Welcome back to another season of How Do You Like It So Far? Henry and Colin are joined by Sarah McFarland Taylor, an Associate Professor of Religion at Northwestern University and part of their Environmental Policy and Culture Program. Her book, Ecopiety: Green Media and the Dilemma of Environmental Virtue, provides a reality check by researching the intersection of modern-day religious devotion, environmental sensibilities and pop culture as a catalyst for green movements. Taylor questions whether our individualistic behaviors are part of an “imagined moral economy” where repeating these acts gives us the feeling of offsetting our destructive behaviors. She weaves current religious populist movements who support President Trump with the opposition of the environmentalist agenda. Positing the importance of pop culture as an engine for the green movement and a reflection of a new religion in the 21st century, Taylor explores the portrays of environmental sin and virtue in mass media. This episode examines civic imagination and the role of mass media in promoting environmental consciousness and reform. Listen in as Taylor scrutinizes the need for broader, far-reaching environmental reform to work in tandem with our own individual practices to create the largest possible impact towards saving the planet.
Ecopiety:
Environmentally Virtuous Practices
Elizabeth Warren’s Town Hall on distractions from the environmental movement
Constructive conversations over policy affecting the environment (cattle and greenhouse gases)
Tackling agricultural use of water over taking shorter showers
Traveling the World
China No Longer Buying U.S. Plastic
Eco Bad Boys and Pollution Porn:
Diesel truck owners modifying trucks
Donald Trump’s MAGA Straws Marketing Campaign
Religious Studies Connection:
Moral Self Licensing (Moral Offsets) – Monin + Miller research
Abuses in Moral Institutions (Doing God’s work licenses bad behavior) – Male Prostitutes and Priests
Consequential Notions of Ecopiety – Carbon Sin Tracking Apps
Green Capitalism:
Fashion manuals on environmentally friendly brands
Virtue Signalling
Popular Culture forums – broadcast and discuss ecopious messages:
Joss Wheedon, creator Buffy the Vampire Slayer quote -“ I don’t want to create responsible shows with lawyers in them. I want to invade people’s dreams.”
Voracious Desires to Consume:
Fifty Shades of Grey
E.L. James Live Twitter
Vampire Series – HBO’s True Blood, Vampire Diaries, Twilight, Daybreakers
Ellen Moore’s Work on Ice Age, The Lorax, Wall-E
Companies rebranding to address environmental concerns:
British Petroleum → Beyond Petroleum
Sheryl Crow lyrics from “Strong Enough”
“Lie to me, I promise I’ll believe / Lie to me, but please don’t leave”
Alternative narratives on shifting environmental discussions:
Tattoos as media
Green Hip-Hop / Eco Rap – Xiuhtezcatl Martinez’s S.W.Y.M
Trump Populist Religious Devotions:
Trump and Evangelistic Community Support
Sarah McFarland Taylor on The Powerful Religious Rhetoric of Donald Trump’s Hair
Comparisons to Trump’s Hair and other Popular Evangelicals:
Rev. Billy Burke
Rev. Billy
Rev. Billy Graham’s pompadour
Comparisons to Steve Martin’s “Leap of Faith”
“Hair up to Jesus” phrase
Trump Scandals as Testimony that God has Put Him in the Right Place
Trump blames lightbulb for his orange skin
Don’t forget our episode with Diane Winston on popular religion and reality television! culture as a new religion!
This week’s challenge:
Email hjenkins@usc.edu a piece about Trump’s orange skin and Henry will post it to his blog!
