[MD] travelling vs tourism

Thu Aug 9 03:56:15 PDT 2007

i don't remember saying humans were incapable of an
enlightened interactive relationship with their
environment.
by observing the patterns of nature and then
understanding the processes more deeply one approaches
the diaphanous laws themselves - or, more prosaicly
perhaps, an ecocentric view.
from here we can understand and therefore speak the
language of nature...we can consciously add to the
conversation. at the moment (as a society) we are not
having a conversation at all.
improving soils, rehabilating waterways, permaculture,
alternative energies, reforestation...these are all
within our capabilities as a society. we can
dramatically improve, not just destroy, our
environment.
there is a school of thought in ecology that seeks an
a-human ideal. that is ideally 'nature' should be left
to itself. i strongly disagree. i think nature 
enriches us and is enriched in turn by us. any
separation is abstract and alienating.

--- ian glendinning <psybertron at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Gav,
> 
> Tourist - guilty as charged - just did the Beartooth
> highway today
> (between Laurel / Red Lodge and Yellowstone /
> Gardiner) ...
> breathtaking - awesome even, on so many levels. Most
> of the vehicles
> (even the motorcycles, of the thousands we met) had
> bigger
> environmental footprints than the one we drive.
> 
> Carbon footprint, or whatever you measure, surely
> there can be a
> balance between the exploitation / damage and the
> need to experience
> and understand.
> 
> Interesting you talk about custodianship and
> nurture, whereas a couple
> of weeks ago you were ranting about the presumption
> that humans could
> control or manage the eco-environment at all. I
> can't see any
> substitute for experience and well-informed balance
> (and hope as David
> says).
> 
> Ian
> 
> On 8/7/07, David M <davidint at blueyonder.co.uk>
> wrote:
> > Hi Gav
> >
> > Funny you should say that, I was wondering today
> why
> > we seem to make such a hell out of this life when
> there
> > is no necessity to do so.
> >
> > Thanks for the post.
> > David M
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "gav" <gav_gc at yahoo.com.au>
> > To: <moq_discuss at moqtalk.org>
> > Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2007 12:04 AM
> > Subject: [MD] travelling vs tourism
> >
> >
> > > end tourism now!!!!!!!!
> > >
> > > tourism is corporate travel: the mobile
> spectacle.
> > > comfort and convenience are paramount. tourism
> is for
> > > wieners.
> > >
> > > i just spent 5 days on fraser island, walking
> and
> > > camping. i ran into 10 other walkers, all cool,
> > > friendly people from all over the world:
> germany, US,
> > > slovenia, australia. they all were totally rapt
> in the
> > > environment, were part of it and knew that to
> despoil
> > > it was out of the question: like masturbating in
> front
> > > of your mum.
> > >
> > > the tourists come in their droves in buses and
> cars
> > > into a world heritage jewel and they shit on it
> and
> > > they whoop and holler and display their
> retardedness
> > > for all to see. again the whole world is
> represented
> > > but it is the yanks and brits that are the most
> > > obnoxious.
> > >
> > > lake mckenzie is a pristine freshwater lake that
> is
> > > dazzling to the eye. pure white silica sand
> fringing
> > > the perfectly clear water that contains the
> azure blue
> > > of the cloudless sky above. thick forest
> encircles the
> > > whole and creates what must be a shining eye to
> the
> > > birds above. on this pure white fine fine sand
> are
> > > flung dozens and dozens of cigarette butts. five
> years
> > > ag - my last trip - i would have had to search
> hard
> > > for one, but now the tourists are here in droves
> and
> > > their mindless destruction follows them, the
> shadow of
> > > their conflicted, twisted selves. this is
> sacrilege!
> > > this is blasphemy! this is so abhorrent, so
> wrong.
> > >
> > > it is hard not to look upon tourists as dross
> when you
> > > are a traveller. you must always keep the heart
> open
> > > but this means that it flows outward in its pain
> and
> > > frustration also. the word 'tourist' is
> pejorative
> > > around the world and this is an example why.
> > >
> > > and yes i have been both. i have been both
> tourist and
> > > traveller and perhaps all travellers start as
> > > tourists. it is important to remember this, i
> tell
> > > myself. the traveller is an individual; the
> tourist is
> > > part of the herd. the traveller is guided
> > > intellectually, aesthetically; the tourist
> socially.
> > > the tourist IS a lower form of life and this is
> why it
> > > seems so.
> > >
> > > but i should end with my own experience because
> it was
> > > very special. i spent the time with an
> ex-girlfriend
> > > whom some of you know. our time together was a
> ritual,
> > > a transformation. one relationship ended and two
> began
> > > on that trip and we are both different people
> than a
> > > week ago.
> > >
> > > to be literally alone - noone around for 10 or
> 20
> > > kms; to be in ancient beautiful forest. to begin
> to
> > > feel the power, to begin to see the energy, to
> begin
> > > to get the 'aha!s' when your mind makes the
> connection
> > > between aboriginal art patterns and the subtle
> > > energies of these truly wild places. to be
> silent and
> > > still and have the forest come to you and
> envelop you
> > > and absorb you and to begin to give gratitude
> and to
> > > begin to feel it coming back. the power spots of
> this
> > > world are the wild spots and they are in danger.
> the
> > > reason is always the same: the giant fears that
> which
> > > it can't understand; and it then destroys what
> it
> > > fears.
> > >
> > > i want to live in a world where nature and i are
> > > entwined lovingly to the point of no
> distinction.
> > > i want to live in a world where life is
> cultivated not
> > > detsroyed, for that is our unique power as
> humans: we
> > > can be custodians who nurture and protect the
> entirety
> > > of the planet. we could create paradises beyond
> our
> > > dreams, instead, as a species, we are
> manifesting hell
> > > on earth. i guess thoreau saw it coming.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
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