KT Watson- The Ecology of Eden

The concept of Eden, the myth of a time when we existed closer to nature, is a common theme in many religions.  This reflects the concept of the mountain, a world view centering nature as the 'world pole'.  Humans were connected to nature at a time until we 'fell' into civilization.  Nature is respected, revered, and even feared, yet our connection the civilization inherently separates us.  The tower, man maid mountains that center human civilization, puts humanity at the center of the world pole.  Religion is often the center of a culture, and even a 'secular' society is still influenced by the religious morals built into its foundation.  Whichever world pole (the mountain or the tower) emphasized by a religion effects how a person views and interacts with the world, and in turn how we interact with ecology.

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