How many times have you seen banners saying “Wake up to the climate crisis?” or “System change, not climate change”?

In the popular media we have stories of people waking up from a dream, choosing between a red or blue pill, or traveling through the looking glass. It is as though we have collectively known for a very long time that we are prone to becoming prisoners in Plato’s cave, brains in Putman’s vat, Truman in his own show, Neo in his Matrix or the spectator in the society of the spectacle.

The very best storytellers have been trying to warn us. The question is, in the world of an increasingly distracted public, what should the science communicator do?

The aim of this presentation is to encourage science communicators to reflect upon the ever more difficult challenge of engaging with a public that is constantly bombarded with news, propaganda, advertising and entertainment. When you see thousands of messages everyday telling you how you should live, consume and profit, how we can expect people to see that one message each day that focuses on human survival and the future of our beautiful planet?

 

Presenter

Brendan Barrett, Specially Appointed Professor, Osaka University

 

When: Tuesday 18^th February, 9:45am-10:45am

Where: Room G02, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton
Hashtag: TBC