Biophobia is defined in the article Love it or Lose it; The Coming to Biophillia Revolution as an
aversion to nature. On the other end of the spectrum you have Biophillia which
is affinity to associate with other life forms.
When discussing the origin and consequences of Biophobia the author
gives a good reason as to why it exists. He states that “It was necessary to quiet
whatever remaining sympathy we had for nature in favor of hard data that could
be weighed, measured and counted, and counted on to make a profit.” With the increase in technology businesses have
become more competitive than ever before, and the ability to assess and
rediscover ways of getting ahead have increased. You can now calculate how many
people you reach with advertising, what parts of the day are more profitable, and
numerous of other things that were not available to us before. Because of the
competiveness, there is little room for failure and only the things that can be
seen, measured, and counted on to make a profit matter. People and
organizations don’t care about saving or embracing nature, that is, unless it
can be used to help them make a profit. “And immediately ahead is the
transformation of human consciousness brought on by conjunction of neuroscience
and computers in machines that will simulate whatever reality we choose. What
happens to the quality of human experience or to our politics when cheap and thoroughgoing
fantasy governs our mental life?”
This is
a very powerful statement in the article and it makes you analyze the way you
view the world versus the way it really is. It suggests a slow change in the
mentality of populations, and an increasing gap between the way we think and actual
reality. Our experiences are in
computers and videogames, and machines that can minimize the amount of work
needed. It leaves behind the need for face to face communication, interaction
between the real world, and the need to go outside. The world is making it
easier for biophobia to exist where “Undefiled nature is being replaces with
defiled nature of landfills, junkyards, strip mines, clear cuts, blighted
cities, six-lane freeways, suburban sprawl, polluted rivers, and superfund
sites, all of which deserve our phobia. “ With less undefiled nature, and more
man-made structures, there is less to be able to enjoy. Not only that, but an
increase in the amount of things that can harm us and are subjected to by being
outside give us more reason to stay inside. The book gives examples of the
ozone depletion which causes cancer and cataracts, and the spread of toxic
substances and radioactivity which means more diseases. These very things that
cause our fears, are also caused by our fears. It “sets into motion a vicious
cycle that tends to cause people to act in such a way as to undermine the
integrity, beauty, and harmony of nature, creating the very conditions that
make the dislike of nature yet more probable.” And so many people sit back and
watch this all happening, aware of the limitations within ourselves and our
actions, but no motivation to act upon it. “Life ought to excite our passion,
not our indifference. Life in jeopardy ought to cause us to take a stand, not
retreat into a spurious neutrality.” Why
then, are so many people passionless to take control of their lives? “We cannot
in such things remain aloof or indifferent without opening the world to demons.”
How can we sit back and watch the slow destruction of our world, and how can we
be so apathetic towards life? This apathy will be our death wish.
No comments:
Post a Comment