Here are some inquiries into the idea that humans are perhaps not better off, in terms of quality of life, and despite the relative comforts that come with the modern world, since/because of the following developments in our history:
(1) Agriculture (10,000 yrs ago) – domestication/manipulation of plants and animals
(2) Scientific Revolution (400 years ago) – mechanistic model of the universe, soul less/lifeless
(3) Industrial Age (100 years ago) – a world of machines, automated motions
(4) Information Age (Present) – isolation of non-communal life; short term satisfaction/hollowness of virtual realities
Paul Shepard asks, “Why do we persist in destroying our habitat?” Human beings have spent 99% of our evolution living hunter-gatherer lives. What happened? And why is it happening so fast? Are we better off with these sudden, modern changes? How did we become so separate from the seemingly natural order of things?
This site contains selected quotes on these subjects. The sentiments of the following writers suggest that psychological/sociological/economic/environmental catastrophe will increase as long as meaningful “I-Thou” relationships to Nature decrease. There is some, very little, of my own commentary, often for the purpose of connecting ideas from other writers. I have also provided a short introduction for every book. Introductions and commentary are indicated by an indented dash. I have put some sections in bold if they seem to be a particular highlight of the work.
In the Blog section, there is a "working list" of titles that will eventually appear on this site.
In the Essays section, a couple of self-penned college papers can be found.
Currently working on setting up a forum page so comments and discussion can happen.
Top Books that inspired this site:
The Tender Carnivore and the Sacred Game, Paul Shepard
Wandering God: A Study in Nomadic Spirituality, Morris Berman
Death of Nature: Women, Ecology, and the Scientific Revolution, Carolyn Merchant
Beyond Geography: The Western Spirit Against the Wilderness, Frederick W. Turner
In Search of the Primitive: A Critique of Civilization, Stanley Diamond
The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-Than-Human World, David Abram
Saving the Appearances: A Study in Idolatry, Owen Barfield
The Idea of Wilderness: From Prehistory to the Age of Ecology, Max Oelschlaeger
Wilderness and the American Mind, Roderick Nash
Don’t Sleep, There are Snakes: Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle, Daniel Everett
Lame Deer: Seeker of Visions, R Erdoes/John Fire Lame Deer