Explore the impact of the Enlightenment on society's perception of nature and the environment. Learn about the negative consequences of this cultural shift, such as slavery, racism, and environmental exploitation. Discover how the arrival of oil influenced religious beliefs and the birth of the modern PR industry. Delve into the paradoxes of liberty and equality in the United States, shaped by violent exploitation and the control of the ownership class.
The Enlightenment's focus on reason and rationality led to the justification of racial hierarchies and the exploitation of nature.
The oil industry's rise intertwined with religious narratives and the development of public relations, promoting the view of nature as a resource to be exploited.
Deep dives
The Enlightenment and its Contradictions
The podcast episode explores the Enlightenment and its contradictions. The Enlightenment brought a shift towards reason, rationality, and the rejection of religious authority. However, this shift also led to the justification of inequality and the exploitation of nature. The episode highlights how Enlightenment thinkers applied scientific thinking to humans, but their classifications and categorizations led to the justification of racial hierarchies. The rise of the scientific and industrial revolutions further solidified the extractive relationship between humans and nature, with the pursuit of economic growth and individual success at the expense of the environment and marginalized communities. The episode touches upon the role of public relations in shaping public opinion and justifying resource extraction. Despite the positive aspects of the Enlightenment, such as ideas of equality and individual rights, the podcast emphasizes how its contradictions have influenced Western society's relationship with the natural world.
The Discovery of Oil and Western Culture
The podcast delves into the significance of the discovery of oil, particularly in the United States, in shaping Western culture. It highlights how oil became a symbol of prosperity and wealth, intertwined with religious narratives and notions of manifest destiny. The exploration and extraction of oil created a subculture that blended evangelical Christianity with the pursuit of profit. The episode discusses how the oil industry's rise coincided with the development of the public relations industry, which worked to manipulate public perception and defend corporate interests. This convergence of factors helped solidify a perspective that viewed nature as a resource to be exploited for economic gain, rather than something to be protected.
The Influence of Enlightenment on Inequality
The podcast explores how Enlightenment ideals and scientific thinking influenced the perpetuation of inequality. It highlights how certain Enlightenment thinkers attempted to classify and categorize humans, inadvertently contributing to the justification of racial hierarchies. The episode discusses how the tension between faith and reason, as well as the backlash against revolutions and social instability, fueled a conservative reaction that legitimized racial and gender differences. This reaction utilized scientific concepts and classifications to support ideas of inherent superiority and inequality. Despite the Enlightenment's promotion of reason and equality, these contradictions have had far-reaching consequences for marginalized communities and their relationship with the natural world.
The Role of Public Relations and Power
The podcast emphasizes the role of public relations in shaping societal perceptions and justifying resource extraction. It discusses how wealthy industrialists, guided by Enlightenment principles, utilized PR tactics to present their industries as beneficial to society. The episode highlights how public relations became a tool for corporate interests, manipulating public opinion and downplaying the detrimental effects of extractive industries on the environment and marginalized communities. The convergence of politics and industry solidified an extractive mindset that prioritized economic growth over the protection of nature and equitable distribution of resources.
If the Enlightenment was so great, why was it not a course correction? In fact, did cultural values that took hold in the West in this period speed up our race toward ecological suicide? Part 3 of our series, The Repair, on the climate crisis.
By season co-host Amy Westervelt, with host and producer John Biewen. Interviews with Devin Vartija, Darren Dochuk, Melissa Aronczyk, and Amber Kanazbah Crotty.
The series editor is Cheryl Devall. Music in this episode by Lili Haydn, Kim Carroll, Chris Westlake, Lesley Barber, and Cora Miron. Music consulting by Joe Augustine of Narrative Music.
