The destruction of our environment is
not intelligent, it is short-sighted and self-destructive. It is
demeaning to our common sense and humanity. It is the monstrous dark
shadow of our modern materialistic, consuming society; our great
'evil' or whatever name anyone cares to call it. An unstoppable and
destructive force, forever desiring more and more, never filling its
bottomless abyss. It is a black hole that is devouring the whole
earth with all it's creatures, including the human race, who have
risen to become the most self-destructive species on the planet.
How can environmental issues be
approached in a rational and logical sense? “If you think, you
are” said Rene Descartes, meaning that things only exist if you are
aware of them, or you exist as a person if you are aware of yourself
as a thinking being. This philosophical statement is in opposition
to the scientific reality that the universe and the world with it's
elements, with the kingdom of flora and fauna, exist and live
independently of us as the thinking species of nature.
Has Mankind, in it's own process of
evolution and development, cut itself from nature to such a degree
that it lost it's place in the world? Since when did humans, as the
rational species of the earth, start to over consume and destroy the
very environment it needs to survive? It was from the moment humans
saw nature's resources as commodity goods to exploit, and not as the
earthly components that sustains the delicate balance of life in it's
many forms, including ourselves.
Earlier communities had a mystic
relationship with their surroundings, following seasonal changes in
nature and the annual cycles of sun, moon and stars. As a matter of
fact, their view of life was universal, whilst retaining the vital
perception that their world and its elements were vulnerable and
needed harmony, respect and care. Humans had to fit into this vision
of nature, treading carefully so as not to disturb the delicate
balance that generates life.
Humans felt that they could balance or
unbalance nature through their actions. Their superiority as a
rational species was focused on this almost supernatural power that
enabled them to establish a connection with the forces of nature, who
they saw as Gods. The earth and it's elements were seen as sacred
and invested with divine qualities, powerful, mysterious and ever
changing. Life was celebrated constantly to help in its continuation.
The earth was seen as bountiful, generous, nourishing and sometimes
inclement in its dramatic changes.
If life for primitive Man was uncertain
as a creature of nature, our lives and the future of our race is
already stepping into very uncertain ground. Our mass-consuming
society is failing to see the vulnerability of our environment, and
life on earth as we know it is threatened with irreversible damage to
the oceans, rain forests, water sources and ecosystems that sustain
life.
How did humans change from being part
of nature, to feeling like masters of nature? A crucial change began
when the matriarchal worship of natural deities, changed to
patriarchal worship of the God/s of heaven. Humans changed from being
the only rational species on earth, to becoming its god-like masters,
dominating this “creation” given to them. It's richness became a
slave to his own comfort and ever-increasing needs. Gaia changed
from being a Mother Goddess that sustained all life over earth, to
the dirty soil that heavenly man steps in.
Early Christian philosophy saw earthly
things and instinctive nature as the source of evil, eternally in
opposition with the heavenly God. The original intuitive wonder of
early humans about the mysteries of life, turned into superstition
and mistrust of everything in nature, including women, who were seen
as mirrors of the earth.
It was not only patriarchal religion
which cut humanity from nature in its quest for immortality in
heaven. Thinking man also cut himself from nature, when he realised
that he didn’t need to worship the earth Goddesses, nor the Gods of
heaven. Science, with its pure observational method, free from
superstition, found itself the real master of nature. The Earth's
secrets and footprints of life became codes to crack and possess. We
are astonished daily by its inventions and findings.
Philosophy, as the roots to all science
that changed the world and the evolution of human consciousness, is
still searching for the true meaning of life. Truth and consciousness
are heavy words that cannot be used lightly in connection to the
destruction of our environment. If consciousness made humans superior
as the rational species of nature, then intentionally and totally in
control of its actions, mankind is arrogantly and greedily destroying
the irrational world; it's own habitat. Why? Simply, because it has
the power to do so and nothing is stopping it's way to
self-destruction.
Seen from this perspective, the human
race as the superior species appears more mad than rational. Mad and
cowardly because we feel incapable to do anything effective to
protect our earth, our world with all it's beautiful irrational
species, each animal, each plant, each flower.
To paraphrase Oscar Wilde: to speak the
truth, we need a mask or a jester's hat. In the old court of kings,
jesters were the only ones who could lampoon their kings without
losing their heads. What has gone wrong? Are we all silent
witnesses and willing or unwilling participants in the demise of our
earthly paradise?
It is the responsibility of rational
man to bring a new and humble view of ourselves; to place us in this
bountiful world as part of it, and not as its consumers and
destroyers. If this is not done, the ethics and moral values that we
have always cherished as human beings, necessary for a better society
would cease to mean anything and have no purpose.
We don’t need to return to pagan
worship to care for our planet. Intelligence and clarity should
provide the wisdom necessary to review society’s values. If the
vital elements needed to sustain life, like water or air are damaged,
making our wonderful planet hostile to life, then everything else
becomes irrelevant. Humanity as the rational and thinking species of
the planet would have failed itself.
There are still places on the earth
that appear like paradises, a habitat to unique species of animals,
trees and plants. Beautiful breath-taking places on the summit of
the high Andes, full of lakes, sun light and rainbows, sources of
water for millions of people. By common sense these places should be
protected as world heritage. Together with the rain forest they are
the remaining lungs of the world. They are not protected and right
now they are at the point of being destroyed in the latest gold rush
for El Dorado in Colombia. Here we can see an example of irrational,
environmental devastation.
The modern-day conquistadores are
multinational gold mining companies, whose sole motivation is pure
economic greed. Colombian people are just waking up to the fact that
they must protect their patrimony and their right to the basic
elements that sustain life. During the next few months, the Colombian
government will decide the fate of Santurban Paramus.
Whatever happens in Santurban will
determine the fate of nearly half the world's delicate ecosystems.
Gold mining opens the mountains apart and contaminates the waters
with cyanide, destroying all forms of life around it. The idea that
gold mining is at the point of destroying this unique ecosystem is
mind shattering. Do we need gold to eat or to live? Why aren't
these modern Midas kings being stopped? If we continue, the next wars
to come will be fought over clean water and clean air, fertile earth
and land to grow crops.
If recycling bottles and cardboard
packaging makes people in the first world complacent about our duties
to our planet, then we must think again. Africa and Latin America is
being torn apart by first world mining companies in their endless
search for resources to satisfy the markets. We don’t need to be
poets or have brilliant minds just to appreciate the wonder of life
itself. What will become of our future, or the future of our
children?
Carolina Spellman
Photograph by Ruby Morales, ambient
journalist of Santurban lagoon systems.
