Global...Resort?

Global…Resort?

            On the far wall of the pool a mural of a city is depicted, submerged underwater, with the foreboding words “DON’T LET THIS BE OUR FUTURE”. The picture is meant to cause trepidation and ignite a fierce passion for immediate action. However, the calm and somewhat cheery disposition of every element in this picture, other then the sunken city – which is in fact only a picture it self - simply does not impel action. While the idea of drowning under literally tons of ice-cold ocean water is horrifying, the light and chlorinated water of this shallow pool is not exactly petrifying. Instead of perhaps depicting a decaying city surrounded by the terrifying opaque blue of the ocean floor, with nowhere in sight to break for air, these advertisers opted for a clean and clear pool that looks like something found at a resort rather than the uncontrollable terror of this supposedly impending disaster. The pool itself is not even a frightening one. The swimmer is clearly prepared to swim, wearing goggles, a bathing suit and a swim cap. The water is not deep, and even if it were, there is a ladder about two feet away. The surface of the water, as well as the bottom of the pool, is glimmering with dancing sunlight, ironically, most noticeable on the wall depicting the city. What is sunlight, a universal symbol for happiness, peace, warmth and light, doing in an advertisement designed to warn people about the dreadful ramifications of global warming? Looking past the sunniness, the relaxed swimmer, and the clean pool, is still the fact that nearly the entire picture is light blue. Psychological studies show that light blue is the color of calmness and relaxation, unlike red, for example, which evokes passion, stimulation and energy. While this picture has the right idea of attempting to show a dramatic image -- a city submerged under water, which is clearly not desirable -- it fails on nearly every other level deliver its intended message, refusing to show any depth of thought beyond a basic and simplistic idea. What could have been moving, evocative, and terrifying picture is in the end not much more than a pool with really detailed graffiti.