I think it will turn out that Lost is an extended metaphor for humanity's struggle to stop climate change. If this is true, we can predict certain things about the future of the show. For example, it means that everyone on the show, Dharma, Widmore, Paik, not just Locke or Jack, will ultimately need be convinced or forced to personally sacrifice something to save the future. The future can only be saved if EVERYONE contributes, even the bad guys.
The show parallels what we will need to do to stop climate change. If this is the case, it would be something new in storytelling because it would be a story about collective action. Usually, in "Western" narratives (movies, books, TV), when a sacrifice needs to be made, a boy discovers he is special, or is chosen, and makes the personal sacrifice necessary to save the group. Some Examples: Jesus, Luke Skywalker, Superman, Neo in the matrix -- for more see "Christ Figure" on wiki). These are all examples of the ubiquitous and, to me, tiresome "chosen-boy" story.
I find it tiresome, partly, because it credits one person for the work of many. "Chosen-boy" stories obscure how change really happens. In reality, group effort is the only way to solve global problems. Collective action is the only thing that works. We are living through an example of this at the moment with climate change. Right now, in real life, we, each one of us, needs to change the present to alter the future. In the case of climate change, the sacrificial death of one man will make no difference. To save ourselves and change the future we all must make many small sacrifices. I think this is the point that Lost will ultimately make. Every major character on the show will either voluntarily give something up, or will be forced to, in order to save humanity.
There are a lot of thematic parallels between Lost and our struggle over climate change.
1) Scientists discover that the world is in peril (IRL: Climatologists / On Lost: Valezetti)
2) The show is about all of us. Only the people who are potential overconsumers (and therefore have the most impact on the future by consuming less) become viewers of the show. What I mean is, Lost viewers have Cable or high speed internet access, for the most part, we live in industrialized countries and we are the worst offenders in terms of emissions. Lost represents us, the audience, on the show in character categories categories:
2a) "THOSE WITH THEIR HEADS IN THE SAND" Some of us want to believe it (climate change/Valezetti) won't happen, or are ignorant and shortsighted (IRL: People who have no idea what climate change is or what they can do/ On Lost: Redshirts who don't know what's going on)
2b)"THE GOOD GUYS" Some of us are willing to make personal sacrifices to ensure it won't happen (IRL: People who are trying to reduce thier emissions at home and at work / ON Lost: "The Good Guys" Those who are working together to ensure humanity survives. The Oceanic 6, Ben, Locke, The Others, Mrs. Hawking, Faraday)
2c) "THE BAD GUYS" Some of us want to make money by speeding our own destruction. These guys think if they make enough money, they can ensure the safety of their own children, not caring if all the world suffers(IRL: Corporations that promote over consumption, oil companies, the war and destruction industries. On Lost: "The Bad Guys" Widmore, Paik industries, Hanso? Dharma?)
2d) "THE MERCENARIES / NIHILISTS" People who care about nothing (IRL: people who know their over consumption is bringing suffering to others, but don't care enough for others to make sacrifices / On Lost: Sawyer (previously), Miles, Keamy, Hanso (as owner and captain of the slave ship)
3) On Lost, the characters must kill their parents to ensure the survival of their children and humanity. In real life, we need to do things differently (consume less) than our parents did to protect our children from the effects of climate change. Metaphorically, we need to kill our forefathers to help our offspring.
I believe the core questions the show asks us, are also the core questions of our time: "Will each of us sacrifice personally to protect humanity?" and "What can we do together about those dangerous and powerful people among us who won't sacrifice willingly?"
Theory by Ginger Doggie
The show parallels what we will need to do to stop climate change. If this is the case, it would be something new in storytelling because it would be a story about collective action. Usually, in "Western" narratives (movies, books, TV), when a sacrifice needs to be made, a boy discovers he is special, or is chosen, and makes the personal sacrifice necessary to save the group. Some Examples: Jesus, Luke Skywalker, Superman, Neo in the matrix -- for more see "Christ Figure" on wiki). These are all examples of the ubiquitous and, to me, tiresome "chosen-boy" story.
I find it tiresome, partly, because it credits one person for the work of many. "Chosen-boy" stories obscure how change really happens. In reality, group effort is the only way to solve global problems. Collective action is the only thing that works. We are living through an example of this at the moment with climate change. Right now, in real life, we, each one of us, needs to change the present to alter the future. In the case of climate change, the sacrificial death of one man will make no difference. To save ourselves and change the future we all must make many small sacrifices. I think this is the point that Lost will ultimately make. Every major character on the show will either voluntarily give something up, or will be forced to, in order to save humanity.
There are a lot of thematic parallels between Lost and our struggle over climate change.
1) Scientists discover that the world is in peril (IRL: Climatologists / On Lost: Valezetti)
2) The show is about all of us. Only the people who are potential overconsumers (and therefore have the most impact on the future by consuming less) become viewers of the show. What I mean is, Lost viewers have Cable or high speed internet access, for the most part, we live in industrialized countries and we are the worst offenders in terms of emissions. Lost represents us, the audience, on the show in character categories categories:
2a) "THOSE WITH THEIR HEADS IN THE SAND" Some of us want to believe it (climate change/Valezetti) won't happen, or are ignorant and shortsighted (IRL: People who have no idea what climate change is or what they can do/ On Lost: Redshirts who don't know what's going on)
2b)"THE GOOD GUYS" Some of us are willing to make personal sacrifices to ensure it won't happen (IRL: People who are trying to reduce thier emissions at home and at work / ON Lost: "The Good Guys" Those who are working together to ensure humanity survives. The Oceanic 6, Ben, Locke, The Others, Mrs. Hawking, Faraday)
2c) "THE BAD GUYS" Some of us want to make money by speeding our own destruction. These guys think if they make enough money, they can ensure the safety of their own children, not caring if all the world suffers(IRL: Corporations that promote over consumption, oil companies, the war and destruction industries. On Lost: "The Bad Guys" Widmore, Paik industries, Hanso? Dharma?)
2d) "THE MERCENARIES / NIHILISTS" People who care about nothing (IRL: people who know their over consumption is bringing suffering to others, but don't care enough for others to make sacrifices / On Lost: Sawyer (previously), Miles, Keamy, Hanso (as owner and captain of the slave ship)
3) On Lost, the characters must kill their parents to ensure the survival of their children and humanity. In real life, we need to do things differently (consume less) than our parents did to protect our children from the effects of climate change. Metaphorically, we need to kill our forefathers to help our offspring.
I believe the core questions the show asks us, are also the core questions of our time: "Will each of us sacrifice personally to protect humanity?" and "What can we do together about those dangerous and powerful people among us who won't sacrifice willingly?"
Theory by Ginger Doggie
