To be human is to live in a state of complexity. To have emotions, a sense of self and a sense of right and wrong are all characteristics of humans. As intelletual beings, humans put a barrier up between the natural world and the "man-made" world. Part of this problem is that humans see themselves as supreme beings, those of a higher power, this creates a larger gap with our connection to the natual world. The space between these two connected yet seperated worlds consists of art, images,
intelligence, and the alpha beth; verbal and nonverbal communications.
The turning point in human existance happened to be when symbols were created. This idea was not the factor that seperated humans from the natural world, the symbols mostly represented animals and other life that occurs in the natural world.The next stepping stone in human expistance was the creation of the alpha beth. This lead to what we now know as the alphabet, which has no letters or "symbols" that relate in any way to the natual world. This seperation proves that humans think of themselves as supreme beings.
Before the alphabet and even previous to the alpha beth, art and images were brought about. Without written language, "primitive" beings drew and painted images of the natural world around them. Before written language, art was the way for humans to keep their cultures in tune with their environment. Their "primitive" styles helped humans and indigenous cultures appreciate and become one with the natural world.
@oriana bissell,
ReplyDeleteMy favorite passage from this passage is "humans see themselves as supreme beings... [which] creates a larger gap with our connection to the natural world." It's an interesting idea to say that our intelligence is what exerts dominance over nature. Is it our large brain that allows to us fathom a thought of dominance over an alterior being (nature) or is it the presumption that more intelligence means a higher spot on a hierarchy? It could also be that humans simply have an ego which tells us we are the dominant species. Quite a unique perspective on why humans dominate nature. I enjoy this bolg post.
The written language, or alphabet, definitely has created a hierarchy within the society of nature. It separates us from the plants and animals because we have history. This does make us think we are supreme beings and overall leads to a disconnection with nature. All of this I agree with, but that is that not the only reason why I think we see ourselves as a higher species. To add to what you were saying, when the written language was created and agriculture, urbanization, and science were all developed our brains made a dramatic switch. That switch was from being right brained to now being left brained. This created a massive disconnection between nature because the nurturing part of humanity had disappeared. Once we stop caring about nature we see ourselves, as a single person much more higher and more important.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read this I was struck by the mention of a sense of right and wrong as a soley human characteristic. It seems that many people do not touch on that idea when it has played a crutial part in the human history. After all, don't people go to war fighting for what they believe to be right? However, I find fault when you say that our verbal and nonverbal communication is uniquely trait. While it may not be in a languarge we understand, it is understood that a birds call or a whale's song has a specific meaning to those creatures, which is a verbal communication. Animals also excel in nonverbal communication, namely mating rituals which may include a dance or display demonstrating an animals capability to a potential mate. Humans are the dominant species, but we must remember the animals we once held sacred.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate how you demonstrated the divide that humans create between the natural and the synthetic. Today's culture has few points where these separate worlds may still interact freely. For example, cities attempt to connect to nature through the creation of parks. But philosophically, that park is a completely separate world. It has clearly defined, impregnable borders and is isolated from the city. We try to integrate natural and artificial in almost every aspect of our lives, but usually fail to do so. We must strive to break down that barrier and unite the two worlds.
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