Dirt the Movie Assignment

"Dirt! The Movie" Film questions 1. How do most Americans react to the idea of children playing in dirt? Why do you think they react that way? I think that most Americans today view children playing in the dirt with some disapproval because when we see dirt we think of being dirty. In today’s world, we do not need the dirt for entertainment when we can stay inside and be perfectly entertained whether it is through television, video games, toys, and so on. We live in a society where dirt for playing is thought of as old-fashioned. In other countries, dirt is highly respected and appreciated. Americans barely come into contact with dirt nowadays and it is no longer viewed with much respect anymore. I think that we as Americans have kind of lost our way regarding the important things in life. 2. Several people in the film indicate that working in dirt is calming or satisfying. In your experience, is this true? If so, why? As a child, I did love to play in the dirt and play outside. I could spend all day playing outside and enjoying the environment, and it was calming and satisfying feeling that connection to the earth. However, nowadays I do not really view working in dirt as satisfying because I do feel unclean and dirty. I worry about my clothes being ruined and having to take a shower. I feel my perspective has shifted with age. 3. What is your reaction to hearing about the number of farmer suicides in rural India over the past decade? (The film reports there were 200,000.) If such a thing occurred in this country, what do you think would happen? It is extremely saddening to think that these people worked tremendously hard for so long to help protect the environment, to keep it healthy and thriving, and committed suicide because of this sense of over-empowerment. These farmers were pressured to buy equipment that would eventually be their financial downfall. Companies come in and make everything about money; destroying healthy land for short-term profits. It is truly a tragedy. If this sort of thing occurred in America, there would be motivation for change immediately. The media would send this message all across America, and surely bills would be proposed to change farming laws of some sort. The whole nation would be aware of this problem, and I think, actively search for a solution. 4. In the film, mycologist Paul Stamets characterizes the human species as a virus because of the harmful effects our activities have had on the land. Do you accept his analogy? Why or why not? I definitely agree with Paul Stamets analogy. It seems that we as humans ultimately destroy everything we touch, at one point or another. We continue to destroy our planet and although we are learning from our mistakes, we have already harmed the planet in unimaginable ways, to the point where it will be extremely difficult to come back from. As mentioned in the film, if all other organisms had the ability to vote out our species out of the planet, they would. I cannot say I would blame them. We take advantage of everything like it belongs to us and show little respect for our surroundings, and one day karma will come for us. 5. How can humans “listen to nature” and bring their needs and activities into alignment with those of nature? Are there ways you can be more attentive to the natural world in your daily life? How? I think that humans need to be more aware regarding the environment and always be conscious of the decisions we make. For instance, choosing not to pollute, planting gardens, going organic, buying only the foods needed leading to less waste, consciously thinking about the products we buy when at supermarkets and how the animals are treated. If we choose to do what is right for the environment in our daily lives, companies will follow this trend. I will definitely be considering these things more often and try to make a conscious effort for positive environmental change. Even through small steps like these, it will make a difference. 6. Keeping in mind the hummingbird story told in the film, do you think doing the best you can is enough to preserve the health of the planet, even if millions of people do their best? What responsibility do governments have to help maintain a healthy planet for future generations? I believe that everyone doing their best will lead to a huge difference on a larger scale, but we also need help from the government to enforce policies that help maintain a healthy planet for future generations. It would be difficult to make real change occur without proposing ideas to the government. If we want change, we must actively and collectively fight for it. 7. What feelings are you left with after seeing this film? Do you feel motivated or empowered to make changes — either personally or as part of a group effort — to keep Earth’s soil healthy? What part(s) of the film especially resonated with you? This film has motivated me to make some changes, even if they are small. I will be making more of an effort to be conscious of the decisions I make and how they may impact the environment. Perhaps maybe I will grow my own garden one day. I hate the fact that these companies use all of these pesticides and I want to make a point that it is not something I support. I want to buy more organic products despite the cost, and I also want to focus my attention on reducing my food waste. I enjoyed the hummingbird story because it illustrates the power of one person’s decisions and inspires me to do the best I can in bettering our environment.