What is so wrong with living in harmony with our planet, rather than abusing it?

Question

All this talk about Global Warming. We could have avoided the whole issue if we were smart enough to begin with. Just simply living in harmony with nature. ie: Not polluting the air, the water, cutting down the rainforests, over fishing the oceans, wasting the natural resources provided for us. Using renewable resources, etc.

And we are supposed to be the "Superior beings" on the planet. Meaning we really should know better, and we do know better, we've been talking about it for years, when you really think about it. Just look back to the 70's, and the Love Canal superfund site, Erin Brockovitch, etc...

I know we have the technology, but corporation's block it, because of sickening greed. Why don't we have enough freaking morality, to stand up to these bastards?

Still, we choose to continue pillaging, and plundering, and slowly making the earth less and less habitable, not even considering future generations.

Why can't we just all work together and do something?

So how do we get these ignorant lazy people off their ignorant lazy butts????

To: Dad, I've been trying to figure out how to educate the lazy ingorant ones for years. They just hear only what they want to hear and stop listening. Any ideas?

To Chunky: Unfortunately I live pay check to pay check. I wish I had the extra money to invest in a company for alternate resources. I try to contribute by recycling, using high intensity flourescent bulbs instead of incandesant, I walk when I can, instead of drive. It's small stuff, but I try.

To byderule: I didn't say humans ARE the superior beings on this planet. I said we are "supposedly" the superior beings. You didn't thoroughly read the question, and took it out of context. We do have the ability to think, and act upon that thinking, therefore, we should be smart enough to know we are killing our planet, and still choose to deny that simple fact.

No stars? Gee I thought this was a good thought provoking question. Oh well. Such is life..... ; )

Answer 1

The one good thing humans are good at is procrastination...thinking and thinking and wondering and actually not doing anything about it. No one is going to adapt to slow change. something radical has to happen where we HAVE to work out a way. For instance no fuel for cars. Wat happens? we just have to walk...that's that...no choice. People WILL do it if they HAVE to. Streets are so polluted it's like a catch 22. I walked to school it took 1/2 an hour each way and when i got home i would be coughing up black stuff. I stopped because i thoguht it was really bad for me. If everyone stopped driving together the air would be clean enough to that walking would be pleasant. Why not invent an incredably warm bedding so to stop people from using electric blankets and hot water bottles. Listen or make real live music instead of switching on the radio. there are many big things we can do.

Humans love power, and we think that we rule the earth, but my god, have we been mistaken. Mother nature rules this earth and its fury can wipe out whole countries at a time. Earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis etc etc we do not own this planet and the only force that we cannot fully control is mother nature. We are teasing mother nature and we are abusing mother nature and someday she will retaliate with such force we will be knocked out of our socks!

Answer 2

I'm with you on this one, being a native of San Francisco where we take care of nature and are rewarded clean air, good weather and other natural benefits, I have begun to be environmentally concerned because I moved to VA and realized how bad people are to the environment and the consequences for their actions. The reason is people are ignorant and stupid. We have so many solutions out there like solar energy, wind, corn, petroleum and other renewable resources. Let's face it, oil is not there forever and we need to realize that we will run out of fossil fuels and we need solutions or this could be ugly. I mean fossil fuels can be used but not at these excessive rates. It is just not right or nice. Nature is what gives us life and instead of being nice to it like you said, we are hurting it and it is reacting violently with hurricanes, sunami's and other disasters especially in places with careless people like the south and midwest or mid atlantic or LA. And fossil fuel solutions will not only fix the environment, it will fix political issues in the middle east and why do you think we went to Iraq? People complain about gas prices but don't use renewable sources. We can do what i said or spend the next hundred years finding absolute zero. Your pick.

Answer 3

Because it's unconventional. It also unsettles people because they don't understand it or don't want to face the reasons behind the behaviour of those living a sustainable lifestyle.

It is also a generation thing where those who are settled into a way of life feel unable to change and therefore old, disempowered or threatened by the younger 'generation'.

If you look back in history you will see many comparisons. I think an important one is world war two in the UK where there was a considerable cultural effort both in entertainment and information to get all sections of society to pull thier weight.

It was said there were two people who won the war; Winston Churchill and Tommy Handley (UK bias), who was the most popular comedian of the time.
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Answer 4

Wow great speech but you know what they did to us back in the 70s they called us freaks and sent there troops out after us . Yes they are bastards > people that are reading this are probably part of the people that you call bastards without knowing it . DO YOU HAVE A PLAN ?!! Growing our hair long and protesting didn't do any good back in the day that's all they did was kill some of us . NOW WHAT ? Come up with a good plan and maybe just maybe you will get a few to listen but doubtful

Answer 5

To Live in harmony with the planet is is nessecary to adopt the concept that we are merely components or pieces of the Eco system as a whole ,not some superior being which is above Nature the animals ,even Earth ,but rather a part of it.

