My ideas of the way the world works and the way people interact with the environment has been changed dramatically upon taking ENVS 160. Instead of looking at many of the environmental issues literally, it has been enlightening to learn about theories behind a lot of ideas swirling around in the environmental studies world. There were three main things we have learned that have stood out to me thus far: Cultural Theory and the Ecotypes survey and the bookWho Rules The Earth.
- Cultural Theory is examined in the words of Mike Hulme’s Why We Disagree About Climate Change. This is the concept of how different people act and react to situations, focused mainly on the environment, in this case. This has been hugely important for me to learn as I am very interested in the way people work and certain decisions are made. I come from a very conservative city, growing up in a liberal family. Because of this, I feel that I have been exposed to many opposing views and different ways of thinking. Hearing and reading about the cultural theory concept has helped to make sense of all the people I have known in my life. The ideas of grid and group have helped me further understand the individualists and the fatalists juxtaposed to egalitarians and hierarchists. I want to leave this class with a better understanding of this topic and how I can apply it to the people I know and interact with back home.
2. The Ecotypes Survey has had a similar appeal to me that the idea of Cultural Theory had. It showed the ways people around me think and feel. Lewis and Clark is a very liberal school and seeing the results were somewhat expected. It was very interesting to see ideas where there were sometimes outliers as I feel I might have been some of them. Being a somewhat similarly opinionated school, the results of the survey were still educational after we looked over them in class especially. Different ideas of religion, nature, and society were important to look at and think about why people might have those opinions. I felt they could be well tied into the cultural theory types of people. These kinds of results always pull at my emotions and show me how easy it is to be around like-minded people and forget about the other side. I think it is so crucial to know and understand the opposing view and listen intently to those kinds of opinions. I have lost friends over political differences but I have also learned the most from those same friends. Surveys as important as the Ecotypes one made by Jim Proctor show human similarities and different opinions.
3.The book Who Rules the Earth by Paul F. Steinberg has been very influential to me because it has been unique to learn about how the social rules of our society have helped form our opinions of our planet. I have really enjoyed seeing the opinions expressed in the book. Social rules and their importance have been a big topic in my life. My brother is always talking about “social constructs” and the issues in our society that give us misconceptions. I think it has been valuable to see how the environment is treated through societies eyes, it has given me a way to discuss concepts with my family, mostly my brother. As we eventually wrap up the book I think it will be valuable to see how Steinberg ends it. The way he wraps up all of the ideas he has brought to my attention will give the opinions I have closure.
This class has been hugely educational to get a feel of the way people think and feel towards the world. I hope in the next few precious weeks that I have in ENVS 160 will prove to further inspire me to look at things from different angles and never stop desiring to learn about theories and realities.