Ian Crowley 9/25/2014

I really enjoyed reading Megan Mayhew Bergman's article "My Imaginary Bunker." It is refreshing to see how conscious Bergman is about her carbon footprint. It appears that she really does her best to preserve the environment. For example, she drives a hybrid car, is trying to convert her farm to solar energy, drinks out of salsa jars, and has her own garden. I think that Bergman is a model citizen, and each individual should aim to mirror her actions in order to help the environment. When I read about these little things that Megan Bergman does to diminish the size of her carbon footprint I cannot help but feel a little selfish. Things like recycling and turning of the faucet when you brush your teeth are so simple, however I find that I rarely do them.

Response to "My Imaginary Bunker"

In reading this selection, after a few short paragraphs I found myself wondering how I could take anything from this meaningless text. When I was finished reading, I sat back in awe, then wondering how such a simple argument could be so compelling. In my experience, this woman could be labeled as a crackpot (particularly when she admits to diving after recyclables in the trash or smacking people for leaving a faucet running), but she somehow evades this title and captures my emotions. I believe the most effective aspect to her argument is the fact that she effectively targets sustainable practices which many people already do (recycling, reducing carbon emission, etc.) and says it is not enough. In particular, I find the second to last paragraph particularly effective.

Contagion: The End of the World and the Beginning of Our Fears

Contagion is our first view into what a true disaster could be in an Apocalypse. So far we have read about economic, ecologic, and societal disasters, but nothing compares to the magnitude of what happens in this movie. Contagion is what keeps the conspiracy theorists going. It has all the details of the possible end of the world in it. It encompasses death and plague, two of the horsemen of the apocalypse. However, the thing that makes Contagion, so enticing and hard to look away from is the mere possibility of something like it actually happening. Finding out that the whole chain of events was caused by a chef shaking hands with a woman inspires fear into all. This causes one of the revelations that Zizek speaks of. We learn to fear for our lives at all costs. We understand that these things, while unlikely, have the possibility of happening. They make up what the end of the world could be, and it keeps us humans on our toes all the time. This idea keeps us up at night, scared of what's to come. In the back of our minds, we are all scared for what could happen in an event like this, and thanks to Contagion, we know the deadly and destructive result.

My Imaginary Bunker

I thought this was a bit extreme... I understand that it's her personal views and maybe she can't help feeling so down about the environment, but I just can't comprehend being so depressed about it all the time. She's obviously trying very hard to do her part, but she's never satisfied with the things she does do to help, and it's frustrating for me as a reader for her to not see that she is making a difference. I do believe that it's very important to be concerned about the environment, but there's a thin line between being responsible for the earth and feeling melancholy on a daily basis because you didn't write the book that solves global warming.

My Imaginary Bunker

This was probably my favorite reading we have done so far this year. While it was not challenging in any way, shape, or form, it was incredibly poignant, well written, and entertaining. Additionally, I found myself nodding in agreement many times while reading this article.
Meghan Matthew Bergman is essentially a paranoid environmental cynic. She is unable to escape the horrifying reality that is climate change and the environment. I found that I shared many of her disenchantments with the current state of the earth.
Like Bergman, I often wonder "what can I do to save this doomed planet?" I know that I should be doing something, but I find I don't truly take legitimate and meaningful action.
Coming from an environmentally conscious place like Denver, Colorado, I have grown up with Bike-to-Work days, recycling, and locally sourced, organic produce. These things are all part of my reality. Yet when I read something like "My Imaginary Bunker" I realize that pretty much everything I have done to "help" the planet is for nought. The problem is, an 18 year old boy can not make a monumental change alone. And when I marvel at the beauty of the planet as Zizek and Allan Gurganus, I find myself forgetting that the polar bears and penguins are nearly extinct.
This is the harsh reality our generation is faced with. I realize that as I am writing this blog post, I am doing absolutely nothing to save the planet...
Oh well, I guess I will just go recycle this water bottle I have next to me.