This ad from Dow Chemical Company is really quite good and it escapes the reductionist / positivist tone of most chemical company ads. The recognition that Science is a uniquely human exercise of the will is really a more liberal arts concept than "Big Science". I like it. Now, on the other hand this does not let Dow off the hook for being a multi-national chemical company that has mortgaged the future of our children and grandchildren for short-term financial gain just like the rest of the chemical industry BUT (and it is an important but) they did it because we asked them to. The story of the rise of modernity in the 20th century is in fact the story of the rise of the middle class and their financial, social and environmental impact. All generations before had the crushed poor in service to the exalted rich ("the poor you will have with you alway"). The Industrial Revolution would never have occured without the disposible income of the middle class. For that reason the mellow almost regretful tone of the ad is just right.
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I must admit one thing that bugs me about this ad though. It seems like ages ago I watched the PBS series "The Civil War" when it first came out. The series was one of those shining examples of the power of television to educate on multiple levels at the same time and I was transfixed. The theme music for the series was a haunting melody played on fiddles and guitar called "The Ashokan Farewell". This ad by Dow has a shameless grab at our emotions by creating a similar tune. The link below will give you an idea of what the real tune is like. It is the tune played behind the reading of the letter at the end of the clip. The second link is to a live performance of the actual tune
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