Friday, November 02, 2007

Is this the most crucial question we face?

Sounds like one of those gadget brochure lines, doesn't it? 'Is this the best battery in the world?' Doesn't say it is, but grabs the attention and by implication does.

So: Most terrifying video you'll ever see?

I put finger to keyboard in dread of being accused of 'missing the point' or, worse, 'not getting on board with the program', but my concern is that this rather glosses over the actual facts and roles of human nature in the mix, especially in a global sense as a competitive entity. and in particular when it comes to conviction and motivation.

So much, in matters of our future, boils down to persuasion.

Now, does this really tackle the acceptance of man-worsened climate change and lead to ways to mitigate, reduce and reverse it in the global audience?

You can tell me it does. But... what if I shrug? Try and convince me otherwise. Thing is, and as often noted during my ad man dasy (now attempting a karmic correction for all the things I got folk to buy that they didn't really need and places they went to that they didn't need to), few messages come with the messenger attached, or with the time to 'explain' them.

Thing is, I agree with every thing he says.

However, is this messenger, and the message in this form, the best we can bring to bear?

Sorry. For me, no. I was sent this an age ago. I think it's already on my site. Why wouldn't I share it? I trusted the sender enough to know it had value.

But I have not watched it all the way through until now, thanks to you, and the cumulative weight your association accorded it (a devil's advocacy point in favour of the awareness value). I watched it of course the first time, but tuned out after sticking with a few minutes of honest, sincere, engaging... sorry, SOSO: same old, same old.

I have now watched it in full. A committed environmental campaigner. And a Guardian reader. On an eco-blog.

Yes, the word has been spread. But by how much? And to whom? More ammo for me to drag to my less convinced mates? I don't see this being the magic bullet I am looking for.

I'm more keen on actual THINGS to DO to make a DIFFERENCE. Awareness surely can no longer be the issue by this stage? Persuasion is. And effective methods to do so.

Telling folk there's a problem isn't very inspiring, especially if it's near terminal and there's no solution attached. We need to do much, much more to inspire people, to engage with solutions by making them attractive, rewarding, cool, neat...

I'd find a 9 minute thesis a tricky sell with my crowd, but for sure I'm going to sample a few choice bits of gold from in there to help me in my efforts to get across the notion that profligacy and waste don't really make much sense anyway, and just in case the doomsayers are right, maybe a erring on the side of caution ain't such a bad thing to at least go with by now.

Like you, I have a major concern that we could end up being rushed by such sincere, but (maybe necessarily) emotive pleas, into unnecessary measures to reduce C02 emissions across the globe, with various bad consequences, including possible negative enviROIs.

So when you ask 'Are there other videos out there we should know about?', in the spirit of this last notion may I direct you here.

It's not that terrifying I guess, but makes your last point... if one thinks about it.

Time now for me to practice more of what I preach and hurry up the dosh to move to more positive and proactive notions to get folk on board:)

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