There are a couple of shows that I watch quite regularly. I have found that some of them are quite repetitive and even monotonous in certain contexts.
However it’s a strange phenomenon that human’s can find some comfort in the monotony of certain events. Knowing the script and even how the show will end can give one a sense of confidence and a certain degree of ego.
I recently watched a fascinating anecdote documentary called “The Last Beekeeper”. It’s all about three commercial beekeepers and the struggle to maintain their livelihood. Firstly, what struck me about the show was how much the number of bees in North America has declined over the last thirty years. It was quite astonishing. Secondly, I was surprised to learn that scientists haven’t a clue why the bees are dying. It seems that a combination of factors are contributing to the demise of these creatures, but no one has been able to narrow it down enough to form a practical diagnosis.
So what on earth does this have to do with the human experience? Well I watched the show and sort of knew where we were going to end up. However you couldn’t deny the heart of these very normal people trying desperately to survive and provide for their families.
In spite of the trials of the bees, the demise of the key characters in the show was the real story – “the human experience”. It makes sense to use anecdotal visages to garner interest in an environmental plight. In this show it was used to maximum effect. It got me thinking and doing a bit of research about this little known “industry”. It also made me realize that we are all part of this human experience, no matter where or what kind of business we are engaged in.
Scientists will invariably find out why the bees are dying and hopefully create a cure or prevention. It’s how we humans maneuver through these difficulties that is the real story, however monotonous and boring that may seem.
I watched this show on a repeat and I thought that it was very informative and moving. I agree that the way the story was told, really brought attention to the bees’ plight.
I missed this special. It does sound very interesting and I remember hearing a story about this somewhere else, tv, radio. I’m going to have to do some research on this, as it is very intriguing. Thanks for the link. I like documentaries a lot. I can amuse myself watching ants crawl in and out of an ant hole, but that is just me.
I love nature documentaries the best. I used to be an avid bird watcher and I would go out and make sketches of local birds. We do have a bird sanctuary about ten minutes from where we live and go there occasionally.