost airline owner that is totally motivated to make it possible for the poor indian to travel around in its own 1 billion people large country. His intentions are good, but do frustrate climate goals.

The combination of a black-white stance on climate change - it will destroy the world if we do not act now - with the reality of a complex world with a lot of priorities makes the movie highly interesting. A pity is that all the heroes that are working on good climate things are not mentioned and we are shown a depressing picture of our future that can also demotivate people to change their habits. But should we always have a happy end? Is it wrong to concentrate on the urgency of the problem?

The beauty of the movie is that it puts climate change in a perspective. It shows how our world is pressing us to use fossil fluels, even with the best goals. A girl in a third world country that uses Omo (made of oil), to wash the fish that is poluted by oil spilling. And the same girl ending up selling diesel to earn the money to become a doctor and buy nice clothes.

Maybe we should not think only about climate change. Maybe the real answer is in the combination of much more changes. And this could be the time to do it. We still have oil, and we should use it to build a new world that is sustainable. A world where we have changed our habits not only on climate issues, but also on conceptions like consumerism and private ownership for everything. Why wouldn't we share our drilling machine we use once a month? Or share our ideas to improve the world?

Are we living in the Age of Stupid? I like the idea. In the Stone Age, could we blame mankind not using new tools that were not invented? I do not think so. Just like then, it is up to the inventive people that are open to change and can think out of the box to change to a next Age. And if we share our new tools, the Age of Stupid might be over sooner than you think.

So, as a first step let's use the expression Age of Stupid in general life. Like: 'The Age of Stupid is almost over!' The idea of an ending Age opens our minds and puts our way of living in the widest perspective possible.

Signing Not Stupid look at notstupid.org

Category: International Action, | Tags: age of stupid,



Comments

Benno Hansen on 23rd September 2009:

The people of the stone age did not have a powerful stone tool lobby killing the emerging bronze and iron industries. For a modern day equivalent see “Who killed the electric car?” http://www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com/

Frank Schnittger on 23rd September 2009:

I like the concept, if only because US Republicans are currently glorying in the stupidity of climate change denial, evolution denial, and the coming Holocaust denial - when wars start breaking out for control of the few remaining oil fields etc. Some of them are still living in the stone age and it is up to us to ensure they end up in a political and evolutionary cul de sac!

Adela on 24th September 2009:

I can’t wait to see the movie here. After Bjorn told me about it and after reading your post, I’m really looking forward to seeing it.

Paul Montariol on 20th November 2009:

So only we could use the oil which remains us to build a better world!

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