Nature Documentaries and the Pornographization of Nature
Nature documentaries, like the BBC's Planet Earth, are astonishing. They allow us to visit places and see things we couldn't otherwise, even in several lifetimes. But we should watch caution; nature docs make pornography of nature.
Nature docs don't just show us nature; they show us hyper-nature. Packing exciting moments together into an ultra-stimulating exposition, nature docs capture a nature that is nowhere to be found. In the heat of the moment, we may forget that the scene we're watching was filmed over the course of days, weeks, or months and then entwined into the seamless stream of breath-taking images before us. Editors cut out the boring scenes; they cut out the long journey to the filming location, the camera prep, the retakes, and leave us with only the finest eye-candy. This isn't inherently bad; in fact, it's necessary for an engaging documentary.
Nature docs are a learning tool only if we know how to watch them properly. Failing to do so, we run two major risks: First, they give us a false sense of what nature is really like. As a result, when we go looking for nature on our own, we might miss it when it's before us because we're searching for something more thrilling. Second, they can desensitize us to nature. After being bombarded with high-definition images shot on exotic continents of Ibexes climbing down precipices, cheetahs chasing antelopes, waterfalls spilling out the clouds, it becomes difficult to appreciate the singular bee, buzzing from plant to plant, slowly collecting pollen on its belly and legs.
Millions of people have already made the link between nature docs and pornography. There's no shortage of websites and hashtags related to "earth porn" and "nature porn". But almost everyone seems to be taking these semantics light-heartedly, even failing to see why airbrushed and colour enhanced photos are being likened to porn.
I don't wish for nature porn to disappear. I love watching it. It's entertaining, mesmerizing, and a powerful learning tool. But we must be aware that natural beauty does not always reveal itself so easily and quickly as it does on film (or photographs for that matter). We must engage nature slowly, calmly, and attentively if we want to experience and enjoy its infinite offerings.
Nature docs don't just show us nature; they show us hyper-nature. Packing exciting moments together into an ultra-stimulating exposition, nature docs capture a nature that is nowhere to be found. In the heat of the moment, we may forget that the scene we're watching was filmed over the course of days, weeks, or months and then entwined into the seamless stream of breath-taking images before us. Editors cut out the boring scenes; they cut out the long journey to the filming location, the camera prep, the retakes, and leave us with only the finest eye-candy. This isn't inherently bad; in fact, it's necessary for an engaging documentary.
Nature docs are a learning tool only if we know how to watch them properly. Failing to do so, we run two major risks: First, they give us a false sense of what nature is really like. As a result, when we go looking for nature on our own, we might miss it when it's before us because we're searching for something more thrilling. Second, they can desensitize us to nature. After being bombarded with high-definition images shot on exotic continents of Ibexes climbing down precipices, cheetahs chasing antelopes, waterfalls spilling out the clouds, it becomes difficult to appreciate the singular bee, buzzing from plant to plant, slowly collecting pollen on its belly and legs.
Millions of people have already made the link between nature docs and pornography. There's no shortage of websites and hashtags related to "earth porn" and "nature porn". But almost everyone seems to be taking these semantics light-heartedly, even failing to see why airbrushed and colour enhanced photos are being likened to porn.
I don't wish for nature porn to disappear. I love watching it. It's entertaining, mesmerizing, and a powerful learning tool. But we must be aware that natural beauty does not always reveal itself so easily and quickly as it does on film (or photographs for that matter). We must engage nature slowly, calmly, and attentively if we want to experience and enjoy its infinite offerings.