The other day in class, the matrix was mentioned and I started to think about the movie, and I was reminded of an interesting thing that the antagonist Agent Smith says.
“I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species. I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment, but you humans do not. You move to an area, and you multiply, and multiply, until every natural resource is consumed. The only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet, you are a plague, and we are the cure. “
Following this train of thought, one is reminded of one of the first questions we tried to answer in class; are humans a part of nature? Though Smith’s rationale is based in a science fiction film, there is some truth behind it. All animals on this planet have shown the ability to adapt and evolve in reaction to their surroundings, yet human beings have avoided this by making the environment adapt to them. We use air conditioning and heating to create ideal environments. If we consider environmental adaptation as criteria for being a mammal, then we would not fall into that category and would undoubtedly fall into the virus category, as Smith says. There is much evidence in the world to support this claim as well. Soil depletion and deforestation are among the best examples which show us how we have used the environment as opposed to working with it or adapting to it, yet this is just the tip of the iceberg. We have done innumerable things to the environment which have had no positive effect on it. Though there has been much activity recently to avoid such behavior, it is still one of our natural instincts to use nature in that way. Considering the virus perspective, we fit the profile. And if this is part of our instincts, does that make us not a part of a nature? If not then what is our role in?
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I think that humans are part of nature if we are basing it on this data. Are not viruses part of nature even though they carry on with this type of behavior? I believe they are. I think we often times associate nature to be good, but not all things in nature are good. Nature as a bad side as well, just like humans have a good side. Therefore, I don't believe that we can say humans are not part of nature just because we do not fit in this one category or have this one belief.
ReplyDeleteThats a really valid point, but I was more leaning towards the notion that our role is different from what we think it is,and that we may not exactlty fall into the category that we want to, or think we do.
ReplyDeleteThis idea of the human race being a virus is very intriguing. It leans to the idea that our entire world is just a cell on the body of some larger being, and we are killing the cell. I think we are still part of nature though, we just aren't necessarily benign creatures to our host. I think, with the way the population is growing, that we will eventually lyse our host, causing us to either die or move onto a new host.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I also agree that we are still a part of nature, I think our actions against the environment and our world are quickly loosening our attachment. As conscious beings I understand that it may be more difficult to be one with nature, to reach an equilibrium rather than forcing everything to adapt to us, but isn't it worth trying to change ourselves instead? I'm so tired of humans ruining nature for their perceived benefit and to ease their own burdens, and I know that I'm just as guilty as everyone else in doing so. I wonder what it will take to wake humans up to the destruction they've caused. Hopefully not an event on Matrix proportions, but you never know...
ReplyDeleteI like the comparisons you’ve drawn between the matrix and the real world and what role humans play in nature. I think it’s definitely possible to look at the existence of human beings as a virus as we do share many similarities. However, do we really make our surroundings adapt to us? I know in many cases this is true such as; roads, buildings, etc. but there are also places where Man cannot survive, there are many places on earth where humans are sparse i.e. the Arctic and there are other animals on this planet which adjust their surroundings to survive, for example; a polar bear could not just survive in the open they dig holes, birds build nests, so if we build houses how different are we?
ReplyDeleteHumans may act as viruses to the world and its well-being, but I believe most people have no idea they're even part of the problem. We become so separated from the harm we cause, for example, industrial specialization in a large corporation leaves the individual with only a rough idea of the actual harm he may be causing to the environment. He never really sees the big picture. We are still a part of nature, I believe, but I fear that if we, as a species, continue down this path of distancing ourselves from our actions, we will eventually have a very weak connection with nature; maybe someday none at all.
ReplyDeleteGoing back to what Jack said about how polar bears dig holes and birds build nest, how are we different. I feel that what makes us different is that we, most of the time, destroy everything in our path in order to create those homes. The first thing a developer does when they start a project, is clear cut everything. They can sell the lumber to make some money and it also allows them to eliminate anything that could slow down the construction process. Trees, hills, streams, rocks, are just more costly to build around so we decide to get rid of them. That said, I believe that humans can do what other species do, while still having our buildings. We just need to have them fit more within the environment and use materials that are renewable. It really is not that difficult, it all comes down to developer making a little more money, by getting rid of the problems in the situation instead of working around them.
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