While sitting and listening to a dose of Ambient Jungle, I return to a draft of a contemplation that has been occurring to me on a regular basis. Simply put, I believe that exposure to nature has an inherent effect on society’s moral structure, and our ability to cope.
I have a 6-year old daughter; she now lives in the metropolitan center of a +million person city in Colorado. Luckily we Coloradoans have access to killer weather and tons of nature, but even in the city, you have not much more than a small park to play in. I grew up in a fairly rural Wisconsin town (10,000 pop), only 30 minutes from the metro known as Milwaukee. I grew up on an acre of land with an abundance of open fields and other similar geographies at my disposal.
The core difference is access to enough space to be free…
I have been recently suggesting to some kids in the neighborhood that it might not be a good idea to throw stones - they could hit cars or someone’s window, even someone else. Their mothers were stunned at the boys’ insistence to throw these stones despite directives otherwise. I was not so surprised, by their *need* to throw stones and rocks, nor by their disobedience. I threw stones as a child, heck I did it daily for more of my life than I can remember - what’s the difference?
It’s all about energy, discovery, and human “nature”.
There is an absolute need that children display to get out energy, generally expended through discovery and play. Parents of today seem to have more and more problems keeping their kids in-line. I believe it is because we have a significantly more stringent place for them to live. When I used to throw rocks and stones, I could throw it so hard sometimes my arm hurt. Friends and I would contest who could throw it farther, or hit a target. There were an unlimited number of stones owned by nobody, and the infinite opportunity to throw until it was time to come in.
I didn’t just throw rocks, I collected them too!
There were always a few rocks that just looked really cool. Smooth, or jagged, lined with crystals, or in cool colors. It was not only fun finding them, but fun cleaning them, and even destroying them. Like a jailbird I used to take the hammer or sledge to a rock and bust it into powder, again allowing me to discover and release energy - even frustrations. Eventually the powered and crumbled rocks would become a part of imagination and fantasy play (sometimes fueled by early Nintendo games). I also learned very quickly to wear safety glasses or squint my eyes, and also to warn those around me of the danger.
It’s the kind of learning you cannot get elsewhere.
Release of energy, discovery, emotion, teamwork, and imagination all from a rock?! Sure, scientists get paid big bucks to look inside of rocks, dig holes, and stare at rocks in outer space. But the benefits of having access to this rock, and all the wonder it contains - is priceless! Now come back to the kids living in apartments in the metro - why can they not experience the same thing? Because we have neighbors and windows, and rocks someone landscaped and owns. Most folks do not have a hammer, and if they do it’s guarded even more aggressively then a gun in many occasions.
There’s plenty of “discovery” in the Urban Jungle, isn’t there?
Sure, but let’s be real - how many times can you visit a museum, shop at the mall, do the annual carnival, go to dinner, play at the same park, or hang on the sidewalk with friends. The rock sounds pretty fun right about now, doesn’t it? That is really the point, our children today are restricted in ways many of us never were growing up. Parents are more watchful and paranoid, activities because they have to - the opportunity for them to offend someone or be stolen is far greater in the metroplex.
The Jungle can be a scary place, and you have to adapt.
Kids adapt to survive in their environment. I learned that if I fell from my bike it was up to me to get help if I was hurt, I also learned that being hurt and injured were two different things. I used to watch out for poison ivy, my daughter has to remember to scream if a stranger is taking her. Unfortunately the things a child has to learn in order to survive in the concrete laden metros of the USA are not light-hearted. When Iw as a kid I thought of guns being useful for hunting (and eating the critters), urban kids know they are for protection (or worse).
Society wants to blame it on movies, music, and video games…
I am not suggesting that all of the above are righteous and do not have some level of contribution to a depressed and violent society, but rather that there is a deeper correlation between nature and the human element. When I look up at the stars, I forget about it all. I feel so small in a big place - I feel wonder and amazement. My mind fills with questions about life, my heart becomes calm and content. There are no stars in the light-polluted urban areas. When I walk in the woods, the fresh air and nature provides me refuge from the depression and aggression of “real life”, and I can almost become a kid again - exploring and expending extra energy. Many times I return to real life with a new appreciation and greater energy.
“Human Nature” requires Nature, so eat your veggies.
I have discerning tastes when it comes to veggies just like anyone. But I do force myself to eat them, and fruits, in an attempt to get the “recommended daily intake”. My suggestion is not to go pick wild raspberries and mushrooms and have a feast, but rather that there are some things we know are “healthy” for the human body and spirit - I used veggies as an example. Exposure to nature is a mandatory part of a well-balanced diet. If you’re not getting enough nature, you are not experiencing the positive effects, and may even find yourself stricken with problems.
Take a hike - in a pill…
In order for me to feel the calming effects of nature’s nightly stars, I have to see and experience them. In order for me to de-stress and relax or get more energy, I have to take a walk through the woods. If I am not seeing stars or walking in the woods, then inherently I am not receiving the positive effects. If I had no access to these natural remedies for good health (body and spirit), how can I get relief? Well, the pharmaceutical industry has made hundreds of billions of dollars answering that question. Take a muscle relaxer, anti-depressant, blood pressure, weight loss pill - just make sure you don’t overdose and take with water. Also do not mix them or it could kill you.
