2021 Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Video Contest 3rd Place Bronze Winner
Reflecting on the process of transformation from a selfish and greedy mentality (which negatively influences our actions) to one that is selfless, caring, and altruistic, I wanted to convey our selfish lifestyles in a satirical and comical way with the goal of raising feelings of empathy. The shark character I created is a symbol of greed and selfishness, while the ocean child symbolizes selflessness, altruism, empathy, and care for our oceans. To contrast these metaphorical selfish and selfless mentalities, I chose the color red to represent selfishness and the colors blue and green to represent selflessness. After the effects of selfishness and greed on the environment are revealed, the shark understands his plight, which leads to a personal transformation to a conscientious life. The main issues that affect our waterways, largely due to modernization, are those of overconsumption and overproduction, which have made materialism central to our identity. Companies forget about the environmental degradation they cause as a result of chasing irresistible profits. Water is a lens to the self—a reflection of our selfish urges and desires. I learned that all climate change issues are connected to water, and thus, stewardship is essential. Now that I’ve learned about this key resource, I will ditch bottled water completely!