The Culture of the Animals

An excellent defination of culture, pinquin. I was thinking out loud about the cultural differences between humans and animals. You could have just used one word, civilization. But what is civilization? As you say the teachings of generation after generation imparts layers of meaning that separate us from following the natural standards this world imposes. Try as we may we can never be greater than what makes existence possible. I realize saying that can get me into trouble. Such a statement cuts across imposed beliefs that more or less teach us we are apart from the world.

We have our brain as the software to develop ourselves and our surroundings to an extreme, but the trouble is we keep dumping the hardware we develop to make the trappings of civilization all over the place. For a wild animal there can be nothing wrong with being part of the natural surroundings. Wilderness is the essential part of the way they live. We expect them to live that way until they are in our way. For us to live in the same manner would be to "go feral" or "return to the jungle".

I suppose I�m partly asking myself what purpose is served by calling those people with natural ideas as uncivilized. For instance, a barbarian was not a civilized being and therefore the adjective, barbarian refers to a stage in human "progress" between the civilized and the uncivilized. Barbaric is the term used for certain qualities of barbarians, especially their crudeness or wildness. Barbarous may be used in the sense of implying a lack of civilization. It usually denotes what the more civilized call the cruelty that the less civilized are thought most likely to display.

 To which race of people does this term apply now? We no longer apply this term to indigenous peoples of the world for our understanding of culture has increased that much more. The more we find out the less savage their traditional ways become. Those called civilized are the ignorant in some cases. The term of barbaric has now become virtually obsolete in describing the customs of   �less advanced� people.

We could say those who live naturally are closer to the animals, but should not be used to say they are �animals� (in the barbaric sense), but still, where is the place of the educated animal lover in this scheme of things? There is a great confusion of terms here where the animals get to wear the mistakes we have made over the ages.

We look to wilderness places where the fundamentals of life still apply and know how much we still love the natural schemes. They are part of us that speak to us in non-verbal ways. For all we can do or say this natural world, working by laws we didn�t make, continues to happen as our most basic reality. To know something about this world that made our being possible is better than knowing nothing. Despite our living in city or suburb, we can respect natural happenings in ways that dignify the ultimate process. To accept the world as it is, no matter what our circumstances may be is the beginning of wisdom. 

What I�m saying is we need tough new approaches to old problems. I suppose it is easy to say this from an Australian pointy of view where we still have room, some wildlife and no need for people to live in compounds where they have security guards. You can go anywhere in a city. The same cannot be said for America, and yet they have the highest living standards in the world and consume half the world�s resources.

There is a case of the many being tricked by the few into thinking they are better off by having everything they want around them, yet all wealth comes at a cost.  Bet you would like to get your green card! Wouldn�t we all, but only because of being better off in living standards with more opportunities. They should have the card as a different color for it certainly is doesn�t mean the place is staying green.  

I love going to Asia, but have seen parts go down the sink almost overnight. For all their population only a small part of the building boom goes towards housing or feeding people. Many religions of today beg for funds to keep people in the destitute areas alive. A whole raft of charity stories hinge on telling about human suffering and how noble to do something for them. These stories are propped up despite those areas remaining destitute. Perhaps they live in a land and climate where they are adapted to die young in relation to others of the world. So let us stop the misery these people have suffered since time began?

Many in third world countries suffer because they are overpopulated. How dreadful to say let forces of nature do their work and reduce their numbers. Let them live longer and overcome the dreadful work of nature over millions of years and get them to work factories to produce our sprays and plastics. What is called civilization worships something above this world without care for the health of the planet.

Where does it stop when false values are imposed? Natural senses become dulled by environmental destruction.  How can we understand those who live according to their environment, even if for a shorter term of life? Attempts at global cleanup have been no more than cosmetic yet the future of humanity as a whole depends more links with the environment. Lands are fast becoming housing estates and office blocks, yet much of the land taken by cities could grow more and better food.

Environmental destruction comes as an unchained monster that runs amok without check, and where ways of desolation are give free rein. We need seek more preservation of the natural and more harmonious ways of progress. We need the expansion of commerce as the source of public wealth, not enormous buildings for a few dominant companies that only end up restricting individual freedom.

If progress means artificial pity or profit then telling the truth always becomes victim. Dictatorship of thought arises. Truth can best be told in the light of natural means and not given to us by those who peddle artificial standards. Those who follow natural ways want the good things in life, but not that which is built on exploitation.