Lets Talk About Roots: Part 1 (an introduction)

Ok, I admit it: I love root veggies. Potatoes, yams, beets, carrots...they are all so delicious and healthy-- wait--That’s not where I wanted to go with this. I do love root veggies, but there is only so much I can talk about those. I’d rather just eat them. Anyways, this blog isn’t about vegetables. Sorry, on to the real topic…

What I really want to dive into here is root causes-- specifically, root causes to environmental issues. For the first part of this blog series, I want to begin by explaining why I thought to do this, and how this is all going to work. There are many, many, many reasons why the world is how it is, and why humans of the developed world are the way they are. I am interested in why humans have separated themselves from nature on so many levels, and why we are seeing things like Nature Deficit Disorder and all of its various causes and symptoms (which I will go into more in a later post). Over the past few years, I have pondered the root causes of these issues. As it turns out, I have formed a bit of a theory, supported and inspired by various authors, which really explains this phenomena as having a root cause to another root cause to yet another root cause. Isn't that the way the world works anyways?

So let's talk about roots. When it comes to problems, what do we need to fix? What do we truly need to understand? The root. The core, underlying issue at hand that is most likely causing many other issues, visible or not. The core fix, however, is never the easy fix. Usually, it is something buried deep in a person or society, and let's be honest, no one wants to dig that up. That is why we chose to make life more complicated and slap on bandaids, pop pain killers, and create new policies to contradict and confuse old policies. When an individual is ill with a sore throat, simply popping a few cough drops may alleviate the symptom. However, this is useless when looking at the big picture. In order to truly cure the individual, he or she must discover what is causing the symptom. By identifying the disease, one may be able to take proper medical treatment to recover from the symptom and the disease. However, there may be a deeper root issue causing the disease-- If someone does not take proper care of his or her body by sleeping enough, eating well, and staying active, how can they expect to stay healthy? Illness will continually return to the body, regardless of the medical treatment, if the body is not fundamentally taken care of and treated properly. This is exactly what needs to be applied to the world as a whole. By understanding the root of our social and environmental problems, we are understanding the root cause instead of the disease and its symptoms.

If we begin viewing the world as a body instead of many detached body parts, we will begin to understand the importance of each of these “body parts;” by accepting the utilitarian and intrinsic value in all aspects of earth, from bees to sediments to social welfare, we will also gain a better understanding of how everything is connected. This being said, we can also assume that humans will understand that every action has an effect on everything else in one way or another. With this awareness, our species may consider the health of every part of this “body,” knowing that it cannot function fully and properly without every “organ and bone.” By addressing this root issue, a chain reaction will ensue environmental and social health, thus avoiding environmental and social disease in the first place.

Ha! This would truly be wonderful, wouldn't it? Yet, how naive of me, to think that a) everyone could possibly be on the same page, and b) that I am even right, or that this simple universal understanding would ever bring about an end to the destruction of the environment.

There is something else here; there are more roots to ponder, and more reasons behind our actions. In my opinion, the answers are all simple. However, there are many answers that branch out and become complicated as they are applied to the societal context. For now, I will leave you with this overview of my thoughts about roots. In the next post (Part 2) will dive a little deeper and explore more ideas.

Stay wild, y’all.

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