How ever this kind of thinking directly contradicts the ruling religions.

Just Look at the answers and questions in this forum ,to think like that .to suggest that humans are not above everything .leaves one open to ridicule ,insults ,attacks .violation notices ,even suspension.

Harmony has become a swear word ,concern for the planet has become filthy liberal conspiracies,.

Humans have been absolved from all blame of any Environmental destruction .

Negativity now rules ,excuses why we should be able to pollute ,deforest and destroy.have become the focus of dialogue

you say that we are supposed to be the superior beings of this planet ,Must be a human who invented that

Answer 6

I agree with you.. Some things should just never be FOR SALE!!! If we were to live in harmoney with the planet the whole political landscape would need to be changed. We would need to have a communistic approach to dealing with the interaction between people and planet.. Its like the doctor that lives up the street from me - he was able to obtain a permit to build a sea-wall along 2 miles of pristine white sand beach that all the birds would forage for food on... So, now wading birds no longer have a 2 mile strech to eat at... It piss's me off so bad!!!!! Something things should never be for sale!!!!!!

Answer 7

The industrial revolution isn't like it used to be.
People and companies do care, and are doing things about it.
But people do need to learn, most things that are harmful aren't known till later.
It's not that anyone was lazy, they simply didn't know.
Most things cost a lot, like geothermal power.
We could all have free power using this technology, but it cost to much for an individual get this sort of technology.
But whats stopping you or anyone to start up a company using this technology?
Could it be the same laziness you are accusing them of?
I'm sure it's not, but there isn't enough investors to put up the money, but maybe you would? I know I would.

Answer 8

Living in harmony is the right and intelligent way to live to abuse it is wrong and stupid.
Stupid because for whatever reasons you abuse it you are going to end up losing and making a complete mess.
If we had lived in harmony with nature today we would have a much cleaner earth and all of us would be pursuing something really nice and interesting rather than arguing and fighting against idiots who believe in abusing this planet and making everyones life miserable.
Its just so much waste of our precious life and an existence of pain and suffering.

Answer 9

Nothing whatsoever is wrong with living in harmony with the planet. We are all part of the same interconnected, interdependent eco system.

Why can't we just all work together and do something?
We can, but we need to see things very differently to the way we see them now. We need a new ideology that recognises the web of life, the equality and value of ALL living things, their interconnection, or 'oneness' with each other. That promotes the intrinsic value of all living things, you are right, it is not hierachical with man being at the top of the list. We should seek to meet all needs of all living things including clean air, water, food, habitat, reproduction/maintenance of species.

Mankind must seek to minimize his own negative impact on other things, this is multi dimensional and emcompasses everything from meeting his own needs to promoting diversity, habitat renewal and restoration. This is done by protecting wild places, natural ecosystems for the benefit of all living things, not to meet man's greed/need.

Unsustainable human practices should be redesigned to be truly sustainable and leave least impact on wilderness/natural systems as possible to recognize we are part of and dependent on the Earth, not superior, grasping.

Permaculture can be used to help redesign human habitats, biocentrism can replace consumerism. Social Justice can promote the needs of all people, develop community, local biodiversity and enrichment not depletion of habitats. Social Justice as PART OF the natural system, not separate and superior to it. A starving man does not care about chopping down rainforest to cook his meat, his only concern is eating. Social justice helps fulfill all peoples' needs to prevent more damaging practices that destroy the environment. Redesigning technology, systems for dealing with outputs, redesigning products/transport systems/housing etc all comes here. So it adds value to the environment, richness and quality to all living things, so that it does not pollute, poison or deplete them.

Lastly each INDIVIDUAL must come to their OWN philosophy that recognizes this 'oneness' of all living things. This 'morality' needs to be central to every being, automatic, inbedded in every action, thought and deed.

Answer 10

I agree whole heartily and speak out about the issue. I get made fun of, called strange and just chastised. But I do more than just talk I walk my streets and pick up trash, I try to be a good example of someone who does what they can and that does seem to turn more heads than just speaking out. I'm coming up with a plan now to involve the neighbors and their children in my picking up the neighborhood quest.

Sometimes actions are heard far louder than words. So I now act more than speak and it has had a positive impact on my neighbors.