2 Possible Views of Nature

There are two distinct views one may take in regard to the vast majesty, the amazing, consuming, unfathomable hugeness of nature in comparison to us. There are two distinct ways of dealing with gazing over the unending miles of ocean or the continues bloom of a forest's trees. There are two distinct conceptions of our place in the seemingly incalculable expanses we see everyday if we but look out the window.




They are:


1. Nature is big and we are small. Humans can but only pitifully hope to churn up a few meters of dirt  in a few places on earth and otherwise have little impact on the Earth or Nature as a gigantic whole. Any conception that we are important in the grand scheme of things is a delusion: we are but tiny tiny boats in a sea larger and deeper than we can imagine. As such, we have little impact on the environment and thus little responsibility for its well being.


2. We have power over nature in ways cloaked a thousand fold by our relative size. The choices we make impact Earth more than seems apparent. As the dominate species on the planet, we have deep responsibility to ensure the continuance of the beauty that engulfs us. Not only for our children, but for the other species of the planet who make  up this so called Nature. While we sometimes cannot hold all of Nature in our minds, it is clear that we do hold all of Nature in our hands.









So step back and consider these two world views. Ask yourself what you believe: are we a spec floating in the wind or are we masters of our domain? If this exercise seems a little silly, that is because your mind is so made up about your view; remember that there are many many people out there with the opposite viewpoint.


More to come on this soon, but for now, take some time to figure out where you stand.