Very, very good... I hadn't necessarily looked at the "with"/"to" nature argument. I like it and plan to use it. Thanks. -- - Charlotte Sullivan Executive Director Protect Animal Life "PEACE AND FREEDOM FOR ALL WHO LIVE" Eric Hepburn, ITC wrote: > > >>... each of those generations required recognition and nurture, each > >>>required knowledge of an ecosystem. we are embedded in a system we > >>>can appreciate but not completely understand... > - [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > This idea highlights a particular difficulty in modern environmentalism, > in the past humans, or humyns if you prefer, coexisted with nature out > of necessity. They were differentiated little from other animals, they > existed as a natural part of the food chain. As time progressed humans > developed the ability to exibit more and more practical control over > their natural environment, eventually transforming it into the concrete > and steel jungle that dominates the industrialized world. The > prehistoric relationship with nature has been replaced through this > process. Now the knowledge and familiarity that once existed between > nature and humans no longer exists in the industrialized world. > Learning about your environment, in an immediate sense, now means > learning where the grocery store is or how to order fast food. The > human-made environment has replaced the natural environment and the > relationship "with" nature has been eliminated. People still have a > relation "to" nature through their own biology, however the conscious > relationship and intimate knowledge that would characterize a > relationship "with" nature are ellusive. > > >From this vantage point I think it is imperative that we recognize the > death of our human relationship with nature as it has existed in the > past and focus on how a new relationship can be forged for both the > present and the future. > > For example, and relevant to an earlier topic of discussion: The > argument that environmental concern and vegetarianism are intrinsicly > linked. From the perspective of looking to the "old" relationship for > guidance, there is no link between the two... humans were, and continue > to be, omnivorous organisms therefore re-establishing the relationship > with nature is not linked to direct changes in dietary habits. However, > if we analyze the linkage from the perspective of looking to form a > relationship with nature where none currently exists the question > becomes a moral/philosophical one. What relationship do we wish to have > with nature? This is the difficulty of the forward looking approach, it > is a free choice approach. In truth the current situation is the result > of that free choice: society has chosen not to develop a relationship > with nature, but only to exploit and abuse it. > > The question of vegetarianism is only one of many philosophical > questions we must answer before we, as a society, can establish a new > relationship with nature. > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >
