# Northern Arizona University/Environmental Ethics/Journals/Tom's Journal

The ecosystem law suit.
It is amazing how similar our situation with the environment is to a typical lawsuit. As we borrow more and more resources from the Earth without the slightest inclination of slowing down or giving back, the Earth seems to be acting as its own legal entity. So what would entity 1(Earth) do if entity 2(Humans) owed it money but refused to pay up? It would sue the crap out of entity2. However it is not as if we can print a bunch of money and burry it in the ground, so I figure geoengineering is kind of like our bankruptcy.
We can get on a payment plan through attempting to sooth the earth by reflecting sunlight or growing algae blooms in the ocean, but this does not actually replace anything we have taken. Like many who go bankrupt we as a civilization will never be out of debt to the Earth, because we have taken too much.
Our legal situation with the earth is an exact reflection of ourselves; many live ravage financially unsustainable lifestyles, borrowing what we cannot pay back. And now the Earth seems to be collecting dues.
Everyday virtues and signs
In prehistory like today virtues could be found in all nooks and crannies. For example there was virtue in a rock, which could be used as a projectile or formed into some sort of flesh piercing weapon. And like today, in order to ensure survival one needed to be able to follow a signs. For instance, if a hunter-gatherer was struggling with the gathering aspect of life they might follow the sign of a hoof print in order to eat. Although in prehistory if an individual did not master the virtues of a rock and the reading of signs such as hoof prints this may have lead to starvation.
Our ancestry probably had varying difficulties in the art of survival, often dependent on geographic fortune. Setting lottery aside, today is no different than ancient times. Our lives still demand a rigorous analysis of our own virtues the virtues other present to us, and the signs we choose to follow or not follow. In order to make the right decision everyday experiments can help guide so we can learn how to trust our own decisions. Because today instead of a hoof print leading us in the wrong direction it could be anything from an advertisement to a parent and more often than not our ourselves. So in order to help set ourselves up for success, one must always be able to properly reflect in order to see the signs that signal the need for a change in our personal virtues.
Trust…
Adaptability and self-reliance, these are two intertwined virtues, which I am begging in to hold dear. Adaptability because obviously those in nature who are able to adapt the fastest survive and self reliance obviously because those who are the most self reliant can adapt the fastest. This is not to say I desire to push those are in some way reliant on myself away, but instead help them adopt these qualities as well, this is also not to say at this point in my life there are many of these.
However what Dr. Downard said in one class on the week of November 29 really struck a cord. This is not an exact quote but essentially it was, get ready to graduate and face the fact that life sucks. I’m sure everyone in the class can attest to the fact that life is in no way easy; to quote Emerson “It is a deliverance which does not deliver”. Just like the evolution of the universe our lives become more complex as time goes on. The only way we can prepare for this is through a self-reliance and improved adaptability.
Next Journal
It comes as no surprise to me that while reading Leopold, hunting scenes are what usually grabbed my attention. As a child growing up against the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles, I would often take my bow and arrow and venture into the mountains for the day. These mornings and afternoons usually consisted of myself venturing alone in search of prey, occasionally I would get close enough to a bird to attempt a shot and several times I had the opportunity to take out a deer, both times missing. I never actually killed anything, in part because my farther would blunt my arrow tips with a mettle file, but there would good memories all the same.
Although I do not consider myself an aggrieve person there is undoubtedly within my genetics an inclination toward some sort or war or at least physical competition. My brother being a 1st team all American football player out of Georgetown and myself being a 1st team all San Gabriel Valley football player in high school. Both of us seem to be decent productive members of society and both of us seem to have a decent land ethic, I can remember being young and littering on the beach, my brother came out of nowhere, hit me on the back of the head and said, “I guarantee a fish will eat that if you don’t pick it up.” So what I am asking myself is where does an ethic come about and where do we fail to respect life in general?
I remember reading a Newsweek article about the desire of many to divide an conquer, for instance George Bush Jr. Did we really need to go to war in the Middle East or was this just our so called leaders attempting to spreading our western virtues. Although not always in the form of war we can see this type of shock capitalism everywhere; many were overjoyed by the ravaging of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina, this of course allowing for new business to brought into the economically downhearted city. There is a connection between the desire for types war and our disregard for a land ethic, someone having a room full of trophy kills from exotic hunts is no different than a nation seeking imperialism.
The next journal
What is the point of all this imperialistic action? To put it into terms of a college campus, an NAU fraternity was recently expelled or suspended from campus for beating their own virtues into another fraternity’s pledge. Does this not sound mindless, it is certainly not ethical. To quote Leopold “No important change in ethics was ever accomplished without an internal change in our intellectual emphasis, loyalties, affections, and convictions.”
Leopold states that the proof of the fact that conservation has not yet entered the foundations of human conduct can be found within philosophy and religion, both of these having never mentioned a land ethic. So how are we supposed to go about changing this ethic?
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“I am convinced, both by faith and experience, that to maintain one’s self on this earth is not a hardship but a pastime”-Thoreau
“Rescue the drowning and tie your shoe-strings. Take your time, and set about some free labor”-Thoreau
These are easily two of my favorite quotes.. The only challenge is setting about in following them. I can say that most of my life school was no priority, now that the real world is approaching I hope to graduate with honors and if I do the grades did not come easily. Yet like most, there are few things that I would enjoy more than to have life be a pastime.
“It is a deliverance which does not deliver.”-Emerson
How would it be possible to balance both of these philosophies? Thoreau’s experience of wading around a pond all day vs. Emerson’s view that life only gets harder. The fact of the matter is that its not.
