Planet of the Humans by Jeff Gibbs & Michael Moore
The recent documentary has rather pushed more environmental enthusiasts into paranoia, but it has certainly brought a much required perspective to the domain of sustainability, clean energy and consumption or personal choice. As a nature lover, if all the humans of the world were put in one place and asked the question- “do you want to save nature?’ I personally believe that all or at least an incomparable majority would say “Yes”. Considering this, it has always been intriguing and fascinating enough for me to listen to the various perspectives people offer to justify their choice of consumption. This documentary helped me reflect a little more on it. To question our beliefs or ideologies from time to time is almost mandatory in order to live life. But, how and why we question it is as important as the question itself.
While the documentary is set in the context of the United State predominantly, the core argument is undeniably a globally suited one. The various aspects of power in the field of ecological sustainability that has been discussed in the film, paints a rather striking validation to the importance of understanding the political ecology of sustainability. Though the film has received an array of criticisms for the lack of empirical evidence to support certain claims made and has certainly not been well received amongst the ‘qualified’ environmentalists of the global north, we cannot afford to not have such questions while we hope to understand sustainable or alternative energy or lifestyle.
The documentary certainly blames a plethora of people, industries and ideologies. In fact the linkages provided, helps one structure the power in this domain. From religion to industrialization to capitalism; the dynamic interaction of social, economic and political systems and their impacts on personal choices or organisational choices. The delusion and the lack of inclusiveness or the elitist ownership in the modern technologist scheme of sustainable alternatives sure instills hopelessness in the viewer’s mind while still making them ponder over their capabilities to afford to be dependent on or consider technology as the messiah for alternatives.
The psychological and structural aspect of choice though not dealt with, in thus movie, it does make one vaguely understand the shift in the nature of civil society’s role in the realm of development. The question of ‘why is there no scope to discuss the ill effects of population growth or let alone discussions for policies aimed at minimalistic and non-globalized approaches or native resilient practices of the vulnerable being hijacked and packaged with elitist views of technologist sustainability only to increase the social divides and gaps’ is of significant importance too. The fact that civil society in the present day has to guard itself and at the same time guard the society it represents, while not sabotaging its relationship with the state does put them on the edge of cliff; but does that justify their act?. One of the stark features in the film, is the clear divide of ‘Us & Them’, the various forms of blame and alienation of societies that runs throughout the movie. While a healthy debate on sustainability is mandatory, the tone of divide that the writer brings is rather not inclusive in itself. At the same time it has made me ponder more and strengthened my belief that morality has a crucial role to play, sometimes as much as economics. Moral conscience almost becomes imperative for the ‘industry’ of sustainability to sustain. The cynical and hopeless approach, is not something that drives collective action and the domain of discussion here, requires plenty of it. Therefore, the tone of the documentary is not fruitful.
While our conversations on development has always been on the lines of economic growth that in turn defines social growth by playing on aspirations, defining aspiration through moral conduct is undeniably the torch bearer for social growth. Understanding the ‘balance’ that the earth provides and seeks to bring about, regardless of all the anthropocentric interventions and disasters, needs to be imminently prioritized in our efforts to develop or grow. We cannot afford to rip science off of morality and ethics.
-keerthana balaji
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