By: Jaxon Shain, Rutgers Newark Eco Club, Rewild NJ Movement Member
The language of modern science dogma is at once very complex and unable to touch the simplest of natural happenings. During this age of global society, different branches of study have different languages of origin. This leads to overly complex words. There can also be pride associated with learning these terms, along with an air of exclusivity. Most modern science describes life with materialistic philosophy, a truncated view-point of being.
Ray Troll, shapesoflife.org
Truncaded means without its top section. Modern science and its application has overly simplified models of nature that it mistakes for nature. In landscape design, even the name implies that there is a separation between the designer and the landscape. The emerging effects of this perceived separation, between the I and all else, is the 6th mass extinction–the loss of plant and animal homes around the world. This is due to abstraction meeting the natural world. As humanity is developing, we have forgotten about our roots and got lost in the mind. Many people have forgotten how to be stewards of the ecosystem, and instead have an extractive relationship with “natural resources”, rather than a harmonious relationship with nature.
For human rewilding to happen, we must first think about our relationship with the unknown. The vast horizon of what we don’t know that we don’t know causes anxiety in a world of tamed individuals. Through a natural process, humanity adjusts to this vast unknown, eventually finding harmony within.
For now, I will share a few images from a book called Permaculture, A Designer’s Manual. This design system seeks to work with, rather than against nature. These images describe patterns observed in the natural world.
Our overly complex scientific language confuses simple patterns that are obvious once seen. These images are just the start. Next time you are in the wilderness, I invite you to observe, and to be ok with not knowing.
I was helping lecture to some 1st – 4th graders from Newark NJ the other day. A few of them were swatting at a bee. I extended my hand and the bee landed on it. I showed them how to not be afraid of the bee, that if you don’t harm it, it (mostly) won’t harm you. This lesson was infinitely more valuable than anything I was talking about.
While I was talking about squirrels and trees, I mentioned that a tree grows from an acorn (but not that an acorn grows from a tree). A parent of a child didn’t know this and was left in awe and wonder. Our education system is largely failing at teaching what is important. It even fails at conveying the basics of modern science. It doesn’t give the simple necessary lessons that grow balanced humans.
A teacher there hadn’t touched grass in 10 years after getting a tick. I sympathize with these people, having emerged in a society so disconnected with nature.
I invite you to re-think how you think about nature. I invite you to be silent and still. And if you find a simple way to talk about complex things, I invite you to contribute to this community book called.
In some sense, modern development is nature. It’s what is occurring on Earth. To separate modern science from the evolution of the planet is to sell humanity short. Take care, you might just grow in ways you’ve never imagined.
As it flows~~~
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