In order to understand the facts of balancing both views of life, look no further than Emerson’s “Compensation” essay. “Polarity, or action and reaction, we meet in every part of nature; darkness and light, in heat and cold, in the ebb and flow of waters”. It is our choice in how we want to live our lives, what I try to remember is that in 10 years things are going to be much different, so just work with that knowledge.
Trust II
Along with a new philosophical land ethic, which needs to be thought from a young age, so does trust.
I personally do not really trust anyone or anything beyond a select few with anything of actual significance; I imagine this is very normal thing for people, especially college students. However in order for a land ethic to come about, trust needs to be instilled into young people from a young age.
Leopold believes that the foundations of man such as Philosophy and Religion need to mention a land ethic. But a land ethic will not come without cooperation and trust. So perhaps ethics will not evolve until trust does.
Trust III
I have mentioned in past journal entries that I have, up about 1 year ago been a poor student. And part of the problem was the fact I refused to trust anyone, in grammar school, like many children I would shut my brain off to anything an adult was saying, no matter who it was or what they were saying, I suppose I always assumed they were just trying to manipulate me in some way. Once high school rolled around, like many I just stopped caring. in many ways, because I never listened to anyone, I never learned to follow directions. Fortunately now I am starting to follow directions. This relates to the Emerson’s “poet”, we are given so many signs in life, and if we do not learn to follow them we will inevitably end up lost. This is why trust is so important, not necessarily of others, although this is a very valuable skill to have, but more so trust of ourselves. Only we can direct ourselves…I suppose this sums much of Emerson up, we need to have self reliance to be able to navigate the signs we are given. In order to do this we need to distinguish between directions we should follow and those we shouldn’t, and when we do know, we should put everything into it, but not too much as to under compensate for other aspects.
Foolish Middle East
As we know the Middle East has the largest supply of land locked oil reserves on Earth? Due to this massive amount of oil, federations such as the United Arabian Emirate are able to create massive cities such as Dubai in the middle of the parched Arabian Dessert, which sounds even more absurd than Phoenix.
Currently Dubai is home to the world’s tallest building, which stands at about 2700 feet. Unfortunately for the buildings owners, no one actually wants to lease space in the building, this due to the massive worldwide market crash.
My point is, the world gets much of its supply of fossil fuels from the Middle East, and what do they do with all this money. They build the worlds tallest building, which no one actually wants to use and novelties such as indoor ski resorts.
Now with oil reserves quickly being depleted and money not coming from the Emirates real estate ventures, what will the region do? This is up for debate, but in high insight, they should have put all that money into renewable energy. Think about it, they got lucky with the oil thing, now they are going end up with nothing. If they would have invested in renewable energy they would have solved many problems. The first being quickly drying oil fields, the second being they would have actually made profits from investments. Not to mention all the other environmental and political problems it would have solved.
WWJSD
It seems as though a land ethic will not come about until man can truly cooperate. Obviously it might be some time before this happens, but if everyone would just convert to Mormonism the problem would be solved. Think about it, who is friendlier than a Mormon. As I understand they even have their own welfare system. In fact in these harsh economic times, I am surprised more people don’t convert to the teachings of Joseph Smith. You would even get to travel the world for two years, for free, there are people who pay good money to travel that long. Not to mention you get to have multiple wives.
So assuming everyone will convert to Mormonism, for all the obvious reasons, man will finely be able to practice a land ethic. As Leopold stated, conservation is man having a healthy relationship with the land, and now thanks to Mormons we have an opportunity to finally practice Leopold’s final solution of a land ethic.
All you would need to do is teach this land ethic within Mormon philosophy, after all, Mormons like many Christians will believe anything. The difference is that Mormons actually try.
However this still leaves the challenge of getting Jews and Muslims to hop on board, but not to worry there is a solution. So that we might come to have a land ethic.
As I have come to understand, Mormons have to give a certain percent of their income to the Mormon Church and, unlike Catholics, who just wave around baskets on sticks hoping for donations, it is mandatory. Also…as I have come to understand... Jews love money and they are very good with it. Now pay attention, because this is where the Jew-Muslim problem will be solved.
As of this point in time, as with much of the world the Middle East is struggling financially. The United Arabian Emirate has squandered most of its Money in bad investments such as the construction of the worlds tallest building, an indoor ski resort, and man made resort islands which if viewed from above resemble a map of the world. Pretty stupid when you could have just invested in renewable energy, I mean you already have somewhat of a monopoly on oil why not get a head start in the future of energy.
Back to Mormons, like I said, a percent of all Mormons income goes to the Church. So knowing this, Jews all over the world presumably are going to start converting to Mormonism, in order to get their hands on all the money coming into the church. Problem solved…Jews natural inclination towards control money takes care of converting them.
This so far is making logical since right, it takes care of Christian’s and especially Catholics who will convert for the welfare because they are lazy and don’t like to think for themselves, the Jews will convert for the promise of being able to direct funds as they already do, but this still leaves the Muslims…who are now notoriously bad with money.
This is where the plan really starts to take shape, because it solves another Global issue… Jewish-Muslim disputes over Israel and general animosity. As stated Jews are great with money and Muslims are not(this is probably why their always so pissed off), and because all Muslims are terrible with money, they will eventually need to be bailed out from their various stupid investments, and at this point, will have to give into Mormonism…the temptation of a bailout form the new Mormon/Jewish welfare system will become to great, so both Jew and Muslim will have no option but to cooperate. The Christians wont really give a crap.
So there you have it, the Mormons not only will bring about a land ethic through their great community cooperation, but also at last unite all the major religions of the world. All because Jews are good with money, Muslims are not, and Christians (especially catholics) just don’t care as long as their getting theirs, hence polygamy.