The Mind, the Machine, and the Living Earth

I find it interesting that the western mode of living seeks to achieve simplicity through complexities. Yes technology and science has brought so much advancement and growth, but at what cost? That is the question most of us do not ask ourselves. Most communities in the developing world are hoping to attain the technological heights that most western countries now enjoy, but have not taken into consideration most of what has been lost. The western lifestyle is the most subjugate and invasive form of development, unlike the Native approach to technology and science. Both methods achieve the same goals but the Native method is more holistic, which brings into play the role of the person in the creation and production process thereby engendering a sense of appreciation and respect both for the environment and the object, mitigating waste.

The Canadian lifestyle is a way of living that has completely deviated from the lifestyle of the original settlers of the land. With the increase in science and technology in the western world, it has encouraged, nay, fostered a mindset and lifestyle of selfishness and convenience, laziness and comfort. People no longer seek new knowledge and discoveries for the greater good of humanity, but for their own selfish gains either monetary or status wise. Now we live in a world where the Mind is weak, the Machine is preeminent and the Living Earth is being eroded of respect, sanctity and identity. We have generations and subsequent ones growing up with the entitled attitude, but do not respect the rights of any other thing to exist.

We as a modern generation should look at the state we are in "...these ... have become such an integral part of the fabric of existence in the real world of technology that the resulting distortions of human and social relations are now considered normal and beyond questioning.." Ursula M. Franklin, The Real World of Technology (page 46) and try for a change. Someone once wrote '...technology had also brought a sense of alienation among our loved ones.' Not only that, but also stealing our basic human interactions and instincts. This is leading to a deterioration of our mind, body and spirit by the degradation of the creative and productive process, exercising of our bodies to achieve our needs and the respect for others and our environment.

I read somewhere that '...as a nation (and globally) we are trying to use technology to better our connection with nature and try to reverse some of the damage we have caused.' We are at a time where we should not be using fire to fight fire, because as we experiment for ways to reverse damages, more harm is being done to the environment, hence as Aesop wrote 'Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow' I am not knocking all the advancement we have achieved through science and technology, just that as the natives have done, we can practice them in harmony with nature and the Living Earth. This would create a beautiful productive synergy between the Mind, the Machine and the Living earth. We must remember like Albert Szent-Györgyi said ' We are all but recent leaves on the same old tree of life and if this life has adapted itself to new functions and conditions, it uses the same old basic principles over and over again. There is no real difference between the grass and the man who mows it.' Even the machine experiences 'wear' and 'tear' and we all come from the same source, Nature.

The western lifestyle and technology does not promote the type of interconnectedness that the Native teach. Natives teach a connection that is heavily reliant on a foundation of oral tradition that fosters close knit human interactions and relationship, which is the opposite effect of the western interconnectivity.Our over dependence on the technological gizmos in our lives are not in any way an extension of ourselves. That is unless we are seeking to equate a kissing emoticon to a real kiss or a mother’s touch to text. If you were raised every night being read bedtime stories by one of Hallmark’s recordable storybooks, with out any parental contact, is it the same? So I say, that by our nigh total dependence on the technology that we develop, we are seriously undercutting and undermining the greatest machine of all, the Human Mind. This is one of the greatest components of the Living earth that we are putting to waste, and subjugating under the rule of less intelligent non-sentient things, thereby diminishing its great capacity and intelligence.