The otherness of Nature

A detailed Summary of The otherness of Nature

When people think of nature, they are usually thinking of the wonder, beauty, magnificence, goodness of it all. What about the downside? Do people ever stop and think about the other facets of nature? The truth is, they usually don't. Nobody thinks about the so-called "otherness of nature". They don't think about hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, and other such problems that we face. It is too frightening, unpleasant and, in many ways, too difficult to comprehend. Also, it is clearly not something anyone would consciously choose to ponder, because, in most instances, it is not something anyone can control.

This so-called "otherness of nature" deals with the darker side of nature. This aspect of nature, for some, "causes distress, confusion, and even revulsion", (as stated in Chapter 1 of Being in the World: An Environmental Reader for Writers by Scott H. Slovic and Terell F. Dixon). It deals with many aspects of nature that we all choose to think never occurs or happens to other people. Some examples of these include hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, forest fires, tsunamis, and floods; which all tear up families, and homes, and sometimes even a whole town. We

On the other hand, perhaps fear, ignorance, confusion, and naivety will continue to prevent us from ever comprehending its true value. Continued research, scientific advancements, and significant improvements will one day help us to fully understand all of the unspoken aspects of nature.

Some suggest that this "otherness of nature" is a necessary evil. They believe that the tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, floods, and other freak occurrences in nature are needed. They also say that in the long run, from a scientific perspective, we will use these events to perpetuate the evolutional life cycle of the world as we know it. It is suggested that we might fall off course without periodic shifts in the seismic layers of the earth and the periodic changes in the weather caused by such things as El Nino and other scientific phenomenon.

The horrific nature and impact of this earthquake in Taiwan, that some say has registered as high as 7.6 on the Richter Scale along with aftershocks reaching as high as 6.8, has been far to much for anyone to bear. It has been described by various news reports as the most serious one to occur in Taiwan in over 100 years. In fact, the latest reports show the death toll exceeding 2,000 people, along with over 500 reported injuries and over 300 still missing. It is expected to take years to restore the destruction to the city's infrastructure, including the collapsed buildings and bridges and heavily mangled roads. Reports of people crying next to their parent's bodies and the screams for help from those still buried under the rubble is too overwhelming for anyone to deal with. Shun Shin Lush captures it best in the following quote from a recent Washington Post article:

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Approximate Word count = 1279
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English