Did Our Ancestors Live in Harmony with the Environment? :: Environment Environmental Pollution Preservation

Did Our Ancestors Live in Harmony with the Environment? It appears that humans are entering a stage in their collective lives in which we are beginning to see that we can quite easily alter our environments very drastically. Some are still divided about how they feel about this, feeling that things cannot possibly be as bad as the many doomsday-scenarios painted by both scientific and religious authorities. And there are others who are extremely worried about our collective affect on the environment, and fear that it may already be too late for humans, and the world will soon change sufficiently enough to make continued human survival on this planet very difficult. From both types of people, the question arises, "Was there ever a time when humans lived in a way that was more or less in harmony with the environment?" A key element in this discussion is the use of technology, loosely defined as anything outside of natural biological functions that is manipulated and used to obtain an objective. To search for a time when our ancestors might have lived more environmentally consciously, one needs evidence, and in this case, it is generally thought that the only real evidence to be found is through fossils of things created and used by these people of so long ago. But how far back in time are we talking about? And is there any other kind of evidence that might shed a bit of light on how people lived in those times? It is generally acknowledged that starting with our ancestor Homo erectus, humans began to use their hands to make tools (Ponting, 18). This knowledge is based on dating techniques of archaeological findings such as skeletons and early tools, and the rough estimate of the appearance of this tool-using human is around 2 million years ago. In case it is not obvious, that is a very long time. Even in the last 4000 years, the amount of change that human culture and society has undergone is enormous, and at least that much is historically documented by at least some cultures in varying intervals. But to jump all the way back to 2 million years involves a very far leap indeed. There is not much evidence that tells us anything about societies so far back in time. There are some bones and stones, but nothing that really breaks down all those thousands of years into any real understanding of the societies of that era.

Nation-States in Modern Times

The natives of Waitangi in New Zealand had to give up their sovereignty to the British throne at the time that the Crown arrived in the country.   Since then, the natives have tried to fight for their right to govern their areas of New Zealand again.   If do they get this permission from the New Zealand government, which they most probably will not get in modern times, the natives of New Zealand might make their own nation-state, that is, a place that is ruled by a certain entity and occupied by people belonging to the same culture and having the same values that are unique to that group (â€Å"Nation-State,† 2007). This is the nature of the nation-state: It is a government form that may not be able to thrive in the era of globalization marked by cultural homogeneity, and featuring immigration laws, skills exchange, outsourcing, foreign direct investment and the likes. In the olden days, Greece was a nation-state.   Athens was the city-state of Greece, protecting a common culture under its own laws.   Greece was the ruler of Athens at the same time.   It had the power to dissolve Athens.   Yet, Athens was an extremely popular cultural hotbed.   It was not wise to dissolve Athens (Polopolos).   Most importantly, Greece and Athens serve as excellent examples of governance for the politicians of the modern world.   As a matter of fact, people use Greece’s example in thinking about how to develop a civilization.   Alexander the Great continues to be remembered. It is definitely possible for nation-states to develop in our day by following the example of Greece.   Weaker groups such as the natives in New Zealand represent a minority nowadays, and may not be able to form their nation-state.   At the same time, America used to be referred to as a ‘melting pot,’ even though the ‘Americanization’ of the world as a synonym for ‘globalization’ could easily have turned America into a lover of its own culture.   America could have become like Greece if it had wanted to preserve its culture; however, the nation’s political mind is very much occupied with the business sense of things. America chooses not to become a nation-state because it benefits immensely from foreigners.   What about Europe?   Can Europe become a nation-state with European Union, the Euro and its likes?   Perhaps places like France and Italy, in particular, might consider becoming nation-states with the strongest regard for their culture.   In point of fact, parts of Europe have been especially concerned in recent times with the upkeep of their traditional agricultural styles.   As an example, certain European farm products like the French cheeses have become â€Å"entwined with the national cultural identity† (Kaplan & Calzonetti, 2005).   Would globalization allow Europe or parts to Europe to turn into nation-states or city-states? – Perhaps so.   Do we expect it to happen? – Probably not. Let us turn to the Middle East.   Could it happen among the Arab nations, with the strongest ties to their culture?   Could Israel become a nation-state, with Jerusalem as its city-state?   Yes, it is possible once they stop fighting over the Middle East.   Arabs hate Americanization, apparently.   But they cannot live without America and Europe buying their oil.   They want to preserve their Islamic culture against the unIslamic behavior shown on Western television nevertheless. They also do not want American clothing to be worn in their societies.   Hijabs and extremely long skirts are still the norm in Saudi Arabia, very difficult for most foreigners to adjust to.   Perhaps Arab nations and/or Israel will be the first to turn into nation-states, if they are not already.   At this time they are not cultural states clearly because they fight too much.   At a time of peace alone will art and culture be nurtured.   Perhaps Middle East should really stop fighting now and become a nation-state if it wants to. References Kaplan, Eben, & Calzonetti, Claire. (2005, December 9). The WTO’s Troubled ‘Doha Negotiations.’ Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 27 November 2006, from http://www.cfr.org/index.html. â€Å"Nation-State.† (2007). Wikipedia. Retrieved 7 May 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation-state. Polopolus, Leonidas C. â€Å"Athens, Greece: A City-State that Grew from Optimality in the Golden Era to Excessive Urbanization by the 21st century.† University of Florida. Retrieved 7 May 2007, from http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/kapparis/AOC/ATHENS.htm.      

Kinesthetic Learning Style

One of the things I should consider as a kinesthetic learner is the fact that I absorb information better when it is hands-on (physically engaged in the activity of learning, i.e. lab setting). As such, I may have to utilize techniques to make my learning style coincide with an online course wherein the mode of instruction is mainly auditory and visual. It would be an advantage if the visual aspects invite interaction in the form of flash presentations wherein I as the student can actively participate. Kinesthetic learning although typified by physical processing through touch and sensory experience can still be present in online courses by mere participation through clicking and typing during the actual discussion. My attention and capacity to grasp the information would be enhanced by taking notes using a word processor due to the fact that I am able to learn the concept while keeping my body in active awareness of how my mind deciphers the information. In addition, taking down notes about the course as well as my thoughts during the online lecture would allow me to better retain the information (Interview with Laura Summers, 2000). I may have to explore beyond the actual contents of the course and see how they actually are by doing a bit of fieldwork so as to have first had experience of the subject matter. It would really be helpful for me to try and create creative representations of the notes and data I acquire from my online lessons. I may convert the key concepts into tangible form by making graphs, making a model as illustration(Miller, 2000). An interactive online course would suit my learning style better, however, I must find ways in which to adapt to the subject matter even if the mode of instruction does not directly address my kinesthetic inclinations. The techniques mentioned above would definitely help me in reconciling the latter with the teaching process available. In combining the auditory and visual method with my own need for hands on receiving of information; I may have an edge in holistically understanding the course beyond the internet. Â   Â