Critical Reflection - Anthropocide
It is in our nature to not dominate the natural landscape, however overtime, humans have been treated nature as non-living organisms (Bekoff, 198). Anthropocide centralises human actions to encourage people to make positive connections with Mother Earth, nature, and animals. By fostering this environment connection, and possibly identity, these social connections will decrease the likelihood of people artificially separating humans and nature (Bekoff, 200). Consequently, this connection will increase the likelihood of people protecting and caring about nature.
The idea of environmental identity can be connected with another concept called restorative justice. When navigating in the new cultural imaginaries of the Anthropocene, this term can bring a sense of duty and care to fix the harm created by humans (Higgins et al, 255). This kind of environmental approach invokes methods and principles that share mutual engagement and learning to produce green ideals. Moreover, the term restorative justice links well to Timothy Morton’s process of ecological thinking. Morton’s ecological thinking involves demonstrating co-existence between humans and nature, in which “art, philosophy, literature, music, and culture” connect the two (Morton, 4). Though this thought process is not only evident in these examples, but it can also be seen anywhere.
Ecological thinking provides humanities a profound perspective about the way people perceive nonliving and living things.By breaking down this barrier, it opens endless possibilities of what ecological thinking and awareness is about. Although no solution can be provided to the eco-crises of the world, an ecological thinking and awareness process can be intrinsically possessed to question human actions that are potentially harmful.
In the text Nature by Luther Standing Bear, the line “we shall soon pass but the place where we rest will remain will last forever” stands out to me when thinking of this concept (328). When humans leave earth, it is undeniable the earth remains, and our body returns to earth. This statement Standing Bear makes evokes a primary sense of responsibility the current and dominant living beings humans have when doing anything on earth.
The ecological thought present in these lines are a multitude of “entangled strange strangers” in which connecting with other beings creates profound connections (Morton, 15). Even though we may not know the next people to inhabit this Earth, it is in our power to pass on the kindness one can have towards nature.
Through these interconnecting themes, Anthropocide positions humans in the most responsible form to minimise the negligent actions of people. By doing so, a brighter and kinder future can be fostered for all life forms to grow happily in the shared spaces of Earth.
References:
Bekoff, Marc. Ignoring Nature No More : the Case for Compassionate Conservation. The University of Chicago Press, 2013.
Higgins, Polly, et al. “Protecting the Planet: a Proposal for a Law of Ecocide.” Crime, Law, and Social Change, vol. 59, no. 3, Springer Netherlands, 2013, pp. 251–66, doi:10.1007/s10611-013-9413-6.
Luther Standing Bear. “Nature.” Land of the Spotted Eagle, University of Nebraska, 1933.
Morton, Timothy. The Ecological Thought. Harvard University Press, 2010.