Ever since I was a child I have been fascinated with the animal kingdom. I suppose nearly every child is fascinated by animals. Its almost instinctual, but even more than that- it is something we all SHARE as living beings on Earth. We can recognize that animals have eyes just like we do, and interestingly, a cat enjoys being pet, just as we enjoy petting a soft, furry, re-active cat. Its obvious that we have similar characteristics and evolutionary traits, and we also have similar senses- the way we SEE and relate to the world in which we live. Very early in life, we learn that we are like the animals we see and enjoy; we are NOT much different than nearly every living thing on Earth.
One thing I enjoy about animals is watching them play- crows play, foxes play, deer play, cows play. It fascinates me that animals are very aware of play. This is what humans might consider to be happiness. We don't easily imagine that animals can be happy, like humans can, but they definitely can be happy- at least in the sense of play. Many animals play, and that gets me imagining- that animals can FEEL happiness. More interesting- animals can FEEL the vigor and excitement of YOUTH. Being young and interested in the environment is not just a human quality, it is a NATURAL quality- shared amongst many LIVING things. In this sense, I cannot imagine an ameba being 'happy', but there is really no reason why it wouldn't be. Perhaps happiness is simply a way to recognize the environment which supports life, and, considering the environment which you are living in DOES support life- it makes sense that LIVING- brings happiness.
We (as humans) tend to label our consciousness as superior to all other living things on Earth. As I learn about the natural world, I seem to recognize that humans are not NEAR as smart or advanced as we believe that we are. It is becoming obvious to me- that we are not so advanced after all, and our sentimental consciousness in not so much a quality, as it is a burden. What we advanced humans consider to be superior consciousness- is a powerful force which is actively destroying our environment. Human intelligence is different from animal intelligence. This is obvious, but what isn't so obvious- is that WE advanced humans are the ones who are actively destroying our environment- actively destroying our happiness. The animal kingdom- although not as 'smart' as the advanced human race is- is NOT destroying its environment, the one which it depends on for happiness.
The more time I spend in nature, the more I begin to realize and accept that I am a part of nature. This was obvious as a child, but as I grew older, and went to school, got a job, made some money, and bought some things to invite what I thought was happiness- I forgot the role that nature provides for me. As a child, I was AWARE of my place in the natural world, but as I slowly became more worldly (as advanced humans do) I lost that connection with awareness- I lost my connection with nature. Living in a world of money, computers, and spaceships- I lost my ability to connect with the primal source of what offers happiness, balance, and truth. I was a super advanced human living in a super advanced environment of super advanced science and progression. I was very conscious of the modern world and its material attachments, but I had separated from the source of truth itself. Oddly enough- I'm not the only one. Living in the modern world that we do, the advanced human race has forgotten the source of happiness, and truth; we have forgotten our connection with nature.
We 'superior' humans do not easily know this, or recognize it- because we are SEPARATED from such intimate connection with nature. Over many ages of social translations (math, science, technology, progress)- we have placed ourselves above nature. We are NOT above nature; but because we believe that we are, and act like we are, and plan the future like we are- we have become SEPARATED from the NATURAL environment which offers life, and truth. Instead of relying on nature (which is normal) we are now relying on science and technology (which is not natural). As normal as our scientific world of progress seems to be- it is not natural whatsoever. Although the details of mathematics is calculated to back it up, and the news is there to advertise it, and laws are in place to defend it from outside interests- the advanced world in which we live is NOT an environment of natural relation, connection, and understanding.
Every living thing on Earth (except advanced humans) understands that its environment is its home. The animal kingdom doesn't understand nature like WE do (as super intelligent beings who exploit it), but rather- they understand it as it is, as it offers life. Living beings KNOW that they are alive, not in the miniscule idea of human intelligence, but in the sense of knowing their place. An ameba doesn't try and act like a lizard, and a lizard doesn't try and eat like a tree; why? Because nature has a place for them, and they understand that place. They don't understand it like humans (who don't understand their place), they understand it as a connection with life- they KNOW their place because they are connected with nature. In the animal kingdom, nature is still the primary source of knowledge, wisdom, truth, life, and happiness. In the human kingdom, translated as the advanced technological world that we have build around us- nature is no longer the primary source of such abstract (yet true) ideology. Humans don't depend on nature, unless we can manipulate it to provide worth in the WORLD. Super advanced humans no longer live in nature- we live in a world which is separate from it.
