Prof. Junaid Jazib
Nature has always been very kind and generous to us humans in providing all the needs and necessities and the comforts and conveniences required to keep us sustaining. It has kept all its treasures and assets open to be exploited for man’s wellbeing. It has always, and amply, fulfilled our basic as well as the sophisticated requirements for an ever increasing population and constantly changing lifestyles. Man’s technological advancements (having made him a comfort-lover to an unbelievable extent) have even furthered his depenendance on the surrounding resources for the energy, space or comforts either in the raw or the refined form.
Nature is, in fact, nothing but our surroundings that consists of the physical world of plants and animals, microbes and landscapes, atmospheres and oceans, and, of course, the conditions and the forces operative therein. Man draws all of his survival and sustenance from nature and is bound to do so for he is still unable to survive in space or to become a self-sustainer in a way that food and energy becomes a non-issue for him. Besides food and shelter, medicine and tranquility, spirituality and salvation, energy and aesthetics, there are systems and sub-systems, from the simplest-ones to the most complex ones, in nature that are always, in a sense, at man’s service. This huge and vast nature, spread all-around on the planet, functions as a holistic system to enable the innumerable living species, in addition to man, to lead their life.
Auspiciously and in fact requisitely man has developed, since his origin, a very reverential and friendly relation with his surroundings. Despite having developed a sense of great reverence towards nature, he kept using it for getting himself all sorts of comforts and services. This attitudinal adaptation enabled him to live a wonderfully satiated and fulfilled life, materially as well as spiritually. He dealt with it very smartly, strategically and, of course, judiciously. He used, mastered, managed and administered nature as well as obeyed and worshiped it.
There arose no conflict between man and nature till the recent centuries because while putting nature to various uses and even modifying it, man (in traditional societies) has stuck to certain principle observances to limit his activities within certain bounds. In fact, nature, the natural things and even the natural phenomena were held in high esteem in all ancient societies and cultures. Anything and everything in nature; animate or inanimate; plants, animals, rivers, mountains, geological shapes, geographic structures, etc. were highly revered in Indian cultural context. This spirit of attaching metaphysical attributes to natural things and natural phenomena exists till now even among Indian Muslims and Christians whose belief-systems don’t favor worshipping anything else one God. The doctrinal practices of worshipping natural objects must have in its origin some logical bases and it must be the nature’s pivotal role in man’s survival and sustenance.
It is during the recent times that, owing to his craving for so called economic development, man’s very amicable and harmonious relationship with nature got strangled. His bond with nature has got weakened and he drew himself farther and farther from nature as he advanced in knowledge and technology. His reckless practices and unaccountable attitude toward nature and natural wealth, based purely on materialistic considerations has eventually ushered man into an era of total disturbance and disorderliness causing a chaotic, rather disaster like situation in nature. Though his survival and progression is completely indebted to his rich and healthy surroundings, he-obsessed with a thirst for material luxuries-developed an antagonistic and oppressive stance towards nature. This hostile behavior of his towards nature could also be said to be due to his self-centeredness and frenzied approach of subjugating natural world and wealth. His anthropocentric world-view and lack of accountability for his conceited activities are the main underlying factors responsible for the present deplorable environmental scenario. Man, having attained the most authoritative and powerful position on the earth, has misused his power and authority to sabotage nature and all the other creatures therein. He, ignoring even divine guidelines or any ethical consideration, has plundered the vast treasure of natural resources, frightened and threatened the innocent life-forms, altered natural systems and has burdened the air, waters and soils with toxic wastes and contaminants. This disrespectful approach of man has led to a massive degeneration of nature and natural systems, the dangerous consequences of which are already obvious and evident. Declining natural resources, drastically raised levels of green house gases, an unusual warming of the planet, melting of polar ice caps, rising of sea level, harsher weather conditions, thinning of ozone shield, deteriorating soils, fresh-water becoming a scarce commodity and disappearing of species after species are the distressing indicators of the present state of affairs which has ushered the world into an era of conflict and crises. These ecological devastations are directly and intricately attributable to man’s actions and attitude.
Economic development is our rightful concern but its sole objective gets reversed when we sacrifice the long-lasting and more vital benefits for the short-term and facultative gains. Progress is indispensable for us to prosper but exploring and adopting the safer means of progress and advancement is now indispensable for our continued existence. Nature and natural wealth splendidly surrounding us require an immediate re-perception at our part and that too for the sake of our own survival. A balanced approach towards nature is inevitable now. This calls for a re-orientation in our outlook and asks us to give up our extravagant, wasteful and selfish lifestyle. No doubt resources are there only to be used and utilized for human welfare but natural ecosystems must not be disturbed beyond their restoring capability; judicious use of natural assets guarantees a balance in the surroundings but disrespectful plundering surely brings havoc; exploring, investigating, studying and conserving biosphere assures human well-being but overexploiting and eliminating biodiversity destabilize the entire system. Being merely a thread in the web of life on the earth, man himself is an integral part of nature. He is thus bound to receive all the eventualities linked with the disturbance and the disruptions in nature. By adopting a hostile and cruel attitude towards nature man endangers, along with other life-forms, his own survival and existence whereas having a high opinion for it averts and obviate many anticipated crises. In the modern, scientific world there is no room for superstitious practices but respecting nature is as rational as any other proven and practiced theory of the present times because the way-of-life that incorporates in it the respect for nature is scientifically the most recommended way of life for its consequential aspects.
(The author teachers at GDC Thannamandi Rajouri)
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