Tallest Cloud- Reading Reflection

 In this reading, the concept the author pushed on two ways that humans can move forward with the environment reminds me of things that I have learned in my major. The author states that we could either find a nonhierarchical way to make connections with the environment or leave nature and the environment alone altogether. Other than the nonhierarchical portion of the first suggestion, these two solutions remind me of conservationism and preservationism respectively.  Additionally, in my Environmental Ethics course, we discussed the nonhierarchical attachment to the environment in-depth as well. With this knowledge as my background, I believe that choosing one form or the other is not that simple. Context is key. In some ways, preservation might be the most necessary, especially when trying to preserve a certain habitat or animal. Conservationism, in my opinion, is the best way to go about most other issues. We cannot simply leave nature alone, with our dependency on nature and the curiosity of the human mind, sticking to pure preservation does not tempt people to learn how to live with nature, instead, we convince ourselves that we are horrible for nature and live separate from it. This way of living creates a separation between us and the Earth which will lead to worse things in the future. Finally, the ability to create a nonhierarchial relationship, in my opinion, would be incredibly hard, if not impossible, in some cultures. Many cultures, including the United States, are highly individualistic and business-oriented. We are also fairly selfish as human beings and often act in our own self-interest for survival. What we can do, however, is continue to forge relationships with the environment through conservation and awareness which will hopefully lead us to a sound conclusion.