The Age of Stupid: Let's slow down!

Review essay f

or 'The Age of Stupid': Let us slow down!

The Age of Stupid: We had the chance to save ourselves.

What they wanted was this!

              Mankind has developed endlessly over few centuries. They started using fire, built cities and civilizations, also made electricity. They started using fossil fuels, invented car, and rode the airplane which enabled them to move around the world within a day. Their developments and progress has been remarkable, and the human's quality of life has been improving. However, they could not stop. The taste of progress was sweet, and humans suddenly got addicted to it. They always looked for methods or tools to make their own life more convenient. Having this as a primary goal, they got rid of all the obstacles which slowed them down from going forward. At last, humans even got rid of themselves.

               Humans started to have inner conflicts between endless development and balanced development ever since the industrial revolution. It was almost the first time in human history to have severe pollution and destroyed environment because of human activity. Therefore, people started to think whether they should stop, or at least slow down what they are doing and look for another way around. However, mankind never received any direct harms of pollution. As a result, their choice was to find the fastest way to develop, and ignore the destruction of ecosystem. At first, this decision did not have a major effect on environment. However, as time passed, it was more than enough to figure out that something was going wrong. World temperature rose gradually and natural disasters damaged a lot of people. Desertification has stole numerous lives of plants and trees. The ozone layer has been destroyed and ultraviolet rays have caused serious diseases.

Mont Blanc

               An old man, working as a mountain guide, has experienced Earth's unpleasant changes throughout his whole life. He tells his miserable experience. Fernand Paro has completed the mountain guide training in 1956. In 1956, the mountain, Mont Blanc had strong glaciers as well as gorgeous summer. Cows went around the glacier to eat the grass. People could experience the real nature in this place. However, since 1945, 150 meters of glaciers was melting in Mont Blanc. Now, only winter and summer exists in Mont Blanc and summer is too hot for the glacier as well as human itself.

               Secondly, humans also started to have conflicts within themselves, caused by the greed for natural resources. For sustainable development, humans needed fuels to accelerate the machines, factories and vehicles. Best example for this conflict is the fight going over fossil fuels. Fossil fuel was a perfect equipment for the development of mankind. However, the amount of fossil fuel in Earth was very limited. Therefore, to gain the most profit from fossil fuel, humans began to fight. This fight later developed to war. Also, some countries and companies with finance and power began to exploit the natural resource from undeveloped nations.

Shell: Its name is related to nature, but actually destroys nature! 

Nigeria

               

              One of the largest oil company, Shell has given inhumane harms to environment and people of Nigeria. After Shell finding oil in Nigeria, they soon intervened Nigerian community. They dug many holes and got oil out from it. However in the process, oil ran into the river. River was polluted and all the living creatures in the river also got polluted. Nigerians could not fish in this river anymore, and they could not find any clean water to drink and wash, neither. Shell got criticisms from international society. So they decided to build medical facilities like hospitals in Nigeria. However, they stopped the construction, and left the village. Shell never heard any voice from neighbors. Also, they bombed the town if they found oil under it but people in the town were resisting not to move.

             "We wouldn't be the first life formed to wipe itself out. But what would be unique about us, is that we did it knowingly." This was a notable quote from the movie clip 'The Age of Stupid.' Humans claim themselves as the smartest of all the animals. They are proud of what they have made, built, and sustained. They say that humans got through many crisis in the past because they were strong and wise. However, reality in the current society proves why these are not true. In fact, humans might get rid of Earth, and themselves totally. Today, I want to warn mankind to slow down and look around of what they have done.


Reference Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Dutch_Shell -----about the company 'Shell'
http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/-------------------- about NRDC(natural resources defense council)

                                                 Video 'Nature's advocate.' related to NRDC

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What is happiness?(discussion in Mr.Garrioch's class and the prezi)

                                This video is about GNH(Gross National Happiness) Enjoy the video!


In April third, I made a prezi and presented it in front of  Mr.Garrioch's english conversation class! Minseok Koo and I were in the same group, and we had to make a prezi together. However, at first, we had a hard time choosing the topic. But at last, we decided to talk about the real 'happiness'. We though this could be a hard and abstract topic, but this was the topic that everyone should constantly think in their life. Therefore, with our thoughts and knowledge, we made a prezi.

First, we discussed about the relationship between wealth and happiness.

Does having a lot of money make one happy?   This was the question we throw and the whole class actively discussed about this point.

Second, we discussed about the relationship between social status and happiness.

Graduation a good high school or university and gaining lots of fame makes one happy?
Having an occupation like a doctor, which everyone respects always make one happy?
This was a hard question. We had to both consider the reality. We also looked at many examples related to this topic.

At the end, Minseok explained an interesting speech from a Korean millionaire.

This millionaire addressed in front of t'he people:
"I have 1000억(uk) won. From 1000, 3 zeros each symbolize my fame, wealth and authority. BUT! If I erase 1 in front of 3 zeros, it becomes nothing. This 1 is the most important part of my whole life. This 1 can be different and it depends on each person. To me, it is my family."

Minseok introduced this AWESOME speech and the whole classed was surprise!
We talked about this 1 through out the class.

In this class, by preparing and presenting the prezi, I learned a lot. We had a fun discussion with Mr.Garrioch  about the real happiness. This was kind of philosophical and deep, but it made us think critically. I think this discussion can not end until the end of my life and I will PURSUE my happiness since then!

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