The Change in Our Relationship with Nature over Time
The Change in Our Relationship with Nature over Time The relationship between humans and nature has been interactive, chaotic, and complex. From a many human viewpoints, nature can be considered as both a source of everyday needs, and an adversary, a rather indefinite force which we interact with. Many people today consider themselves a separate entity, existing completely outside, if not above nature, especially in western cultures. Yet, nature was not always perceived as such. Over the centuries, people have thought of nature in a number of different ways, depending on their connection to nature at the time. To fully understand this relationship, one must first define what is meant by nature. Nature, put simply, is the complete physical world. One might also venture further to say nature is what also occurs beyond of any human feats, with a distinction between nature and the artificial. While this line between the natural and synthetic is not always so clear, one could say nature is the original arrangement and order of components of a substance, without mankind’s tampering and interference. Whereas all humans have an agenda of some sort, nature can be considered perhaps the clearest example of indifference. Beginning from humanity’s more primal state, nature was most often viewed as more of an omnipotent presence than anything else, where nature’s indifference bore down upon them the strongest. It brought hunger, disease, and disaster, wreaking havoc on all mankind. Of course there were different reactions to cope with nature’s torments, one being the creation of tools to help increase the chances of survival. However, more often a coping method would involve embodying these elemental powers as celestial forces by representing them with animals or through ritual objects. They could also be personified as gods who could direct these forces however they pleased. When disasters struck, it was due to the actions and offences of humans, so hence they let loose