Island civilization response

            The author of the article Island Civilization Roderick Frazier Nash is clearly trying to find alternatives to save the environmental side of our society. Throughout his article he briefly explains many possibilities as to how humans can take action and help save earth.  He also provides a few simulations of what could happen if nobody attempts these actions. 

            Roderick first begins to write about the histories of earth and how humans have been “letting the planet go” this passed millennium.  He explains how we have continuously tried to transform earth into something that it just cannot handle. Roderick claims that in the past, humans have vaguely “confused growth with progress.”  In saying this Roderick most likely means that in the past humans have continued to grow this earth into what it is today, to try and progress the earth into something better than it used to be. In doing this, early civilizations unknowingly ruined earth.

            In Roderick’s point of view, humans have taken more then they were entitled to on this earth and he wants to make things right.

The idea, Roderick’s idea, of Island civilization is an attempt to give back what we have taken from earth.  His idea just involves very gradually letting the earth rebuild itself as humans learn to adapt to living in smaller areas and greatly reducing the population. 

            This process, Roderick says, will bring the word wilderness to its true meaning, which describes something that has its own will.  Humans over the passed thousands of years have decreased the amount of wilderness left on this planet; therefore they are taking the earths free will.  Roderick says humans need to stand up and come up with a solution before they have nothing left on this planet.  Roderick’s solution, of course, is his idea of Island civilization.

            In todays society technology is crucial. It’s everything. Everywhere you look there’s some sort of new technology around you.  There is a huge flaw I see in Roderick’s Island Civilization.  Children in this day and age are very handy with technology.  If you try to lock them up in a city and basically completely cut them off onto a very small part of this earth then things may start to become a little unhealthy.  Children are already participating less and less in physical activity because of technology.  I’m afraid if you cut out the outside world and confine them into a huge technology trap then things might turn out even worse then our root problem. 

            People need to be connected with nature and although we’d be giving back to earth by creating these islands we would also be taking away a huge part of our own society.

            On another note the wilderness can be very dangerous.  Many people are able to live in the wilderness, but there are also large amounts of people who know absolutely nothing about it.  This becomes a major problem because if we let the earth grow naturally without anybody to trim its hedges then the wilderness may one day become to vast and overwhelm us completely.  It could grow to lengths that are uncontrollable to us humans.  The forests would grow to unbelievable lengths and dangerous animals would begin to outweigh us in number to a point where we are no longer able to control them. 

            Roderick’s idea is very unique and it’s a great thought that one day we may be able to save the wilderness, but only time will tell if Island Civilizations is it’s savior.