"..the human species is living as if it had more than one planet to occupy..."
I would say that for the most part, this is true. This is true for the more "privileged". It seems the most true for many of those who have so much more than they need that they have because they want. Those that have not yet experienced a solution they could not buy. However, it is also true for those in this seemingly "privileged" society that are pretty much enslaved due to the high cost of living and the three jobs they need to have just to make ends meet, those who have no choice but to "keep going" to survive without any time at all to really think and ruminate on these things, time to find new ways to conserve. It is true for those who bought into this oblivious paradise of thought that we can live like royalty, just work for it, pay for it, live it up and gorge. Leave behind a trail of damage that someone else can fix, for a fee, of course, and someone else can pick up that tab or just deal with the consequences, it's not like we're rich or something. We can move on, move trash around, make more land somehow.. right? I'm pretty sure it is not the whole of our species, but the modernized world. (Sorry if I sound bitter..)
Thoughts on today's discussion:
It seems we have been so fearful and controlling as a species that we have both directly and indirectly ruined the equilibrium with this planet's oldest inhabitants.. bacteria. I mean, did we think we'd win or something? Not only are we screwing with our own health with our obsession with antibiotics, anti-bacterial soaps, and perfectly sanitary everything, but apparently, we screwed the bees! So not fair for our helpful, hardworking bees. We've damn near wiped out the native species of plants they evolved alongside and left them with a small variety of our choice processed brands. We might as well have just made them their own 7-11. I can only imagine them going up and down the blocks like, "Umm.... where's the REAL food? Seriously... WHERE is it?? Well... this resembles it.. I guess...? I'll just.. I guess.. I'll just eat this. *Nom Nom* This is lacking in something... I guess I'll just supplement some of that with umm... concrete? There's gotta be a variety of minerals or bacteria in that.. *Sigh* Ok..." We brought the food desert to the bees. Holy crap. This is sad news.
Yes, funny that our capitalist culture praises our supermarket aisles for their variety as far as the eye can see, yet in reality we have created fewer options and only more labels. Unfortunately, bees can't read. If they could they might believe the hype as most humans do.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me wonder why we are like this. If we are a product of evolution then this kind of invasive behavior would be as "natural" as if we were less destructive. But we have culture and free will and that just makes it all the more confusing. If we could be any different, wouldn't we be?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I think that change as a whole is difficult when the majority are being led by people with... different ideals. We can individually choose to be different, but changing the trajectory of majority thought when the momentum has already built up takes time.. like healing a chronic disease.
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