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Paper #8
November 10, 2015
Getting Deeper in Religion
My body was telling me how it was so exhausted with all the activities that it had to go through that day, but my spirit was saying the exact opposite. I felt the deepest part of my heart being touched. Putting behind all those years as a wanderer, I started to feel the utmost comfort in my heart –the kind of feeling that made me feel secure, relaxation and warmth.
Similarities:
The Earth is undergoing crisis, yet people are failing to acknowledge it. Then what is the best way to share this knowledge? Elizabeth Kolbert, the author of The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, and Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway, the authors of The Collapse of Western Civilization: A View from the Future suggest that the easiest way to communicate the imminence of our situation is through the written word.
In both books, the ongoing environmental issues are referred and they alert us that they are not something distant from us but an emergent issue in need of action.
THE SIXTH EXTINCTION
l “It occurred to me that the frog and their progeny, if they had any … would never again touch the floor of the rainforest but would live out their days in disinfected glass tank. (p22)”
l “If you want to think about why humans are so dangerous to other species, you can picture a poacher in Africa carrying an AK-47 or a logger in the Amazon gripping an ax or … holding a book on your lap. (p246)”
l “No other creature has ever managed this, and it will, unfortunately, be our most enduring legacy. (p269)”
Environment change is the definitely the hotspot of the world today. In recent years, major countries hold a lot of conferences discussing the environment and climate issues. More and more people are paying attention to environmental issues. Elizabeth Kolbert, Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway show their concerns about climate changes and the environment problems human are facing in their books “The Sixth Extinction” and “The Collapse of Western Civilization”. The authors write in different ways and convey different concerns while both states that human actions are the main factors of the climate change.
How effective is this type of story telling-what are Kolbert and Oreskes/Conway setting out to achieve- what kind of response are they looking for?- who is the audience?
Both texts serve as warnings and calls for action, they are meant to inform us, the general public, business leaders, politicians, and scientists focused on environmentalism alike.
Oreskes/Conway: the title contains the word “collapse,” which is a noun, can discuss past, present, or future, however this case represents a potential future (second Black Death, Second People’s Republic of China)
IMPACT*:
Climate Change in Fiction: Views from the Present and Future
“Climate change is happening, humans are causing it, and I think this is perhaps the most serious environmental issue facing us.” –Bill Nye
Climate change is one of the major issues facing humanity today. It is one of the most debated issues in American politics as well as around the world. Is it really a problem? What can be done to stop or fix it? Can we stop or fix it?
I chose to have class in the Erdman commons space today. I chose it because I think Erdman is such a distinctive dorm, and so unlike anything else we have on campus. I think most students prefer the more classic, Jacobean Gothic architecture at Bryn Mawr, and I'll admit that it's very impressive and aesthetically pleasing. However, I always thought Erdman had a certain endearing charm to it. I live in Exeter, New Hampshire, which is home to the largest secondary school library in the world. The library in question was designed by Louis Kahn, who also designed Erdman. I've noticed a few similar details in the buildings, and I think of Erdman as a little reminder of home.
In "The Collapse of Western Civilization," Oreskes and Conway point out that one ideology in particular that contributed to the creation of conditions responsible for the failure to transition into renewable energies. Before it is described in detail, it's pointed out that Western civilization knew what was happening and why, and still failed to prevent the collapse. This was particularly alarming to me, because I feel the same way. When I meet someone who doesn't believe in climate change, I can't bring myself to empathize or attempt to understand and appreciate their perspective.
