Getting Back to Nature: Society’s Cure-All?
I sit in front of a computer all day, and my office doesn’t have any windows. I honestly spend quite a bit of time on the computer, in some form or another – at work, upgrading websites, writing posts, and reading blogs just to name a few – and they all keep me away from what truly brings stress relief and makes me feel complete: being in nature.
I do love being on the computer, and most days I honestly love my job. I love website maintenance and website design. And I will even admit to playing video games and that I love technology.
But I still never feel complete unless I get my outdoor fix. If I go too many days without experiencing nature – in some form or another – I start to go crazy and feel incomplete. Getting outside brings me back to reality, and allows to me refresh and recharge. It is honestly what gets me through the other things in life.
With that in mind, I wonder how those who are completely engulfed in the concrete jungle survive. I can’t even begin to imagine living in a big city, stuck in a cubicle all day, and then driving home through rush hour traffic in order to make it home to my loft smack dab in the middle of New York City. I think I would go insane.
And maybe that is where a lot of us have gone wrong.
In the modern era in which we live, many people never have to experience any kind of nature. They could be raised in the big city, work in the big city, and have everything provided to them without ever having to experience any type of nature whatsoever.
Is that how many of us have gone so astray? Could that be blamed for many of the mental issues that seem to plague today’s society? Could it be the reason for the increasing cases of obesity in today’s youth? And the increase in violent behavior in today’s world?
Now I’m know Rhodes scholar, and I’m being completely candid here, without looking up cold hard facts, but disconnecting ourselves from nature seems to be a very likely cause for the types of things that I mentioned above.
I know how refreshed and at peace I feel after a good day outside. And it just makes me wonder if maybe many of the issues we see in modern society are directly related to the increasing amount of individuals who lack any sort of relationship with Mother Nature.
I think it’s a no-brainer. But I’m curious what everyone else thinks. Let me hear your opinion in the comments.
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To me Art it simply is not “Natural!” I really believe its part of our created make-up and in our genes. God blessed the man and women he had made, and He said to them “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” God gave us dominion and authority over trees, plants, and everything He made and said “It is good.” We are to be stewards over nature, as our connection to all of creation has its roots “In the beginning!” As people get away from their created purpose, they loose touch with their whole purpose and plan, and then have to hire a pysco-therapist (who is also depressed)to figure things out for them. Enough said, you get my drift.
People these days have blinders on, a form of tunnel vision in a sense. When we were growing up we were accustomed to be connected to the outdoors and mother nature in some form or another and now a days the computer and tv and video has crept in and unknowingly put blinders on a lot of us like horses wear.
It is up to us old farts to keep todays youth from getting to use to wearing these blinders so they can expand and see what we see. It might help and it might not but I am willing to bet the odds are in our favor.
I don’t feel totally at peace unless I am outside in the woods with nature and that is how I am bringing my youngest up.
It sounds like we are in the same situation Arthur. I am at a computer all day and if I didn’t get out into nature as much as possible I think I would go insane.
Luckily for me my office is right at the mouth of a canyon so I can head up for lunch and enjoy the mountains every day. Even if it is only an hour a day it helps me get my mind straight and it re-energizes me.
Also, I work with our local scout troop and I can tell which kids stay inside and play video games all day from those that are outside enjoying nature.
The boys that are inside are very un-athletic and many of them are obese already. They are usually pretty negative about life and act as if the world is against them.
The boys that enjoy the outdoors have a different outlook on life. They are very positive and enjoy life to the fullest.
It is very important to take younger generations outside and enjoy nature. I like an occasional video game and I enjoy working on the computer, but if I couldn’t get outside often my mentality would suffer big time.
Arthur, have you read Richard Louv’s book, THE LAST CHILD IN THE WOODS? If not, I think you’d like it.
Tovar,
I haven’t read that particular one yet. I’ll have to add it to the list.
Art – being out in nature refreshes my soul… Before I started hunting in my mid-forties, I walked in our National Military Park and it was a lifesaver raising 4 daughters by getting out of the apartment and walking in nature. Now, that I’m a hunter and the girls are all grown up and gone, I really enjoy getting in the woods as much as I can. Some kids brought up today have no clue or appreciate what the outdoors can do for them. I try to take my grandkids as much as I can with me to enjoy our great outdoors!
Having spent a lot of time in cities, I totally understand how we can survive it – wherever we live is our habitat, and an urban area is a habitat, just like any other.
What it lacks, though, is any reminder of what we really are – it is the highest perch on a house of cards. For those who know nothing but the house of cards, nothing is amiss. But once you know how flimsy that house is, you’d go crazy if you spent all your time in it.
Oh yes – I have to have my outdoor fix or I really start to go crazy. It’s one reason why I drive around the wildlife areas, stop at a dead-end, roll my windows down and just enjoy the silence sometimes.
Interestingly enough, children living in rural areas are actually more likely to be overweight than their urban counterparts (see link: http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/SCRHRC_KF_ObesityChartbook.pdf).
Being close to nature is not enough; people have to be taught to appreciate it and use it to their advantage!
Looks like that link didn’t work. Oh well, just Google search “obesity rural areas.”
This is the type of thing gets worse generation from generation. If you’re a parent, you should get away from your computer now and show your kids so they can appreciate the outdoors. If you don’t it’ll be even worse for your grandchildren.
Great post!
Eric,
I totally agree with you. I see it first hand all the time with kids. Whatever happened to simply playing outside?