We begin with a story ― of humanity’s presence on this planet, of our dramatically intensifying impacts, and of our future paths. This story comes to us in the voice of science, narrated around three interconnected conclusions:
Human beings are radically transforming the planet…
Our civilization, as it is currently exists, is wholly unsustainable…
We can create a sustainable, just, and vibrant human presence on this planet, respecting planetary boundaries and erasing critical human deprivation…”
Our intent in this course is to learn this science… and to humanize this science. We’ll examine how others ― scientists and nonscientists ― are telling this same story in their own voices. In the end you will be re-telling this scientific story in your own voices ― artistic voices.
The arts have a unique ability to connect us viscerally to the great and complex issues of our time. (A Raisin in the Sun, Angels in America, As One). It is our artists who weave our most challenging, terrible, and inspiring stories tightly into our culture (Pablo Picasso, Benjamin Britton, John Lennon). These are the stories that convey truths to us in ways that not only help us understand them intellectually, but also recognize ourselves within them (The Crucible, On the Beach, West Side Story). These are the story tellers that steal our attention (Kurt Vonnegut, Arthur Miller, Stanley Kubrick, Sebastião Salgado, Ai WeiWei, Banksy, Pussy Riot) and theirs are the stories we come to care about and to act upon (Uncle Tom’s Cabin, The Jungle, The Grapes of Wrath, The Lorax) Many stories, told in many voices. Some find relevance, others fade away.
As we delve into the science of human sustainability ― exploring the core truths of what we know, how this knowledge comes about, and the implications for this generation of humanity, and all those to follow ― we will also explore the process of making artistic voice relevant to one of the great issues of our time and one of the great challenges in all of human history.