... or hate the world more than you do already. Video is taking over social media what with Facebook Live, Insta-Videos, etc - everyone wants a piece of the action. They are popular because they keep us visually and aurally stimulated and give information with minimum input from us - unlike reading. We are all way too busy to be doing too much of that anymore (I have a bit of a problem personally, in that I have about 10 books land on the door mat weekly, adding to my library of unread book booty).
Why would you want to watch videos that make you angry? Well because as humans we have a nasty little habit of enjoying the sensation of hate, anger, injustice - we love a good old fist shake and finger point. We love the blame game, and most of all we love to feel like we can't affect change.
So these 7 videos, although they will make you green in the face, Hulk level angry - they also have the mitigating factor of making you believe you can have an impact on that which is filling you with rage. You are then left with a difficult decision - act on that disgust or continue on as if you had never seen - ignorance is bliss right? Apart from you have seen - and these are videos you will never be able to un-see.
Will you take the challenge? 1, 2, and 3 you can watch now, but the others are more like film length and so you'll need to put aside a sofa-fort day especially for them. They are most powerful watched in the following order...
1) Man destroys planet
No words needed - just watch:
2) The water wake up
Bottled water is one of the most ridiculous things when we live in a country where we are lucky enough to be able to drink the tap water. We best make the most of it before fracking fracks it up for a lot of us! It takes nine bottles of water to make the one bottle you drink - unfathomable. This video will make you think again before stocking up the fridge with the stuff...
3) Carl Sagan highlights our insignificance
We are a pale blue dot - a spec in an unknown universe. We hold ourselves in such high regard as a species when in fact we are pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things. We need to dial down the ego and realise that this planet is the only one we have, it is a magical place and we need to protect it and stop acting like the douchebag from video one. To use Greenpeace's line; 'there is no Planet B'.
4) Al Gore tells us some home truths
Now when the former Vice-President of the US devotes their life to raising awareness of climate change and how to combat it - you better sit up and listen. The Unspeakable Truth brings together many things, and brings down the veil put up by corporations and governing powers which makes us think everything is ok. When it's not, it's really not.
5) Think meat is healthy? Think again...
Now there are many reasons to reduce meat consumption, but this is definitely the first to think about. Your health is important, and you are playing fast and loose with it by eating meat. No we don't need it for protein, the only reason you are taught that in school is because it's a multi-million-pound industry that benefits from that lie. Watch Fork Over Knives in full on Netflix, but here is a trailer:
6) But CO2 emissions are the biggest cause of climate change?
Na ah, time to wake up. The second reason to reduce animal product consumption is climate change. If you need to start your reduction journey slow, firstly give up beef. Cows, with all their methane filled farts, are the single biggest contribution to climate change. Everyone denies it because it is not politically palatable to challenge a culture's eating habits. If the culture doesn't change, people will continue to starve and the planet will continue to perish. Again, you can watch Cowspiracy in full on Netflix, but here is a trailer:
7) The truth behind the BBQ
Ok so most people disagree with animal circuses, animal testing, and animal skins and fur in fashion. But animal exploitation is so ingrained within the system, people have become blind to the atrocities we put animals through to satisfy our tastes. How can you love your dog, but eat pig? We are so far removed from the origin of our food, it is easy to forget that that piece of bacon once had a soul, a personality, and a desire to stay alive like every other sentient being on this planet. Not for the faint of heart, Earthlings is available on YouTube.
If you don't hate the world, humanity, and yourself by now - you are dead inside. It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, what politics you follow, what creed you ascribe to, what your favourite colour is - none of it matters. That had to affect you, now the question is, are you gonna take that hate and turn it into positive action? Or are you going to sit on your ass and bitch and moan about the state of the world and your place in it whilst munching on a McDonalds, drinking bottled water, wearing your leather jacket? Take one small step every day to make this world we live in a better place.