Unwinding the Spool of Civilization in Ponting's The Green History of the World and Quinn's Ishmael
Clive Ponting's The Green History of the World and Daniel Quinn's Ishmael both critique the dominant paradigms of modern human civilization-especially where its relationship with environment is concerned. Both feel strongly that we are in trouble. Neither are quite willing to make final connections and present us with a systematic method for getting out of our impending ecological crisis, but they both do spell out what has been wrong, what is wrong now, and what will happen should we choose not to take evasive action.
In the absence of similar works "in the canon" it is hard not to feel as though, (as the character Ishmael promised), if you accept their premises you are doomed to isolation for, those who see the future most clearly are usually outcasts, lost as to what power they may have to change minds and directions.
Enlightenment almost always comes at a price, often steep.
In the interest of exploring the necessity of dissent, let's follow that line of environmental thought a little further. Ponting presents us with the scientific/cultural evidence that backs up what Quinn is saying: that we as a species are destroying our foundations even as we proclaim our creation-Civilization-a success. If this massive breakdown and foreboding future are certainties, then we must ask-as Quinn does-who or what is telling us lies to make us believe otherwise? His character Ishmael calls it "Mother Culture" and insists that its pervasive voice acts to keep us on course even when large portions of the population have every reason to lose hope in Her tenets. This all-powerful entity would, presumably, include most educational establishments and media outlets, and so information to the contrary would rarely be funded or reported, and probably never directly emphasized.
Which leaves us with a challenge: using Thomas Kuhn's model for change in the social sciences, we must endeavor to see if the Ponting/Quinn paradigm for all civilization is merely a shift in attitude or-as would be difficult for Kuhn to imagine-an entirely new realization that carries with it remedies for the penalties it warns of. If this is a shift back in paradigm, to hunter-gatherer or Noble Savage imagery, then the potential for civil disruption is great. With the stakes of annihilation as high as they are presented, such a shift could justify sweeping political/economic reform that-in the absence of the believed-in reality-would only place more of the Earth's population in positions of subsistence and subservience.
The book is often cited as an environmental classic - of which there can be little doubt - but it is also said by some to have largely triggered the modern environmental movement. Its warning about the dangers of
Garret Hardin’s “Tragedy of the Commons” is an article that identifies the nation’s current problems and predicaments that can’t be resolved through the use of technical solutions. Hardin’s work heavily focuses on overpopulation, a prominent and unceasing issue that significantly distorts and affects the stability of the Earth and the abundance of the planet’s resources. In his article, he mentioned some reasonable and important solutions to overpopulation, but he also explained its downside and how the said solutions may not be ideal and practical. “Tragedy of the Commons” revealed that the human population will continue to flourish and how it will be greatly detrimental to our society unless individuals get the education that they need and
In the essay Island Civilization: A Vision for Human Occupancy of Earth , Robert Frazier Nash discusses the past and present human impact on the environment and offers solutions for the distant fourth millennium.
It is generally agreed that modern environmentalism begins with ‘A Fable for Tomorrow’, the first chapter in Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (1962). The fairytale-like opening to the book begins with the words, ‘There was once a town in the heart of America where all life seemed to live in harmony with its surroundings’, painting a classic pastoral picture where she describes civilization far from modern ills coexisting with nature yet away from the perceived danger of the wild. However pastoral peace swiftly gives way to destruction- 'Then a strange blight crept over the area and everything began to change. Some evil spell had settled on the community: mysterious maladies swept the flocks of chickens; the cattle and sheep
Robert Frost had always been interested in poetry even from a young age. He graduated from Lawrence High School at the top of his class along with Elinor White, who he fell in love with. He and Elinor then went their separate ways, while he went on to attend Dartmouth College she attended St. Lawrence University. He and Elinor did get married a few year later when they both had graduated and Robert was working different jobs as he was having no luck trying to publish his poems in the United States. Because he was not able to get any of his poems published he moved to England in hopes of better luck. After only a short time he managed to get a view works published in England and the news of his works started a lot of buzz. While all of this was going on he had no idea that people in America were also beginning to hear about his work. With the beginning of World War One he moved his family back to the United States were he took up job lecturing in colleges, but he was now living the life he had always wanted, a successful poet with a family. Throughout the rest of his life kept writing and publishing poems which he received many awards for.
...f impulsiveness and youth as a conduit to freedom. It can be inferred that characters Edward Hyde and Long John Silver can be compared, as both share a morally ambiguous background and are quick to gain pleasure from acts of impulsion. Overall Robert Louis Stevenson’s most popular novels showcase his stance on a number of concepts and ideas that are closely related with human psychology and the norms of society.
