Stunning and unique all-aerial visuals, great emotive soundtrack, and an admirable attempt to raise awareness about the interconnectivity of Earth's ecosystems; But anyone with even some basic education in biology and ecology should feel conflicted enjoying this documentary.
This doc presents and promotes a quasi-mystical outlook upon our planet's ecosystems and our place within them. First, the fact that our growth is "faster and faster" as the narrator harps on (while ominous music plays) isn't something evil, unique, or something we should feel guilty about. Nor does "every animal have its place", nor does huge wealth disparity (shitty though it may be) have much to do with environmental problems (or at least it certainly isn't explained here).
Humans are organisms, and like any other organism we will follow exponential growth in ideal conditions and infinite resources. Our expansion and over-exploitation of resources is also not a product of modern society or even the industrial revolution (timber and game in pre-industrial Europe was heavily overexploited as an example), and hunter-gatherer or horticultural civilizations (ex. Native Americans) were also not more environmentally wise than us (they simply expanded to the extent the carrying capacity of their technology allowed for). Humanity, as every other species, does not owe anything to any other species because we are not apart from them. First we must understand that we are another species, and subject to the same natural urges to consume and expand as any other species.
The goal of promoting environmentalism is good, as is showing some great examples of our devastation upon the Earth. I just wish the documentary wasn't dumbed down with spiritual drivel for the masses. There are plenty of good practical reasons to try to preserve ecosystems and prevent global warming without invoking guilt about how we've destroyed some holy balance.
Still, the doc is worth watching for the visuals alone.
This doc presents and promotes a quasi-mystical outlook upon our planet's ecosystems and our place within them. First, the fact that our growth is "faster and faster" as the narrator harps on (while ominous music plays) isn't something evil, unique, or something we should feel guilty about. Nor does "every animal have its place", nor does huge wealth disparity (shitty though it may be) have much to do with environmental problems (or at least it certainly isn't explained here).
Humans are organisms, and like any other organism we will follow exponential growth in ideal conditions and infinite resources. Our expansion and over-exploitation of resources is also not a product of modern society or even the industrial revolution (timber and game in pre-industrial Europe was heavily overexploited as an example), and hunter-gatherer or horticultural civilizations (ex. Native Americans) were also not more environmentally wise than us (they simply expanded to the extent the carrying capacity of their technology allowed for). Humanity, as every other species, does not owe anything to any other species because we are not apart from them. First we must understand that we are another species, and subject to the same natural urges to consume and expand as any other species.
The goal of promoting environmentalism is good, as is showing some great examples of our devastation upon the Earth. I just wish the documentary wasn't dumbed down with spiritual drivel for the masses. There are plenty of good practical reasons to try to preserve ecosystems and prevent global warming without invoking guilt about how we've destroyed some holy balance.
Still, the doc is worth watching for the visuals alone.