I see myself as superior to woodland creatures, deep-sea wonders, and graceful aviators. I believe that a human’s superior intellect deems them of higher value than other creatures that do not possess this self-awareness. I believe that it is natural, even correct, to kill a living creature for food. But I need all other organisms to exist.
Unlike many suburbanites who believe that humans have the right to kill for their survival, I know that this right comes with an even deeper responsibility. Unlike those who see themselves as equal to nature, or even a part of it, as mentioned in Red Sky at Morning, I think that our superiority to the natural world is merely the vehicle for our duty to protect it. The kangaroo does not know the merits of bush fires as the Aborigines do, nor does the deer know the hunter’s impact on the larger ecosystem. Thus, this intellect, innate connection with nature, sense of duty, and propensity for guilt make humankind the master of nature.
But we have begun to realize that we are the master, and have become cruel and insensitive to the needs of our servants. Life was good when we lived as tribes, one with nature and hard-working. We did not suffer from illnesses, because the sick died young. We did not pollute, destroy, or endanger. The earth could bear the burden of our existence, and we could give to it as much as it gave to us. Obesity was not an issue, nor was malnutrition. Starvation did not kill countries’ poor. In a way, I wish the world was still like this. I wish I lived as a part of nature.
I appreciate technology, education, privilege, and modern medicine, but if we as a planet could somehow inch back to our predecessors’ ways, even just a little, we could eliminate infinite amounts of waste, pollution, and famine. I wish that our food system were close to nature, and the nutrients we consumed were not made in a lab. I wish that everything we did daily did not increase our risk of cancer.
But unfortunately, the majority of that can only stay a wish. People do not want to sacrifice their lifestyle for someone they do not know. So I hope only that people can become closer to nature, find their roots, and appreciate the world we should be taking care of; I hope that life will become more important than profit. But it may take a disaster to make that happen.
