Eco-feminism Essay

In 2008, Robert Louv wrote a book titled Last Child in the Woods which elucidates the expanding gap between people and nature. Louv develops an argument in one section of the book that states technology is the cause for the separation of people- specifically those of the technological generation- and nature. In the passage from Last Child in the Woods, Louv uses anaphora, rhetorical questions, and appeals to ethos to develop his argument regarding the gap technology is forming between people and nature.

Not only are the dominations of women and nature both patriarchally justified through the logic of domination, but the historical and social realistic conceptions of gender and nature are also both socially fabricated.

Prior to diving into the many new insights that can be comprehended while viewing history through a natural lense, it is important to define nature in this context. While man is technically a creation of nature, and therefore nature himself, he shall be excluded from this brief definition of what composes nature. Here, nature will be considered everything living or otherwise on this earth that is not a creation or product of humanity. All other creatures and parts of the environment are to be considered nature.

Through removal and technology, humans have started to become isolated from the wilderness and the nature around them. This view distinctly contrasts with Thoreau’s perspective. “Though he [Thoreau] never put humans on the same moral level as animals or trees, for example, he does see them all linked as the expression of Spirit, which may only be described in terms of natural laws and unified fluid processes. The self is both humbled and empowered in its cosmic perspective,” states Ann Woodlief. The technologies that distract and consume us, and separate us from the natural world are apparent. Many people and children ins cities have seen little to no natural-grown things such as grass and trees. Even these things are often domesticated and tamed. Many people who have never been to a National Park or gone hiking through the wilderness do not understand its unruly, unforgiving, wild nature. These aspects, thought terrifying to many, are much of why the wilderness is so beautiful and striking to the human heart. “Thoreau builds a critique of American culture upon his conviction that ‘the mind can be permanently profaned by the habit of attending to trivial things, so that all our thoughts shall be tinged with triviality,’” pronounces Rick Furtak, quoting Thoreau’s Life

‘The sheer popularity’ of stimulating nature or using nature as ad space ‘demands that we acknowledge, even respect, their cultural importance,’ suggests Richtel. Culturally important, yes. But the logical extension of synthetic nature is the irrelevance of ‘true’ nature— the certainty that it’s not even worth looking at. (Louv lines 9-19)

Throughout history, humans have had a strong reliance on nature and their environment. As far back as historians can look, people have depended on elements of nature for their survival. In the past few decades, the increased advancement of technology has led to an unfortunate division between humans and nature, and this lack of respect is becoming a flaw in current day society. In Last Child in the Woods, Louv criticizes modern culture by arguing that humans increasing reliance on technology has led to their decreasing connection with nature through the use of relevant anecdotes, rhetorical questions and powerful imagery to appeal to ethos.

Richard Louv writes a persuasive essay analyzing the relationship between nature and technology. His essay focuses on how technology is progressively altering the way we perceive nature. Louv believes that the more we are in contact with technology, the less in touch we are with nature. His persuasion throughout the essay uses many rhetorical devices to help the reader envision how much better “true nature” is.

Environmental scanning can be viewed as a way of acquiring information about outside events that can aid organizations in first identifying potential trends, then interpreting them

In “The Last Child in the Woods” (2008), Richard Louv argues that the separation between humankind and nature is occurring because of our rapid advancement of technology. Louv creates his evidence through anecdote of experiments with genetic technology and his friend’s shopping experience to celebrate “survival in the material world,”; imagery of times spent looking outside of the backseat and “understanding of how cities and nature fit together,”; and diction. He writes on this subject in order to remind both his generation and future generations of the beauty of nature and to urge future generations to hold respect and reverence for it. Louv pleadingly addresses the younger generation to hold the same wonder and amazement

Val Plumwood in her essay “Paths Beyond Human-Centeredness,” illustrates the impact that humans have on nature and non-animals when it comes to preserving environments. Understanding that nature has it’s living properties that let it thrive among its resources allows for people to grasp the complexities that come about when construction companies destroy the environment in which they work. Plumwood uses the term dualism to refer to the sharp distinction between two classes of individuals. There is the high class, which is considered as the “One.” In contrast, the other side of the division consists of individuals that are classified as lower and are subordinates to the “One” as “Others.” This account on dualism allows the reader to understand how humans can significantly alter the environment because of the way they perceive its resources and inhabitants. Plumwood defines five characteristics that illustrate the oppressive actions that change the connection between human relations and the relationship between humans and nature.

The environment is constantly being sacrificed for food production, toxic dumps, wood distribution, military testing, and other things such as these. And as usual, the root lies in profit. The corporations can’t afford to be concerned with the future well being of the earth and it’s dwellers. Also, environmental pollution can be connected to racism and classism because it is the poor communities that are used for toxic dumps and prisons, and it’s the poor people who work in the factories that require having contact with harmful chemicals and technologies, and generally the poor communities consist of people of color.

It is said that every human is an eye that can see but one ray of the unified truth, but often we become blind even to that particular ray. A remedial text to open our eyes, Nature is designed to bring man back to a “medicinal” nature so that we can once again awaken to see the world and experience it in its true form (Emerson, 11). Arguing that there are two parts to the universe, the soul and nature, Emerson elucidates how “the whole of nature is a metaphor of the human mind,” although conventionally these facets are viewed as two distinct and disjointed entities (Emerson, 19). Isolated from nature, man does not understand that they are the manifestation of nature, and instead they become enslaved by convention. The standard which projects meaning and significance to the world, the quintessential man only becomes human through the interaction and unity with his surrounding world as he seeks to discover nature and himself through beauty.

The first part of this essay will outline the main arguments of the feminist ecologists and deal with the concept of Ecofeminism. The second part will sketch the main arguments of Rosemary Radford Reuther book, "Gaia and God". The final part of this essay will analyze: Starhawk's The Spiral Dance, "Witchcraft as Goddess Religion", The Homeric Hymn to Demeter, and "the Descent of Inanna" and examine the pros and cons of the position that a return to goddess worship would save our planet.

Nature is merely our instrument of conquering one another. By manipulating what already exists, we create everything from nuclear warheads to high speed internet. The continuous competition between men feeds off of our technological advancement—none of which would be possible without the resources Nature provides for us. And rather than being grateful for the unequivicable power so generously offered us by our environment, we instead mock its existence. We distract from the cunningness and cruelty of our efforts toward mankind by relabeling our target ‘Nature’ rather than ‘each other’. By convincing ourselves we are somehow beginning to have Nature within our control and understanding, we forget that Nature is really only the means, not the end of our conquest. We will not be satisfied until we have defeated ourselves. As Lewis puts it, “Human nature will be the last part of Nature to surrender to Man. The battle will then be won… But who, precisely, will have won it?” (The Abolition of Man, 421)

Over time Western culture has been obsessed with dominance. Humans over non-humans, masculinity over femininity, wealthy over poor, western over non-western cultures. Deep ecological consciousness allows us to see through the perception of this dangerous illusion. A dominant world view is centered around maximizing and using natural resources for our destructive consumerist habits. Deep ecology is about minimizing and finding harmony with nature.