The Yes Men Are Revolting

Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonnano, and Laura Nix (2014, U.S., 91 min.) + post-film discussion

Do you have the guts to be a Yes Man? Would you be willing to pose as a Dow Chemical executive and go on the BBC and take an ethical stance on behalf of Dow, even if that knocked $2 billion off its stock price? Would you dress up in a gold lame bodysuit with a giant phallus and present to a World Trade Organization conference to point out that neoliberal economics perpetuate a modern form of slavery?

Most of us aren’t that daring or bold but that’s what makes The Yes Men, a team of guerilla satire artists so incredible and so globally effective at shining light on multiple sustainability challenges. But in their third film, Yes Men Are Revolting, we see that this boldness has a personal cost on their families, relationships, and sense of efficacy. A deeply personal look at the costs of being an activist, the film also provides moments of absurdist joy, as their satire lands on officials and executives who want to deny sustainability challenges exist. This was one you didn’t want to miss! 

Following the film we held a discussion about how we can all create more effective collaborations and the effectiveness of activism around sustainability, featuring:

• Andy Bichlbaum, Co-founder of The Yes Men
• Hannah Kadrie, EcoReps Student Organization, Penn State
• Caden Vitti, Presidential Leadership Academy, Penn State
• Sophie Marsh, Community Engagement Student Intern, Penn State Sustainability Institute