Sunset
So, the first question you’re probably asking is: “what do all of those things have to do with each other?” and more importantly, “why should I care?” Ok, so this may sound a little preachy, but, we as a people have lost sight of our context. This is a theme you will see me address over and over, until we’re both sick of it. But, it is necessary to understand if we want to make a difference in this world. At least a positive difference.
Context is an understanding of where you are and where you belong. If you don’t know, then you’re automatically in trouble, and worse, if you forget, you’re in bigger trouble.
Let me explain by relating back to my title and your most likely first questions, outlined above.
First, Nature, is the natural creation around us. It is literally the world and all that’s in it – all that is natural, that is ‘God-made’ not ‘Man-made.’
Second, Geeks, are the people who are not quite Jocks and not quite Nerds. People who like technology, but don’t live there 24/7. People like me.
Third, The Environment, this is usually the context for Nature. My environment is where I hang out, be it outside with Nature, or inside a Man-made structure.
Fourth, Micro-Economics, is the study of the choices we make as individuals, whether personal or corporate. This is in contrast to Macro-Economics, which is the study of the choices we – collectively – make. This is the aggregate, or combination of all the Micro, or individual decisions.
So, now that we’ve got the terms down, let’s look at the questions.
First, “what do all of these things have to do with each other?” Good question. So, I need to tell a short story to tie them together, bear with me please.
So, I got sick last night, a fever. Felt horrible all night and couldn’t hardly sleep. I had been inside all day and decided after dinner to go for a walk to clear my head and get some exercise.
I’m walking around my neighborhood thinking about all the work I have to do to study for my Microeconomics test tomorrow. Lots of work, not much energy. Must make due with what I’ve got.
Then I walk to a small unmaintained park near my neighborhood. It’s really just a few lonely trails in the woods. Nothing special right? Wrong. It is amazingly rich in detail. But most people would pass it by and never give it a second thought. As do I most days. But today was different. I wanted to walk those trails, see if anything much had changed (I had walked them several times before, in childhood). And not much surprise, but there wasn’t anything new. Same trails, same trees, same bugs.
Despite the sameness of the trails, and my mental fog from my fever, and my worrying about my imminent exam, I felt a sense of peacefulness about being there, alone, in the woods with the bugs and the trees. It was quiet there. Like the stuff you would read about in a book by some existentialist like Thoreau or Emerson.
We, as humans, are contained within an Environment we call Nature. I as a Geek needed to remember where I was in the world. Not at a computer, like I am now as I write this post. Our context is the earth. Our place is in it. Not in our heads, like my worrying about my econ exam, or indoors with computers and TVs, radios and electronics, running water, and electricity. No, instead we belong in the earth, the Nature we neglect every day.
Now I am not a tree-hugging type person, although I think that the environment is very important I also like my hot showers and internet access. So, don’t get me wrong, I’m not just saying this stuff to be some kind of wild eyed activist who’s going to bonk you over the head with a recycled cardboard tube. I’m just trying to point out that we so often neglect our surroundings and what that means to our behavior, thoughts, and actions.
Indoors and at computers and in front of TV’s we lose signt of what is really important, the planet where we live. The plants and animals go on without our assistance, but they also get jolted by our interference. We need to be cautious about what we do.
So, back to my story, I’m in the woods enjoying the trees and wild grasses when I see some purple berries and I think ‘wow, those are cool, I wonder if they’re edible?’ And then it hits me, I’m a complete moron when it comes to wild berries. Not a big deal for most of us, since we’ve decided not to care, but in that moment it was a big deal to me. I felt small in this little place full of exotic plants I knew nothing about.
Next I came upon some ants. Again, I thought, ‘wow, I wonder why these ants built their mound here in the middle of this path. Man, I am a moron! I don’t know anything about wild berries or ants!’ Now being fully-depressed about my stupidity, I looked up at the sky and saw the sun setting behind the clouds and I thought, ‘wow, I don’t need to know everything about berries or bugs to enjoy this and I shouldn’t let it stop me in the future.’
So, then and there I resolved to spend more time in nature enjoying and learning exercising not only my body but my mind and my soul.
Now, to your second possible question: ‘Why should I care?’ One very important reason, called “The Tragedy of the Commons.” This is an economic term that originated in England. What happened was the villages would have a town square, or public lands, in the center of town, then they would build their houses and church outside the square, called the Commons. And despite these being good Christian people, they would raise goats and cattle, and then allow them to feed on the Commons, thus ruining the land.
So, the Tragedy of the Commons is that when you have public lands people tend to take advantage of this fact and misuse and abuse that privilege.
Now, back to my walk. I’ve just gotten back to the road from my trip into the wooded area on my way back home and I start walking along the sidewalk that leads down the worn down suburban road that leads back to my home, when I start to notice trash. Then some more, and then more.
This starts to get me angry, thinking, ‘how can people be so disrespectful of this wonderful land?’ But, then I remember the Tragedy of the Commons. And I think about how little time is spent in nature these days by most Americans. Especially city-dwellers. And geeks.
This all leads me to think that we as a society need to do some things differently if we want to survive:
- Spend more time in nature, it will do you some good, really.
- Learn more science. Otherwise no one will know if those wild berries are edible or poisonous and why those ants built their home in the middle of the pathway.
- Geeks need to get outside more often. Period. Computers and TVs are not what life is about. Life is literally waiting for you – outside.
- Environments are critical to mental health and well-being, lets take care of them with that in mind. Order is bliss.
- Blogging geek students need to pay more attention in Micro-Economics class, it just might teach you something great that you didn’t know that you needed to know.
Finally, I will leave you with this quote from Gandhi, a favorite of mine, that tells us all how to behave better. Won’t you join me?
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world”
Until next time.
Peace.
-Ryan.
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