What is Culture, Nature, Humanity?

Throughout history humanity has strived to create a better world, a better environment for living, by controlling nature or replacing nature with its own improved construction.  Somewhere along the line humanity decided that it was more efficient to grow their own crops of food than to rely on nature and the technique of gathering.  Eventually humanity became more comfortable with the notion that “humanity knows best” and cleared forests and converted grasslands to farming fields that provided foodstuffs much more efficiently and better than nature.  An excellent example of humanity taking control of nature to better it.

The emphasis on nature has meant the degradation of human beings.  It has meant the exploitation of nature often at the expense of humanity, even if it meant subjecting others to the same exploitation and control applied to physical nature.  Emphasis on dominating nature has led, in part, to the crises in our society, the problems of pollution and growth and the social disorganizaation of our cities.

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Unfortunately, we as humanity have lacked the good sense to see ahead, or are forced by hard times to liquidate Earth’s “resources” for the gratification of the moment.  Humans fixated on their own welfare cannot help but be injurious to the rest of Creation. History shows that, rather than gratefully accepting the golden eggs, people have again and again killed the fabled goose for the best of all reasons: to make busy-work jobs, to make a minority rich, to satisfy frivolous wants far beyond the provision of necessities. The message is clear in the current economic system that discounts the ...

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