Shiva

In his article Shiva mentions that, " The erosion of biodiversity and the erosion of cultural diversity are related. Both have been threatened by the globalization of an industrial culture based on reductionist knowledge, mechanist technologies and the commodification of resources." (pg. 38). Greed has changed the way people relate to others and the environment around them. Quests for wealth and technological advancement have damaged the planet and the human race. Things that we designed to make our lives easier are threatening our future. Growing up on the farm my grandfather farmed with only organic seeds. In face I never saw him ever purchase seed. During the fall harvest

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he would harvest seed from the plants that we had grown, and replant that seed in the spring. He always told me that home gleaned seed grew stronger and healthier plants than purchased seed. He fertilized our fields with natural fertilizers, and we watered our fields from an underground natural spring. My grandfather was most definitely at odds with the reductionist farmers in our area because of his methods. When I moved to Florida I realized how much I took for granted living on the farm. It took me months to get used to store bought vegetables. They taste so different from the ones we grow at home. Moving to Florida was a complete culture shock for me. It took me quite some time to be able to relate to my classmates how grew up in front of televisions and video games. In fact I'd never played a video game until I moved down here. There just isn't time when you live on a farm. My view of biodiversity is strikingly different then theirs because of the place I grew up in.

 

We have learned that oftentimes the only way to get people motivated about conservation is to put a price tag on the ecosystems we are trying to protect. And that can be a daunting task. However what Shiva seeks to help us comprehend is the fact that, "biodiversity is not just a conservation issue, it is an issue affecting economic survival" (pg. 50). Without  biodiversity our food supply would not exist. It provides life and wealth to the impoverished people in our world. However as the wealthy harm biodiversity through gluttonous actions, there is little left for the poor and they are driven further into poverty and despair while the wealthy feel non of the ill effects of their actions. This is true in many social areas including nutrition and healthcare. If you think about it that makes sense. When we watch doomsday movies about the end of the world, who are the people that are collected and spared? Its not the homeless man that lives in the alley on 3rd and Main. Its the rich and powerful that make the cut because they have the resources to make their lives seemingly more valuable than others. Because our culture has eroded and values objects and wealth more than human life we continue to hurt other human beings and damage the planet that provides us with life and sustenance. If we ever hope to reverse the negative effects on biodiversity we need to begin through intensive education and cultural reconditioning.

 

At the end of the article Shiva makes quite a profound point that made quite an impact on me, "mono-culture of the mind: the idea that the world is or should be uniform and one-dimensional, that diversity is either a disease or deficiency, and monocultures are necessary for the production of more food and economic benefits (pg. 17). This is where biodiversity meets culture. Deep down I believe we all feel the most comfortable when we are around people that are like we are. Whether it is a social, racial, or ethnic similarity. We see the world in the same way. We are uncomfortable with cultures that we don't understand and seek instead to try and make other cultures more like ours because we see our culture as the superior one. The worlds intense periods of colonization confirm this throughout history. What we need to understand is that diversity is what makes life sustainable on this planet. Whether culturally or environmentally. Without the plethora of diverse ecosystems around the world we would not have the products that we enjoy daily. Not every environment can grow wheat just like not every environment can grow cotton. We need to embrace the things that make us different instead of letting them divide us. If we can ever master this simple idea we could change the future of mankind forever.