In “Nature,” Emerson admonishes religion and ethics for
separating nature and spirit. Specifically, he states that they “have an
analogous effect with all lower culture, in degrading nature and suggesting its
dependence on spirit” (p236). It’s one thing to have a relation between the two
entities, but it’s another matter to enact a hierarchy between the two.
This also implies that there is a level of control that
spirit has over nature. Humans today try to control nature, although most ways
that we think about Emerson would probably argue that we are mimicking nature
in a way that suits us better. Things in this category are labeled as
“technology.”
Then there is fantasy and magic. Over and over again, people
control and manipulate by exerting themselves over the elements. The strongest
heroes and villains are the ones that master complete control over their
domain, including elements and the dead. Summoning in most stories is with the
implicit belief that the summoner can control the summoned. In worlds where
anything can happen, it still comes down to who can control what.
Emerson argued for a symbiotic relationship between the two
powers. But over and over we witness stories tell us it is strength in spirit
that leads to the best ending. We haven’t learned Emerson’s teachings in this
regard. So then I have to ask: when does nature control us?
I found this post extremely interesting and thought-provoking. To answer the question you pose at the end of your blog, it is my belief that while nature rarely controls humans, under these rare circumstances, nature can be extraordinarily powerful. While I do not personally believe there is a relationship between spirit and nature, natural disasters such as tsunamis, hurricanes and tropical storms have killed many people. During these instances when nature is able to control a human's destiny, (or cause death) humans question the relationship between nature and spirit. Nevertheless, in these moments of natural disasters and even during large snow storms that are inconvenient for the masses, there are certainly moments when nature controls us.
ReplyDelete