When Destruction Is Seen as Progress
I love Steemit, I write one post which engages some awesome authors on here and a discussion begins about said post and from there comes the inspiration to write another post. I have recently been added as an author to @tribesteemup, when I first discovered what this project was about I was very impressed. It was created by @kennyskitchen in order to help people who write about topics that are catalyst's for change, it started out as people he knew and now it has grown to over 200 authors. Being involved has allowed me to get to know some of these great authors and to interact with them, people that I can relate to on a lot of issues.
So after a discussion with the lovely and inspirational @brightstar (who is also part of TribeSteemUp)on my last post , I was inspired to write this post. To me that is what is so good about being part of a community, we help inspire one another, we lift one another up and therefore we grow together.
I have always had a problem with the whole them and us mentality. I believe there is too much segregation in life as it is. So many divides have been created, between us all, to do with class, sex, the colour of our skin, the way we choose to live our lives, leading to so many isms, so much disrespect, so much ignorance. We need to be looking at ways in which we bring people together.
But then I look at the way that some people view the destruction of the world as progress, how am I meant to connect with those people and do I even want to. Here in lies my dilemma. It really does upset me and at times I can get angry, but those emotions are strong emotions and they can be used in a proactive way in motivating me to do better in my own life and also in trying to get as much information out there as possible.
The way I see it, in order for us humans to really strive, the preservation of our home should be paramount.
Yet we have reached a point where some believe that the world only consists of resources for humans to use how they see fit. There is no desire to see any sort of relationship between themselves and the other beings on this planet, that thought would never enter their minds, because to them they would never identify the trees, animals or plants as living beings, to them they are seen as a commodity.
I don't even understand how some can believe that humans will survive if we continue to pollute the planet and use up all the resources available to us. How can we continue to be healthy, if we are polluting the air we breathe and the water we drink. So much money is being pumped into the medical system, yet the fact, that what we use to clean our homes and ourselves are toxic to both us and the planet is being ignored How is this progress. How is the use of toxic materials to build our homes progress.
How is creating an economic system that is destroying the planet progress. But then, doing all of this things leads to control, and that is what those in power want to maintain at any cost it seems. But they must know that really what they are doing to the earth they are doing to themselves. Or maybe not. There has been a huge push for people to distance themselves from nature for a long time now.
This is when people where expected to become more civilized, to behave in a more civilized manner. To appear more dignified, to become successful in life. Where success is measured by the possessions you owned. So the ideas of wealth and success changed. Because now success for some is built at the expense of those they exploit. It is based on improving their materialistic lifestyle. This huge push to disconnect oneself from nature does seem to have worked. Because if we disconnect ourselves from the natural world, does it then make it easier not to care, when we destroy it? Does it deafen our ears to the suffering that is happening around us?
I can't answer that question because I have always felt at home in nature, I am happy to be part of nature and to acknowledge that my home is the planet. I have no desire to destroy what I am part of. But even that is unavoidable, we have become very dependant on materials that are damaging, plastic being one of them. I am trying to reduce my impact on the planet as best I can.
Of course there is a lot of positive progress in the world too.
Sustainable living, the amount of people learning permaculture .
They are so many amazing projects happening around the world.
There are amazing communities of people coming together, we are witnessing that here on steemit.
To me Progress is when we achieve something that has no negative impact on the planet.
It can mean different things to all of us, so what do you consider to be progress?
1st Image Source:https://www.newdesigns.info/planet-in-danger-quotes.html
Big Big Thank You To @byn for designing my logo.
<3 great points lady! i took cannot understand how humans as a whole are choosing to destroy our home. we are the land and air we breath, the water that flows... it makes no sense and yet it perpetuates, likely because of the "status seeking ways" you mention that depend upon this exploitation!! i am glad people like you are writing passionately about this and we're finding one another on steemit. i believe us writing about it is like the slow tide that finally carves the canyon wall <3
Thank you @mountainjewel, I knew ye two would think the same as me, really happy to be on this journey with ye guys, bringing more awareness to this beautiful planet we call home xx
I think a big problem is that many people have been conditioned to forget about our connection to the Earth. They don't see it as our home, and that we're destroying our only home. I think a lot of people are unaware of this and see the land as a place to get resources -- Or they don't think that the problems will come in their lifetime, and sadly they don't care about the future of the human race.
I think a lot of people are born into families who are already disconnected from the Earth, and that disconnection is passed down. The general population seems to be much more concerned in their personal bubbles, work-life, paying bills, getting a house... stuck in the system. Blinded by the media.
Most people spend their entire days locked in their small box-like apartments or houses, then put shoes on before they leave the house, disconnecting them from the actual Earth, and then get into box-like cars and drive to box-like cubicles where they stare into screens all day long. Then back to their box-homes and into the TV set.... Sadly, there isn't much time to get in touch with nature in the mainstream lifestyle today, unless you make it a top priority. So sadly, I can see where all the problems are coming from.
I think we need to make this problem more mainstream and make more people aware of the amazingness of Mother Earth, and come to terms with the fact that she is our one, and only, home, and how we NEED HER. She doesn't need us. We need to start helping to open people's eyes to this disconnection and give more gratitude and love to the Earth.
So thank you for this post. It is getting more conversation started on this topic and will hopefully get more people to start questioning things. To open their eyes and breath in the abundance of fresh air and awaken to the magic all around us and realize the importance in protecting it.
thank you @rainbowrachel, yes this disconnection form nature and our natural selves has been going on a long time, but I am so happy to see such a huge awareness happening now, for some that connection has always been there. Really great connecting with you on here and thanks for the great response, this has to be one of my favourite things to talk about and bring awareness to, our lives are so abundant when we open our eyes to our natural environment and embrace our beautiful wild side xxx
Oh my god you two are amazing!!!!
Yes, definitely. We have a responsiblity to connect.
Be careful of generalisation though - in my experience, people love to connect to country, EArth. But we do live in Australia, and we all are brainwashed to be proud of land and country - yep, patriotic brainwashing used in a good way! I love how schools take kids out on nature camps and kids just LIGHT UP being in nature. I truly believe that if you give them that experience ONCE, it'll hook them for life. They'll always come back to it.
The problem with humans is that they think of themselves as a superior specie, able to do anything, rule over the Earth. Once the resources will be depleted and the pollution will be to big to handle, everything will plunge into chaos.
No other specie existing on Earth has had such a devastating impact on the planet in such a short time. Pollution, deforestation, plastic and so on, will lead to our extinction faster than we think.
I know it is so obvious to some but so many are in denial or just overcome with greed, crazy times indeed, I am very happy though to connect with so many on here that are aware and actually care, thanks @lymepoet xx