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Arguments In Fracknation By Phelim Mcaleer

600 Words3 Pages

There are two sides to every argument and hydrofracturing is no different. Phelim McAleer, an investigative journalist and producer of FrackNation, uses logic to convince viewers that fracking does not pose environmental concerns. Josh Fox however, employs a multitude of logical fallacies as well as arguments based on emotions in an attempt to convince the audience that fracturing is bad for the environment. McAleer created his film to refute this opinion. Ultimately, Phelim McAleer’s documentary made a better argument than Josh Fox’s documentary. Josh Fox begins GasLand by showing the audience his simple home which makes him appear to be an honest and humble man. He does not state his credentials however, because he is an ameteur film maker and claims he became interested in fracking when he was asked to lease his land to a hydrofracturing company. The question then arises, what makes him a reliable narrator? The answer is simple. He is simply not reliable. In FrackNation, McAleer offers proof that Fox was not asked to lease his land afterall. Instead, Fox offered a half …show more content…

For example, Fox documents many cases of well water going bad after a hydrofracking company began work. To prove this, he videos countless cases of people setting their sink water on fire due to excess methane. He even records a case of a stream bubbling with methane. However, according to FrackNation, there are records of springs being lit on fire 150 years ago due to natural methane being released from the ground. This was well before fracking began (McAleer). McAleer also found written accounts of flammable well water far before fracking began in 1947. When asked why this information was omitted from GasLand, Josh Fox says it is not relevant. He is, however, mistaken. These facts are not only relevant, but their omission makes Josh Fox an even more unreliable

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