To wrap up my previous
posts about conservation (see The Price of Progress and onwards); the dependability of human nature to always sabotage
even the most well thought-out solutions to any problem facing our planet and
species, is why I think it is better to take a more pragmatic and yes I will
say it, cynical stance and accept humans for what they are. A ruthless and
cunning predator, who is always going to think about themselves first. Any
animal would do the same. Therefore, I think conservation efforts in their
current form is a losing battle in the long run because they are too focused on
micro-changes and too dependent on the goodwill of individuals. Yet I still
hope for a future for our animal roommates alongside us, but to achieve this it
would require us to progress further in our own evolution. To effectively
change our very nature. Does that seem like an impossible task? Maybe so, but
that does not change the necessity of achieving it.
Even with the futility
of their efforts, many conservationists still take up the fight against human
nature. And just because contemporary conservation might be a losing battle on
the macro-scale doesn’t mean you should stop fighting. You can still make a
huge difference in many micro-universes. Certain conservation efforts do create
change on the micro-scale, and if that is enough fulfillment for your efforts,
then by all means, do whatever you can. With that in mind, I have tremendous
respect for people devoting their entire life to saving other species and our
environment, even though they might be deluded by idealism and lost in
impossible dreams. At the same time I acknowledge our responsibility for our
birth planet. Mother Earth has great powers and could easily wipe out all of us
should she wish, but in all probability only with outside help from her cosmic
relatives or our own stupidity. But Planet of the Apes? Planet of the Insects? Could
our animal relatives take control of their own destiny while we are still here?
Not likely. In this current paradigm, if animals are to survive it is up to us.
We hold the responsibility for all living things on the planet, which is why
the survival and improvement of our own species should always take precedence. The
first thing they teach you in a Rescue Diver or a First Aid course is to look
after your own safety first. This applies in conservation as well. If this
means excluding other species for the time being then so be it. This is the
essence of survival and is at the core of our natural behavior. I hope it
doesn’t have to come to that, and I will continue to preach conservation as
much as I can on my own little micro-scale. But instead of using my energy
running around tying myself to trees, I prefer to try and change people’s minds
through writing and then maybe speed up our evolution so we can become a Type I civilization and finally live in pact with nature. Yet on the macro-scale I
know there is little I can do anyway, except maybe avoid disappointment and
sadness. Looking at the long timeline and the ultimate end goals takes care of
that and ensures perpetual optimism. Call me a cynic all you want, I prefer
realist. I have nothing but respect for people who still devote their life to
polishing the brass on the Titanic, but in the end I fear they are only heading
for disappointment because of the inevitability of human nature. They are
trying to patch up the bleeding, while they should be trying to prevent it
entirely. Both macro and micro-methods are a benefit, but as with everything,
they work on very different scales. Until we change our nature and rise higher
on the evolutionary ladder, no system of government or conservation effort will
save our species nor our planet. We have to save ourselves, and everyone needs
to do their part. Human nature, or rather animal nature, will be discussed
further in the following posts.
