The Fourth Principle of Deep Green Resistance:
When civilization ends, the living world will rejoice. We must be biophilic* people in order to survive. Those of us who have forgotten how must learn again to live with the land and air and water and creatures around us in communities built on respect and thanksgiving. We welcome this future.
* Biophilia is a term popularized by Harvard University myrmecologist (ant scholar) and conservationist E.O. Wilson to describe the extent to which humans are hard-wired to need connection with nature and other forms of life.
More specifically, Wilson describes it this way: “Biophilia…is the innately emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms. Innate means hereditary and hence part of ultimate human nature.” (Wilson, 1993, p.31).
To Wilson biophilia is really a “complex of learning rules” developed over thousands of years of evolution and human-environment interaction.
Evidence of the emotional and psychological benefits of nature is mounting and impressive (research shows its ability to reduce stress, to aid recovery from illness, to enhance cognitive skills and academic performance, to aid in moderating the effects of ADHD, autism and other child illnesses).
Recent research suggests even that we are more generous in the presence of nature; all these values are in addition to the immense economic value of the ecological services provided by natural systems.
From: http://www.deepgreenresistance.org/who-we-are/statement-of-principles
The most important lesson children could be taught is to live with love and respect for the earth and for all living things. Rather than how to make a living at the expense of them.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte,
DeleteI like the idea of outdoor kindergarten. It was becoming more popular on the west coast before we left.
Love the idea of outdoor kindergarten, outdoor school sounds good to me! I remember when kids spent a lot of time outdoors during the school day. Now they are cancelling more and more of their recess (and I never see kids out for school work anymore). The argument I heard recently was they want even more time to cram teaching/learning (if you can call it that now) so they were reducing recess time even further and eliminating one of them all together. Glad to hear it is becoming more popular at least for kindergarten on the west coast, not so here in the east (southern USA).
ReplyDeleteIn solidarity with Charlotte.
Beautiful picture, the flowers on black made me smile when I first read this post and now again as I am returning.
Terri