Are we too addicted to "stories"? Wildlife documentaries have brought us closer to nature than ever before. But some say the image of nature they portray is just that — an image.
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We doctor wildlife videos, says BBC star
Are we too addicted to "stories"? Wildlife documentaries have brought us closer to nature than ever before. But some say the image of nature they portray is just that - an image.
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In 1979, a senior BBC employee named David AttenboroughAn English broadcaster and natural historian known for his wildlife documentaries. made a groundbreaking documentary, Life on Earth. It turned Attenborough into a household name.
Four decades have passed, and a 97-year-old Attenborough is still beaming stunning images of the natural world into our living rooms. His documentaries are wildly popular. The first episode of Planet Earth II in 2016 was watched by 9.2 million viewers on its release date alone.1
Their popularity is no surprise. With soaring orchestral music, ultra-high-definition footage, and Attenborough's soothing charcoal voice, the programmes are a cinematic masterpiece.
But some think we have gone too far in pursuit of perfection. Hamza Yassin, another wildlife cameraman, says nature shows often manipulate the truth to give their audiences compelling stories.
He wants future documentaries to show a more accurate image of the natural world.
The problem, critics argue, is that idealised images of nature isolate ourselves from the real thing.
Go out into the wilderness, and you may find it a bit disappointing in comparison. Most viewers will prefer to stay at home.
Moreover, by presenting nature as beautiful and pristineUnspoilt. It derives from a Latin word meaning former or original., these documentaries make us think the world is still full of untouched wilderness.
But others say we are overthinking it. People know they are not seeing the whole truth, but this does not put them off. And that, some say, is because we need the stories if we are to love the natural world.
What is terrifying about nature, German philosopher Friedrich NietzscheIn 1869, the German philosopher became the youngest person ever to hold the University of Basel's Chair of Classical Philology. He was 24. observed, is its majestic indifference. Death, life, suffering, joy - none of them matters to a silent universe.
So when we see or hear about the lives of living things, we can find them frightening and alien. But if we craft a story around them, their experiences take on meaning.
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Are we too addicted to "stories"?
Yes: Nature documentaries have invented a version of nature that does not really exist: clean, beautiful, meaningful. That means we are less interested in preserving the more imperfect nature we actually have.
No: We have always understood the natural world through stories: of cunning foxes, courageous lions, helpful woodland creatures. It may be that we simply cannot relate to nature except through the stories we tell about it.
Or... We do not have to sacrifice the stories, but there must be a way of telling them about a grittier, more real natural world.
Keywords
David Attenborough - An English broadcaster and natural historian known for his wildlife documentaries.
Pristine - Unspoilt. It derives from a Latin word meaning former or original.
Friedrich Nietzsche - In 1869, the German philosopher became the youngest person ever to hold the University of Basel's Chair of Classical Philology. He was 24.
We doctor wildlife videos, says BBC star
Fake: Cameraman Hamza Yassin says programmers make up stories to tug at the heartstrings. Glossary
David Attenborough - An English broadcaster and natural historian known for his wildlife documentaries.
Pristine - Unspoilt. It derives from a Latin word meaning former or original.
Friedrich Nietzsche - In 1869, the German philosopher became the youngest person ever to hold the University of Basel’s Chair of Classical Philology. He was 24.