How Green Was My Oscar

I look forward to award shows now. Why? So I can read JenB's recaps and laugh my a** off the next day. Seriously, the woman has a gift. Her recap and Ellen Degeneres were the two reasons that I watched last night. I only saw one movie (LMS) that was nominated so it was pretty drama-free for me. My favorite moment of the night was when Sherry Lansing said she was sharing her special Oscar with America's schoolteachers and Matthew jumped up and screamed "I won!!" and then muted the tv and, clutching his bottle of Poland Spring, gave me a teary acceptance speech.

I did like all the goofy environmental sentiment around "An Inconvenient Truth." (We bought that DVD, like, 6 moons ago and still haven't gotten up the courage to watch it). I'll take anything these days that will help wake America up to the giant fiery freight train headed in our general direction. I have been really depressed lately by a series of editorials in the NYT. (This one and the letters in response, and this one especially.) There are so many serious issues that need immediate drastic action but it seems like we can't muster the civil action to affect change without a major traumatic event. I watched a great documentary recently on nuns who joined the struggle in Selma during the civil rights movement. It was excellent and inspiring. Every time I see documentaries or read books or hear my parents' stories about the era I am always amazed by the intense spirit of justice that moved people to action. On my good days I believe it can happen again. I don't know if it's truly possible but, hey, if a latter-day environmental protest song by an lesbian can beat out packaged anthems and kiddie schmaltz for an Oscar then I choose to believe things are looking up.

Comments

[Nicolle]

It is tragic, the lack of mobilization. Many agree on the issue(s) but everyone assumes someone else will do the dirty work, myself included. That or we've been disillusioned by the "help" received, (I once worked for the Sierra Club, what a disappointment).

It seems every chance we have to make people understand the severity of, say, no more oxygen,(or some such nonsense) miraculously oil prices fall and They're all, "Oh, environment? What environment? Look! A Hummer!"

'Tis a wondrous thing, not having a conscious...

[jenB]

Thank you so much! I missed doing the Golden Globes awards this year and I missed it. Award shows are a big circle jerk. I mostly watch them for the dresses, and I rarely have seen any or all of the movies nominated. Weeeeee!

[Nina]

We're not going to watch a documentary and start saving orphans and curing diseases but YES it is possible to move people to action! :) But I prefer to make small changes that make an impact on my life & household before focusing on society as a whole.

An Inconvenient Truth changed my life (watch it today!!) and although I would love to have a solar powered house and an energy windmill in my backyard, we definitely can't afford it. The documentary did inspire me to change all of the light bulbs in my home to energy-saving ones and to be more conscious about our wiring, gas, pollution, nature, etc. so it was life changing in our case.

I like to make effortless changes. Hopefully, one day, all the small changes will add up to a big life-changing moment.