Power, Peace, and Mark Ruffalo

            

On Monday night, I had the pleasure of watching the famous actor and environmental activist Mark Ruffalo talk in front of a culmination of Dickinson’s faculty, staff, and students. Ruffalo’s interview with Professor Amy Farrell was incredibly done. The entire interview was natural, conversational, and it was easy to stay invested in the topics that they were discussing. At first, I did not believe that the topics that Ruffalo would be covering in the interview would relate in any way to any of the topics that we were discussing in International Relations. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Ruffalo touched on a variety of topics, from activism and environmental justice to civil rights and protecting indigenous cultures in America. However, in the midst of these inspiring discussions, Ruffalo made a reference to power. In the interview, Ruffalo expressed that he felt that power doesn’t come from “the top and trickles down”. Instead, he ardently believes that power comes from “the bottom and then moves to the top”. Throughout his speech on power, he also stated that he uses his status as an actor to persuade people and to be attentive to important environmental issues. The fact that Ruffalo employs his celebrity status to persuade people to discuss and pay attention to his activist goals is a good example of soft power.

            In International Relations, the class has learned about the differences between hard and soft power. In short, hard power is utilizing coercion and force. Hard power is commonly thought of as being achieved through economic, and militaristic means. This type of power is often viewed as being more forceful and combative. It’s when one party or person tries to coerce another party or person into performing an act that they wouldn’t usually partake in. In contrast, soft power is all about the powers of persuasion. Instead of “coercing” or “forcing” a party or person to act in a specific way, it’s about changing what that party or person wants in the first place. Soft power utilizes conversation to achieve this. While soft power uses less brunt force to achieve things, it should not be mistaken for being “better” than hard power. Soft power can be just as destructive and damaging. Either way, soft power is acquiring different people to act in a certain way through coaxing and encouragement.

            These concepts tie into Mark Ruffalo’s activism by his approach to creating social change. Ruffalo doesn’t force anyone to agree with him on environmental issues through crippling them economically or militaristically. Instead, he employs soft power techniques. One example of this is that Ruffalo is a well-known and adored actor, so when he addresses an issue, people listen and it develops media attention. He has been Oscar nominated twice, and many people know him for his role as the Hulk. Ruffalo doesn’t let that overshadow his activist achievements, however he uses that to persuade people to join a specific cause. That is Ruffalo’s one true “power” so to speak, in comparison to EPA officials or government regulators. While they have the economic power and governmental power, he has social power because he is a well-known, and relatively well trusted public figure. People feel like they know him and can trust him because of his celebrity status, so it comes as no surprise that he can then use that trust and adoration to spark a discussion on different important issues.

            Of course, it also helps that Ruffalo is trying to save the environment and protect people’s lives. Many people become persuaded by these inspiring goals. It probably wouldn’t work that well for him if he tried to start a third world war or something violent and dramatic of that nature. Even so, Ruffalo has realized his niche in environmental activism, and has used it to persuade people to get on board with his cause and to care more about important issues. For this reason. Ruffalo is a great example of the powers of soft power.