Grace Goodley- Assigned Reading: Ecology of Eden Reflection

 In reflecting on the class presentations of Ecology of Eden, I wanted to share my thoughts on Eisenberg's final chapter. In this chapter, Eisenberg illustrates how dangerous it is for us as humans to pretend that we are just animals, further that animals can simply live in harmony with us. This has created this idealization of Eden as a dream, which can serve to be more dangerous than one would think. Eisenberg instead pushes the reader to let Eden serve as a motivator in living a better life both individually and as a society. We as a society have acted in such a consumerist manner with nature, that we can take and take and take with no repercussions. We create these places of dwelling that are so detached from true nature that we forget how to appreciate it. It is in finding ways to experience and connect with nature that we can relearn as a society how to exist within nature as ethically as possible.

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