Sabrina Ho--feet forbidden here

     One of the quotes that really stuck out to me from Dr. Redick's paper Feet Forbidden Here was this: "Humans lose touch with themselves as constituents of the world because they perceive themselves solely as creators. The world they create stands out as an object to be manipulated and controlled rather than as filled with an intertwining of objects and subjects with whom to relate" (pp. 14). Initially, I thought of inventors, artists, chefs, etc--people who specifically create tangible objects for a living. But the longer I sat with it, the more overwhelmed I became with just how much we create, in the broader sense: we create sentences, activities, plans, schedules, etc. For me, creating things out of nothing gives a sense of ease, but now I see that it could also be an excuse to fill up on things to be less empty of other, more important things. I think, as humans, we would feel terribly empty and distressed with constantly creating, because  we feel we lose a sense of control, just like what is written in this paper. It's certainly an alarming concept, and will likely bring discomfort, but even a few moments of imagining a world where humans do not create seems almost dystopian. But, by creating, we may be distancing ourselves further from nature, because we begin to see the things in the world as something to be manipulated or changed, as opposed to appreciated and lived with. There are certainly things created by humans that, today, we could not live without: medicines/medical practices, laws and regulation, water purifiers and appliances to cook food. However, it begs the question of what humans would have evolved to become if, dating before hunter and gatherers, we did not manipulate or create as much as we did.