"Environment as something to nurture?"
One of the most fascinating things that Dr. Smith pointed out in our time together was the different perspectives surrounding society's relationship to the environment. He said that he has observed most Americans view the environment as something to nurture--something that we could kill, and that we must take care of it like one would care for a child. On the other side of the spectrum, Dr. Smith observed that Canadians view themselves as part of the environment--something that can kill us, and something that is inseparable from society and humanity.
The more and more I allow this thought to sink into my brain, the more it fascinates me. This is the exact framework that is reflected in the media in our country--whether the talk is for or against sustainable practices, there is an interesting power dynamic that our language creates in relation to the environment. We have the ultimate power over the environment around us. Although I have had minimal interaction with my Canadian teammates, this is an observation that will be at the forefront of my mind. I will be making my own observations about the cultural differences in respect to society's relation to the environment.
"What defines progression?"
In addition to his profound observation about differing American and Canadian perspectives, Dr. Smith presented us with a discussion that blew my mind (as well as the minds of my teammates). He asked us what our generation defines as progress. He expressed that he saw a divide between his generation and our generation in terms of our ideas about growth. He said that, to him, more growth is a great thing. Expansion of technology, massive use of resources, and new discoveries are positive attributes within our society. In contrast, he argued that he is noticing a shift in this ideal--that a younger generation is shifting demand away from development. To put words in his mouth, he suggested that our generation believes that scaling back is better.
This question could essentially lead us to the answer we are trying to discover through our film production. What defines progression? What is efficiency? Is it going back to the basics, or is it going big (responsibly and respectively)? Is it a happy medium? What is the concensus? All of these questions were bouncing around in my journalist noggin following this profound discussion.
Dr. Smith ended his interview by saying that our society needs to ask the right questions in order to gain a broad perspective of the issues surrounding energy discourse. To say the least, Dr. Smith answered all of our questions, yet (as a result) he left us with even more questions to be answered. In the coming days, I hope that this profound two-hour interview will lay the foundation for interpreting cultural and generational divides.
