Keep participating obliviously or help make change?

Watched a few interesting movies this past week - I fear I’m becoming addicted to documentaries. The first was a DVD rental called Darwin’s Nightmare and was focused on the trade coming out of the Lake Victoria region of Africa. Highlighting the shipment of fish north in exchange of arms south – while locals starve by the millions – exposed my guilt associated with being part of the minority who continue to exploit the planet and it’s people for over indulgence. Before you head out for your next all-you-can-eat seafood extravaganza, I dare you to watch the scenes showing the locals buying the rotting fish carcasses just in order to survive.

The second - shown in a local theatre - was called Manufactured Landscapes, and had an apolitical take on man’s manipulation of the natural environment. Edward Burtynsky exposed some shocking stories, but in keeping neutral really failed to dive deep enough to really expose the more interesting and untold stories. Seeing the Chinese ripping apart their own cities to make way for the Three Gorges Dam was extremely moving – but it left me wishing he’d spent more time conversing with the locals to explore their thoughts on what was unfolding.

I would recommend both, but my personal preference was the stronger statements conveyed with Darwin’s Nightmare.