We as living beings know that nature provides for us, yet we don't know much about WHAT it actually provides. Our worldly appetite believes that money brings happiness, and that mass media tells the truth, and that science is knowledge and wisdom. This is backward from NATURAL reality. Money does not bring happiness, media is not true, and science is not the same as NATURE. We advanced humans live in this backward world, and we are the ONLY living beings on Earth that do. The deer are not interested in money, the birds do not care about the nightly news, and the dinosaurs were not excited about the amazing progress of math and science. The animal kingdom is NOT interested in the advanced world of human production. This doesn't mean that they are not as intelligent as we advanced humans are, it means that we advanced humans are the ONLY living species on Earth which DEPENDS on such ways of living. WE depend on the un-natural world that we have built around us, while the animal kingdom and all of nature- does not. Modern day humans are the ONLY species in the entire history of the planet as we know it- that are pro-actively destroying their environment, and looking to outer space for solutions. How intelligent is that??
We modern, advanced humans are the only species on Earth looking to outer space for our survival. This is not because we are SO advanced that it is the next step of 'progress', and this is not because this is what super advanced beings do, as if other advanced life (aliens) are doing the same thing- looking for life on other planets... We are not looking to space because it is a natural process of conscious evolution; we are looking to space for solutions to our problems, because we are separated from the truth of nature. We are searching outer space for another planet, because we destroying our own, and we are running out of resources. When a deer runs out of resources it goes to the next pasture. When advanced humans run out of resources, we look for other planets. We are not looking for other planets because we are the smartest things to ever walk the face of Earth, as if that is what smart beings do; we are looking for other planets because it is what living beings do when they deplete the resources available.
The hype (advertisement) is all about progress; its what humans do best- we progress and progress, forever, and ever... While the animal kingdom lives within a natural realm of process, advanced humans have turned that idea into progress. The animal kingdom is not interested in mankind's progress, and why would they be? Our progress is our own, and it has gotten us where we are; where are we? We are lost in outer space looking for other planets... Where are the animals? Enjoying their time here on this wonderful planet we call Earth. For the animal kingdom- outer space has nothing to offer. It's not because they are not as smart or advanced as we are; its because outer space does not matter to them. Earth is the place to be, it is the environment which offers life, happiness, and truth. But for humans- Earth has become THE WORLD, which does not provide us with life, happiness and truth. Animals live within the NATURAL environment of eternal process, while humans live in the advanced world of scientific and political progress. We are searching outer space because it is the next step on the determined timeline of progress. Earth IS the place to be, but because we are separated from it- we are destroying it, and looking for other worlds to consume. This is not evolutionary progress as we like to believe- it is just part of a WAY larger natural process. To put it simply- it is not our responsibility to find another planet to consume, nature has that under control.
We advanced humans believe that science will save us, and that technology is the solution to our problems. Science and technology might be ways to manipulate our environment, but they are not the solutions to our growing problems. Nature is the solution to our growing problems. The solution to our problems- is what we are actively destroying... How smart is that? We are the most 'advanced' species to ever live on this wonderful and amazing planet- yet we are destroying the one thing which we depend on for survival. We are not doing this because we are SUPER DUPER smart- we are doing this because we are SEPARATED from nature and truth.
Earth is a natural environment which supports our needs. It is under stress because we do not know how to conserve/limit our own wants and desires. Can we ALL live on Earth with enough natural resources to survive? Sure we can, but more important- are we actually doing this?? No, we are not. We are consuming too much, and not giving back. We are not cooperating within the balance of nature. Instead, we are building our own idea of progress and production. Advanced humans don't conserve- we consume more, and expect more, forever. The modern 'advanced' human race doesn't practice sustainability- we laugh at it and exploit it, and look for MORE resources in places where life does not exist.
We humans might be SUPER advanced, and living in a world of continual progress- but we are not very smart when it comes to natural truth. We are the ONLY living species on Earth which is pro-actively destroying its resources. We are the ONLY living species looking to outer space for solutions. We are the ONLY living species that is NOT happy here. We are the ONLY living species who believes that WE are the smartest things to ever exist here on Earth. We are the ONLY living species which does NOT connect with the living environment and live within its natural boundaries. We are the ONLY living species on Earth which cannot find a TRUE connection with nature, and respect it as the giver of life, happiness, and truth. Humans are a product of nature, just as ALL living things are- yet we are the ONLY living beings who do not know our place within it. We are the ONLY living beings to separate from our natural existence. We advanced humans are the ONLY species on Earth that consider this to be some sort of superior intelligence...
Perhaps our sentimental belief in progressive intelligence- is not so intelligent after all. Perhaps, our intelligence is not a matter of evolutionary progress, but rather, is a process of environmental balance. Perhaps nature has a way of removing a species which has lost its place in nature. Perhaps we are that species which has lost its connection with nature, and has no place in the natural world. Or perhaps, we just have to remember our natural existence, and leave the world of progress (which we have so proudly built) behind. Perhaps science, media, and computers- are not helping us to become better living, sustainable beings. Perhaps technology is not the only solution to our SUPER advanced worldy problems. Perhaps, nature is the key to our happiness, and our suvival- if only we could find a true connection with it.