Last time I checked - mixing stargazing and hiking weren’t fatal 
Well, as we are all aware the side effects from taking medicine are not usually good, and medicine is really expensive. Healthcare and prescription drugs continue to be one of the hottest topics in our society. I am extremely glad that there are biotech companies working on cures for diseases, and anti-itch lotions for when I take a hike through poison ivy. But realistically, if we could take the money one spends on prescription drugs and allocate it to nature - we’d have a pretty cool earth. And conversely, we would not need as many drugs to cure what ails us - our mind and soul would be calmed and focused, our bodies would be lean and healthy.
But nature is so far away, and I might get lost!
Oddly enough, one of the best things about getting lost is what you find. When you’re on a crazy adventure there is so much more, it’s about letting go of what you know. As a kid I learned how to find my way out of the woods, and it was usually no worse than walking until I got to some form of civilization, but that was after I left the trail and went exploring. Luckily we do not have to travel thousands of miles over years, hunt for our own food, and protect ourselves from wolves like Lewis and Clark - you can hop in your car and go home after camping or hiking in nature.
I eat healthy, work out, and meditate. Who needs nature?
You do, and so do I. Honestly I think taking in a little nature is way better than the above, although not an absolute replacement. Getting some nature is simply another component of well-being, complimentary to the above. I’d rather take a hike than climb the Stairmaster and watch TV news while listening to my iPod. And do not forget, it’s not illegal to take technology into the woods. Grab your laptop and finish that contract that is due Monday - it’ll be your best piece of work yet!
This is absolutely linked to the fabric of our society, and how!
Now that we understand the benefits of nature, and it’s comparison to our current lives, we turn back to the lecture at hand. When you have not the healthy benefits of nature the opposite (unhealthy) effect occur, such as; weight gain, aches and pains, depression, anxiety, stress, burnout, anger, confusion, boredom. None of these are minor, and all of them have a pharmaceutical to assist in addressing them, but therein lies a larger issue. If these issues remain untreated they avalanche into a much larger series of responses such as violence, mental breakdown, disease, and death.
I repeat… violence, mental breakdown, disease, and death.
Aggression and depression lead to violence. Depression and stress lead to mental breakdown or suicide. Lack of exercise and mental fatigue lead to disease. Lack of exercise leads to lowered self-esteem. I can go on naming combinations and the inherent results. Ultimately all of these lead to an untimely, premature, or violent death. Even if these issues are addressed through medication, it is likely another exists. The side effect is then a slim pocketbook because of prescription drugs, and the unfortunate wasting away of one’s life in an unhappy or less-then-optimal state.
The top problems facing the USA: Obesity, violence, and mental issues.
And I am pretty confident there are an adequate number of statistics that back that statement up. I see more ads about fixing mental issues than anything else, except for maybe the latest weight-loss fad. Watching the nightly news reiterates the violence problems, and even weight and mental problems. What amazes me is how we continue to blame and search in vain for the answer to these problems affecting out society and its moral thread. But when I star up into the stars, it becomes clear what we’re missing.
My hometown had 1 murder in 100 years, and its share of crazy folk…
Okay, so even if you compare the 10,000 population of my hometown to say Milwaukee, I am pretty sure that it’s had more than 100 murders in 100 years. Methinks it is more like half of the annual number. Just as well, our town had plenty of people with major issues, including obesity and mental instability. The problem is more prevalent in the metro centers, but it exists everywhere. Our lifestyle has made it too easy to forego nature - drive from work to home, eat some takeout or fast food with our pills, and watch the world happen though our television (or Internet).
Like eating your veggies, you have to learn to enjoy it.
Getting to nature takes some work - time from your schedule, a drive, sunscreen and boots. Might even cost you in camping gear and a park pass. However, compared to your typical Urban Weekend, camping will be way less expensive and tons more fun. I have come to enjoy a salad, fruit in the morning - and they are still not as mouth watering as a juicy steak and buttered/sour cream baked potato or bacon and eggs, but I sure feel less like a walking heart attack. I also have come to appreciate those juicy steaks and bacon when I have them. Experiencing nature is very similar, you have to put forth some effort to get there, but the effects are a long and healthy life.
Contribute to repairing society - add nature to your diet.
Chill yourself out, but most importantly get out there for the kids. Let them throw rocks and hurt themselves. Let them go and explore and expend energy. Give their minds and bodies the chance to avoid the terrible effects of Urbanization and a conveniently lazy society. My daughter and I enjoyed a first for both of us last weekend - we went river rafting. We were both scared and reserved - I wanted to stay home and clean and she wanted to play on the computer, but we both decided to get outside our “comfort zones” and experience something fun and in nature.
We had fun, relaxed, and experienced something new…
And based upon that simple fact, I am pretty confident that despite all the stresses in her little life - she’s unlikely to be an overweight, psycho, serial killer. That is good for all of us!
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