Going along with our nature theme I have been thinking about the connection between the environment and peace. This is an extension, I believe, of our relationship between Nature and Peace...and how our nature is shaped by our treatment of animal and plant food sources.
As noted previously, our our relationship with animals and plants which provide us with food is one of great disconnect. We treat them as though they are objects which in turn shapes us into objects.
The situation is similar in our relationship with the environment. Much like we treat food producing animals and plants as resources, we tend to treat other natural elements as resources as well. Beyond our raping of the oil sands, and destruction of ancient forests for fuel, we must consider the small, every-day ways in which we treat "nature" (here, referring to the outdoor, natural environment) as a resource for our consumption and similarly as ours to destroy as we please.
How can we truly be at peace when we constantly define ourselves in opposition to the environment in which we live?
What do you think? Is our relationship with the environment peaceful? If not, how can we make it more peaceful?
I won't try to answer this question but rather, as before, tell you my first step. Today, instead of taking the bus home I will walk. And rather than ignoring everything and remaining in my mind for the 70 minute walk I will attempt to deconstruct my surroundings - taking into account those elements which can viewed as destructive, violent or non-peaceful and those which are peaceful in order to better understand the human relationship to the outside world.
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