Men Apart
Through skiing, I am reminded that my existence is a part of nature. Gliding effortlessly between trees, propelled only by gravity, I understand that the the forces of nature subtly shape my life just as they shaped the mountain. It is easy to forget that human beings are a part of nature amid monolithic buildings, financial abstractions, and the thrilling ingenuity of progress. Frequently, the progress of humanity is depicted as conflicting with the well being of nature. This idea presents a false dichotomy of economy and nature that is destructive towards both the well-being of the environment and the economy.When people discuss nature, often they describe it as an entity apart from themselves. Nature is, to many people, everything and every place on Earth that is not inhabited or built by people. Separating humans from the idea of nature is detrimental because people live in total dependence on the environment; this definition treats humans and the world around us as totally distinct, thus polarizing the ideas of civilization, development, and comfort against the environment. By disconnecting people from nature, it is easier to ignore the consequences we experience from impacts on the environment. This distinction is a matter of human arrogance, a failure to understand that humans evolved on the planet in the same fashion as every other species, and that we will forever be as dependent on the resources doled out by Mother Earth as every other animal.
Deluded, people describe nature as an entity apart from themselves, as the world outside of urban areas. However, nature is best understood as the set of principles that governs all interactions in the universe. Nature should be understood not as a place where fauna frolic freely in foliage, but as the behaviors exhibited by the components of the universe. Nature is gravity, the tendency of animals to run from alarming stimuli, friction, the disposition of people to be jealous, and every other manner of worldly mechanism. In describing nature as such, the prosperity of humans becomes wed to the well-being of the environment. It is sensible to include humans as a part of nature because everything we do affects the environment around us, and changes in the environment come full circle to affect us again. As humans, we demonstrate behaviors that are not far removed from those observed in animals, such as the tendency to gather into herds. Although it is possible that nature could exist without humans, it is quite apparent that the critical point of understanding nature is the realization that we cannot exist without it.
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