There is something deeply and unintentionally revealing about the commercial Apple put out yesterday, touting its environmentally friendly policies and ambitions. It features the lovely actress Octavia Spencer playing the embodiment of Mother Nature.
Generously speaking, I think the intention was to present Mother Nature as warily skeptical of corporate greenwashing claims, but gradually won over by the specificity and ambition of Apple’s actions. In a way, the skepticism would be amply just. Careful viewers will note how the language leaves open huge loopholes to disguise the environmental impact of Chinese production, lithium mining, etc.
But I don’t think the ad is a success. What comes through: Mother Nature is a demanding corporate nuisance manager and toxic boss: cold, calculating, demanding appeasement and the appearance of personal humiliation in a way that causes even Tim Cook to condescend to her. It fits with a certain sour mood on the Left where environmentalism means placating an angry Earth goddess, and the only way to avoid her wrath is privation and severe human austerity. We can take up the burden willingly, or she will impose it on us.
It’s repulsive.