In the movie An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore, a long-time environmental activist, gives a multimedia presentation where he discusses the causes and effects of global warming, especially about how it is affecting our environment and about the horrifying things that can happen if we don’t act now. He also shares his views about what we can do to help protect the earth not only for our current generation but for future generations as well.
What I liked about the movie was its thorough and straightforward approach to presenting the environmental issues that our world faced. The facts and the realities of the situation were presented as they were, without being sugarcoated. I was surprised about some of the things I learned, about how environmental issues were being politicized. In particular, I was surprised at the indifference shown by Congress when it came to these issues, although honestly, I think I was indifferent to these issues until now, too. However, considering that Congress has access to more information about these matters and that they’re really the only ones with the authority to address such issues on a national – if not global – scale, I expected them to at least be more concerned.
I was also very surprised to learn that they would tamper with scientific findings. It makes me wonder how much more information the US government must be hiding from the public. It also makes me wonder how change could be effected if people are not aware of everything that’s going on around them.
I also liked the way information was presented in the movie, how charts and statistics were used to convey the messages. The use of graphic images and film footages also helped the viewer get a better understanding of the reasons behind these environmental concerns. These helped the viewer relate to the seriousness of the situation. In addition, the movie showed snippets of Al Gore’s life, which lent him credibility and which provided the viewer with an understanding of his passion for these environmental issues. As well, I liked how the movie ended on a positive note – hopeful and inspiring, which encouraged viewers that they were capable of effecting change.
On the other hand, although there was really nothing about the movie that I disliked, I felt a bit uncomfortable about the political undertones of the messages imparted in the movie. In some ways, I felt that it was a criticism of the Bush government and I somehow felt that Al Gore might be a bit bitter about losing in the elections. As such, I kind of felt that the issue was being diverted from an environmental issue to a political one. Of course, this was just my initial reaction. As the movie progressed, I realized that there was indeed a connection between politics and environmental activism for the former can influence the latter, that is, political sanctions would be necessary for effecting major changes in how our activities – be they economic scientific, or social – affect the environment.
I generally agree with the themes and messages of the movie, that global warming is a serious problem that’s getting worse as time goes by. I agree that technological and economic advancements don’t have to come at the expense of the environment and that there is a way for us to achieve these while still protecting the environment. I also agree that it’s not too late for us to save the earth from potentially disastrous outcomes but that this would first require a change in our way of thinking or our mindsets. We have to begin acknowledging the problem before we can even begin to do something about it.
I also agree that the greatest impact will be made by educating small groups of people – or even individuals – at a time, as more influence will be imparted this way. However, doing it this way will be a bit of a slow process so it will definitely help if there were more Al Gores who could go around to educate people. In addition, I find it somewhat disheartening that information such as those presented by Al Gore would not be readily available to the public – that it would take a movie by an activist for such information to be disseminated. Although Al Gore’s intention for the movie was definitely something to be applauded, it would be better if such information can also be provided on TV, in publications, and in schools. This type of information should be repeatedly shared with the public to instill consciousness in the people and to hopefully urge them to instigate change.
This movie has affected me in that it has made me realize that the effects of global warming are not things that will be felt only in the future, rather, that these are things that we are already experiencing now. Watching the movie gave me an understanding about why there are so many natural calamities occurring everywhere in the world. From a religious standpoint, I used to think that what‘s stated in the Revelations must be starting to come true – that what we’re witnessing now must be part of what’s written in the Revelations. However, upon watching the movie, it made me think that whether what the Revelations say is true or not, the fact remains that we are the ones destroying the world – that if the world eventually comes to destruction then it is us who are to blame. It makes me afraid for myself and my love ones if we ever get to live long enough to see all these potential disasters happening, that is, if we fail to do something now. It also makes me sad for future generations, that they may no longer be able to see the world that I know now.
Indeed, this movie has changed my view of the world. It has made me realize that the world isn’t as indestructible as we would like to think; rather, that it is very delicate and vulnerable and that we’re continuing to hurt it with our actions. The world is our home and yet, we’re mindlessly destroying our home. Even when there’s a God that looks upon us, He will not be able to save us from the destruction that we bring upon ourselves. We are gifted with free will, and as such, we are the ones responsible for guiding our actions.
For sure, this has affected the way I view my own life. I used to think that environmental problems are so big and complicated that what I do really won’t make any difference. I used to think that even if I do something good, if others don’t, then the good I do will be rendered useless. However, upon watching the movie, I have realized that I can and do make a difference. I realized that although the world’s governments are the ones who can impose and implement laws that would effect change in the way we treat our environment, every individual is also in a position to effect change. Even if these individual changes are small, if we all change our mindsets to think about how we can protect the environment, then these small changes will be compounded into something big and significant. That said, I’ll no longer take for granted the little ways I can protect the environment. I will consider these as important steps towards the healing of our earth. I’ll also encourage others to do the same and promote awareness about these problems. As Al Gore said, we have overcome so many problems and challenges throughout history, and the challenge of protecting the earth should be no different. As long as we stand united, no feat should be impossible.
Works Cited
An Inconvenient Truth. Dir. Davis Guggenheim. Perf. Al Gore. Paramount, 2006. DVD.
