In class last week, we discussed the idea of how the word "environment" has had many words added before it in the modern day. These often give us a different idea of the word itself and how we view its definition. We discussed the phrase "the environment" for a while and what comes to mind when we think of the phrase. I took sometime to think of other various ways the word is brought up in ever day conversation and what type of view that gives us of the word.
Take for instance the phrase "Our environment." This seems to give a possessive sense to the word obviously, but what does that tell us about the phrase? Since it is possessive in tense, it comes with a sense of obligation. Some would feel inclined to find some sort of pro-action with the environment by saying "our environment" but it also seems to comes with a sense of detachment as well. The detachment we would feel from this possessive sense would make us lose the idea of "spirit" as Emerson calls it. Spirit meaning a relation between reason and nature which we must be separate from. If we were to take this idea of the spirit being something we can't get to as Emerson does, the possessive nature in the phrase "our environment" would immediately detach us from that and would lose a sense of reason in understanding the environment.
Another example, which I heard a dog handler say, is the idea behind this whole "healthy environment." What exactly is an unhealthy environment? Generally the sentence one would normally hear would state something like "We have created a healthy environment for the (blank)." Again there is a detachment from the spirit but it also brings on this sense of the "man made" or artificial which completely debunks this whole idea of the environment aiding us.
The idea of an environment being bad or good brings leaves one with a sense of separation as well. Modern psychology strictly believes that a persons surroundings or their environment effects their behavior which has shown to be true. However, if the original sense of the environment within nature is supposed to possess all these unattainable things, how can one truly determine what is a healthy or unhealthy environment?
These an other examples show how the definition of the word has certainly changed in perspective and has taken on a sense of ambiguity. These perspectives have certainly strayed from the original study or definition of the word however.
Dalton, I definitely agree that as you say, "the idea of an environment being bad or good leaves one with a sense of separation." For, in today's society, "the environment" is in fact a rather relative term.
ReplyDeleteYet I would also challenge the "original definiton" of this word, for if - as history dictates - the term "environment" changes based on a person's own view of his/her surroundings, then what have we to go by in order to come up with a solid, across-the-board definition?
Merriam-Webster defines "environment" as 1) "the circumstances, objects, or conditions by which one is surrounded" 2) "the aggregate of social and cultural conditions that influence the life of an individual or community," both of which I think dance around our shared understanding of what our "environment" truly is.
However, even as Merriam-Webster has to give multiple meanings for this one term, so to do we give multiple meanings to this term, just as Dalton mentioned.
Therefore, I would venture that "environment" is and should be considered a dynamic term, for it is a dynamic aspect of our lives! It is never static; it is always fluctuating and changing in nuanced, beautiful ways. This very dynamism is what breathes life and vigor into the meaning of the word "environment." It also is what causes the environment to BE dynamic - a symbiotic relationship, if you will.
I like very much that you (and others) are beginning to play with language seemingly inextricable from discussions of environmental writing. (The overlap is certainly on purpose here.) The post also brings up the possible need to revisit terminology... perhaps "ecology" is more appropriate for how we understand "environment" today. Perhaps "nature" is something that assumes an alignment with "health," while at the same time is being discussed as suffering its own health problems. These and other issues will continue to confront us as we move through this course.
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