DIRECTOR’S NOTE

In the face of looming climate disasters and political gridlock, what should we do to avoid the worst scenario? What are the moral limits of our political actions? This latter question, in particular, has haunted me for a long time, mostly because I grew up in an authoritarian regime and now see democracy fading in other countries where dissent is increasingly silenced and citizens feel disoriented about what to do to save their countries. In the case of climate change, the magnitude of the threat and the injustices that sustain it make it particularly hard to determine how we ought to move collectively towards a sustainable future while holding powerful agents accountable. 

Political philosophy (and war law) offer one principle, among many, to think about these questions: the "principle of proportionality" is supposed to regulate conflict by establishing that any harm inflicted for a legitimate cause ought not to be "excessive" with respect to the gains obtained. Our show, Proportionality, highlights the paradoxes of this principle. In the cases we care about the most, like climate action or war, the idea of proportionality often faces serious challenges: it is either blatantly violated (powerful agents act mercilessly), impossible to apply (what counts as "excessive"?), or counterproductive, as subsequently proportionate responses lead to endless conflict. Proportionality captures how these shortcomings are heightened when we use the principle to constrain climate activism and political movements more generally. What is proportionate to the harm that Cedric has done as an engineer and as a company executive? What is Danny's responsibility as a chef in the company? Is Robyn justified in what she is doing? Do these questions even matter when we consider the company's immense power? 

I do not mean to provide answers in the play. I do hope that our show contributes to pressing conversations about the atrocities that powerful agents in our societies, often corporations, inflict in the name of so-called tech utopias.

César Valenzuela

May 9, 2025