Response to "Dirt" the Movie

How do most Americans react to the idea of children playing in dirt? Why do you think they react that way?

In the American culture, the majority of society reacts to child’s play in dirt negatively. This is because the natural color, the miniscule life (bugs), and overall presence of dirt are displeasing for most Americans. Furthermore, Americans dislike the muckiness of dirt, hence the word meaning unclean: dirt-y, and would prefer for their children not to ruin their clothing or any other items susceptible to dirt. However, this reaction does not necessarily reflect an American’s opinion on the importance of dirt, because their opposition to dirt is purely due to dirt’s aesthetics, not to it’s important contribution to the earth.

2. Several people in the film indicate that working in dirt is calming or satisfying. In your experience, is this true? If so, why?

This far in my experience with dirt, I have not yet experienced the satisfaction promised by many gardeners. However, I can understand why they would find this gentle, and natural activity to be relaxing. Gardeners must be gentle. This is because many plants are sensitive and require a gentle touch to grow and nurture. In addition, gardening is natural. For many, when they garden, they feel like they are contributing to the natural vitalization of the earth. The gentle and natural aspects of gardening may be the source of the gardener’s relaxation.

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?

After learning about the farmer suicides in rural India. I was very disheartened and shocked at the sad fate these farmers had giving themselves. I was shocked that a farmer could be so pressured by others to purchase equipment that would eventually be his families’ financial downfall as well as his own death. If such an event happened in the United States, I believe the ultimate outcome would be an increase in farm products. For society would then aim to prevent such a disaster.

4. Is it possible to reconcile food sovereignty and globalization? In other words, how can people retain and exercise their right to produce and control their own food resources in the face of international market forces?

People can exercise their right to produce and control their own food resources by contributing to the earth. Building a garden, freeing dirt, or planting, are all great ways for people to reconcile for all that they have taken from the earth. In the film, a “do it yourself” group of young adults came together to create an all organic farm supplying themselves and their neighbors with fresh produce. Their work is a great example of how we as Americans can reconcile for all we have taken.

5. 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?

After watching the film, I would definitely concur with Stamets’ characterization. Due to our industrialization of cities and factories as well as our unrelenting disregard for the importance of dirt, we have definitely negatively affected the health of our planet. For this reason, as mentioned in the film, if all other organisms had the ability to vote our species out of the planet, they definitely would.

6. 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?

Humans can align their needs with the needs of nature by changing their produce choices to organic. Pesticides have proven to be harmful to our environment through the countless deaths of fauna and their overall poisonous nature.  For this reason, consumers should choose organic produce, which does not use pesticides, over regular produce. By switching to all organic produce, consumers are helping to stop the use of deadly pesticides, thus aligning our activities with natures needs.

7. 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?

Truthfully, I have not the slightest clue if we can ever be able to give “our best” this is because to produce such a quality, many people would have to take effort away from other essential things that they simply cannot do. I suppose from a governmental point of view, we can attempt to regulate the use of pesticides and our attempts to save the environment, but this is easier said than done because we tend to prioritize things that will give us a quick fix rather than look to the future.

8. What about business and industry? What power do people have to get them to make changes that would be less harmful to nature while still meeting human needs?

As mentioned before, we, the people, can affect the use of harmful pesticides by purchasing organic produce. With the contribution of an extensive amount of people, the use of pesticides will definitely go down, and in turn help the environment.

9. 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 was empowering. By seeing all those negatively affected by the industrialization of crops and the carelessness of us humans, I feel as if I should be more mindful of the food choices, further the environment.