After learning about Robert Frost personally, I can understand his inspiration and appreciate the meaning behind his poetry. Following his technique throughout his pieces, it’s clear that his origin and relationships greatly influenced his style and the themes portrayed in his poetry. From landscape, to human nature, Frost creates everlasting feelings within his audience that by the enable them to learn a hidden message. Also, his common New England lingo and conversational speech, personalize the poem. From late nineteenth to mid-twentieth century, Robert Frost has shared his works with the entire world and his influence and impact on today’s society will never be forgotten.
The world is categorized into many ecospheres, among all, water and land. Upon further analysis, it is evident that both nature and humanity are interdependent. However, our anthropocentric views on the world have led to a golden age of mass production, accelerating beyond natures ability to regenerate itself. In the late 1950s nature was not seen as an item of importance, during the time civilization was captured by the topic of civil rights for the human being, rather than the detrimental natural surroundings. Often times, society does not utilize all the resources provided by the environment and can fall into the mindset of hurting the environment without knowing the full consequences. In Silent Spring, Rachel Carson exposes the hidden
Robert Browning was born on May 7, 1812 in a house on Southampton Street in Camberwell England. This was located in the new Suburbs of London. He was born to the parents of Sarah Anna Widerman and Robert Browning Senior. On the night of his birth a comet blazed over England. Browning had one younger sister born in 1814 named Sarina.
“Four-time Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Lee Frost was born in San Francisco” on March 26, 1874 to his parents Isabelle and William (Dreese). Frost lived with his loving mother, abusive father, and sister Jeanie. “Because his father was a violent drunk, Frost as a child witnessed the fury and rage of his father on a regular basis, and if his mother spoke in disagreement, William became brutal, smashing furniture and yelling” (Dreese). His mother, Isabelle would “run into the streets with her children to find refuge” (Dreese). Frost suffered from “stomach pains and other mysterious ailments” due to all of the emotional situations he went through while he was young (Dreese). His mother home-schooled him after he couldn’t handle going to public school. His love of nature started to evolve as he g...
Robert Frost wrote poetry about nature and it is that nature that he used as symbols for life lessons. Many critics have been fascinated by the way that Frost could get so many meanings of life out of nature itself. Frost‘s poetry appeals to almost everyone because of his uncanny ability to tie in with many things that one is too familiar with and for many, that is life in itself. “Perhaps that is what keeps Robert Frost so alive today, even people who have never set foot in Vermont, in writing about New England, Frost is writing about everywhere” (294).
Frost was a rural Yankee whose writings reflect everyday experiences-his own experiences, but was one who saw metaphorical dimensions in the everyday things he encountered. These everyday encounters held ground as his subject manner, combined with the rural setting of New England nature, seasons, weather and times of day. Frost’s goal was to write his poetry in such a way that it would cover familiar ground, but in an unfamiliar way or uncommon in expression.
Robert Frost is an amazing poet that many admire today. He is an inspiration to many poets today. His themes and ideas are wonderful and are valued by many. His themes are plentiful however a main one used is the theme of nature. Frost uses nature to express his views as well as to make his poetry interesting and easy to imagine in your mind through the detail he supplies.
Often called the most popular American poet of the twentieth century, Robert Frost achieved a worldwide reputation as a major poet early in his career. He and his family spent three years in England, where he published his first two collections of poetry, A Boy’s Will and North of Boston. Initially uncertain about the reception he would receive in the United States, he returned to New England in 1915 to find that his poetry had gained massive popularity among Americans. Frost’s poetry continues to claim a place in the hearts of today’s readers. If asked to name a poet, many would name Robert Frost. Elementary school children learn “The Road Not Taken” and “Mending Wall”. Frost’s poetry earned and keeps its popularity due to its appeal to a wide range of readers. Even those who don’t often read poetry can find something to enjoy. At first glance, Frost writes simply about nature, but beneath the beautiful imagery lays deeper meaning. Frost uses nature to convey his messages, some of which reflect the ideas of the earlier Romantic writers, such as the love of nature and the distrust of industry. While Robert Frost expresses beliefs shared by writers of the Romantic Period, he also describes his own ideas about love, death, and interpersonal relationships.
Frost uses nature as a reflection of human experiences; just like humanity it can have seasons and life cycles. He uses different scenes to depict a certain mood for readers to step into the psychological happening of a man. The idea of how seasons change, Frost compares it through the life cycles that humans encounter. Contrary to popular opinion, I believe that nature is not Frost’s central theme in his poetry; it is about the relationship that man has with nature in which can be seen from “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, “The Road Not Taken”, and “An Old Man’s Winter Night.”