Pshhh Who Cares About the Environment When We've Got the BROTHER OF BILL NYE

In the satire “Oil Spills Actually Totally Good for Our Animals,” The Guardian employs the usage of parody and situational irony to mock the lack of action that is taken against environmental issues. The video is based on a traditional newscast accompanied by dramatic music, a newscaster, and rolling headlines such as “Polar Bears Hate the Environment. Need to be killed...”

The newscaster begins by introducing the oh-so-credible Doctor Andy Nye, brother of scientist Bill Nye. Through this association with the “wacko” children’s tv show scientist, the satire digs at the reliability of sources who negate the seriousness of oil spills.

Doctor Andy Nye argues that oil spills quicken the process of Darwinism. This justification of killing is completely ironic, for if we followed that same logic, drowning thousands of people in oil would simply be sparing the human race of the weak and inept. Andy Nye then goes on to say that animals who are drenched in oil are indeed better off than others, as oil makes them slick and quick in the water. In reality, there is scientific proof that oil degrades the insulating layer that protects fur-bearing animals. Therefore, the flawed logic of Doctor Andy Nye reaffirms the unreliability of those who are blinded by the mindset that all human action is progressive action.

By criticizing America’s response or rather lack thereof against our dying environment, this satire invokes scientists, politicians, and ordinary citizens to realign their priorities before the world we know and love succumbs to the destruction of mankind.