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Andrew Bray
Kim Strickland
ENGL 1010 Online
6 February 2016
We Are Destroying Earth
By Andrew Bray
http://www.greenrightnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/cartoon.jpg
Here we have an editorial cartoon written by Justin Bilicki in 2008. It depicts a
man, presumably a scientist, holding papers titled "Facts" standing next to a giant
presentation display simply reading "Research concludes: WE ARE DESTROYING
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EARTH." This statement seems troublesome to the corporate, big-government fat cats
standing to the right who ask, "Could you kindly rephrase that in equivocal, inaccurate,
vague, self-serving and roundabout terms that we can all understand?" All the while,
cash seems to be overflowing from one of their briefcases justifiably titled "Government"
across its diameter.
The context in which this ad is set is that of the everyday battle between greed
and necessity. If we could all just be happy with a modest existence, taking into account
the resources available, this planet might just have a chance. We, as human beings,
should respect the earth and its resources, and attempt to leave it a better place for our
children to come. We must be the change we wish to see in this world.
It is my firm belief that this cartoon rings truer now than it did when it was written
in 2008, as we have since weathered 4 more years of global warming, economic strife,
war, poverty, and general discord. We've attempted to circumvent a few of these trials
and tribulations with measurable progress on battery-powered low-emissions vehicles,
economic stimuli, bringing troops home, so forth and so on, but the majority of these
problems still remain and must be further addressed.
I enjoy the simplicity of this political ad, as it doesn't take much to understand its
meaning. The characters themselves are spot-on-stereotypes of what you would
typically expect nerdy scientists and corporate fat cats to look like. It focuses on the
reality that, most likely, corporate America understands well and clear the devastation
and destruction they are inflicting on this planet—they simply don't care. As long as
they get their paycheck at the end of the day, screw everyone else, Mother Earth
included. If only her lobbyist groups were as powerful as theirs.
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Sure, many companies also contribute to charitable organizations with intentions
of cleaning up their act and helping out the community, but it's generally hit or miss and
usually done in the name of tax credits. Until we can recognize on a global scale that
our resources are finite, we will never be prepared for the desolation that will occur
when we deplete the earth of its last drop of oil.
Upon further analysis of this cartoon, I find myself feeling overwhelmed with
frustration. How many geeks with lab coats, pocket protectors and thick glasses
spouting off about climate change is it going to take before people start listening? How
many giant whiteboards with doomsday scenarios do we actually need before policy is
changed? How long do we have before that last lump of coal is mined from the earth
and our power plants run dry? Perhaps it's when the power finally does run out and we
can't charge our cell phones any longer. Perhaps then, we'll be forced to actually look
up for a moment.
In conclusion, this editorial cartoon sheds light on our extreme, universal
arrogance to socially concerning issues. We need to take a stand, and not let corporate
America affect policy past the point-of-no-return. WE ARE DESTROYING THE EARTH!
It is my firm belief, that one would find it rather difficult to cash their paycheck—if there
is no earth.
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Works Cited
Bilicki, Justin. “Cartoon contest satirizes government interference in scientific inquiry.” We Are
Destroying Earth (2008): http://www.greenrightnow.com/weareaustin/2008/09/16/cartooncontest-satirizes-government-interference-in-scientific-inquiry/#axzz1nErDw2ls