"You die because you're at the mercy of the gods. You die because you think the gods are going to look after you." (225)
I've always seen self-suffiency as important to a fault. I try to rely on no one but myself and that includes divine intervention. And through this book, I've learned it's quite the contrary way to live. I don't always have to be fighting to find my own path. I don't have to fear that interdependence will lead to some kind of failure. It sort of ties back with the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People in it's explanation of interdependence but taken in the context of the whole world as a system and community. We have to trust that if we don't mess up the world, it will provide for us. It's difficult to let go of the reins of power but changing our story is the only way that we can end the war against nature.
 |
| Our war against nature is leaving a path of death behind us. |
Now, I'd like to tackle a second subject which I personally found very intriguing because of my personal interests. That is, the use of history in Taker culture. Because in some weird sense we Takers are obsessed with the past. We dig up and study artifacts for all eras and make believe what it would be like to live in that time period. We even go as far as to reminisce on the 'good ol' days' and how life was better and simpler and people were better behaved.
"In short, ancient customs are nice for institutions, ceremonies, and holidays, but Takers don't want to adopt them for everyday living." (202)
But no matter how fascinating or important we deem the past, we never actually try to move back in that direction. It's all about show and pretension. I find that particularly depressing because I personally love learning about history. I love reading on ancient battles or long-ago voyages. But as I examine deeper, I notice almost all of the subject matter which interests me is just the older form of the Taker culture. I know next to nothing about the early hominids but can recite all six wives of King Henry the 8th. I suppose it's just another area of study that I need to work on expanding upon.
Lastly, I'd like to cover our role in the ecological system as a whole. For the first two thirds of the book, Ishmael routinely denied that mankind was meant to be the lords of the earth. The trouble was, he never did say what we were meant to be until those last few pages.
"We were never meant to be the only players on this stage. Apparently the gods intend this planet to be a garden filled with creatures that are self-aware and intelligent." (242)
I loved his description of being the trailblazers or pathfinders. Of us serving as an example to all the developing intelligent life and help lead them towards a better future. It's not that we are the rulers or the masters- we are also still growing and changing. But the trick is to be a guide in search of living more in harmony with our planet. I know that sounds truly "hippy" of me and maybe a little naive but why can't it be the truth?
 |
| See, even wild and domesticated animals don't have to be at odds with one another. |
http://www.hvrsd.org/timberlane/students/RachelC/
"You can't say, 'We're going to change the way people behave toward the world, but we're not going to change they way they think about the world or the way they think about divine intentions in the world or the way they think about the destiny of man." (249)
On this last quote, we must remember that there is no easy answer. There's no 12 step plan you can follow that will immediately right everything messed up in the world. And we can't just keep making laws and hoping it will curb behaviors. To truly change another's actions, you must change their minds. It's a longer path to take but the end result is worth the effort.
No comments:
Post a Comment