Rachel Freeman-- Class Reading Reflection 1

 This week I was able to attend a leadership conference at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. I learned a lot about the struggles and triumphs of many military leaders throughout recent international conflicts, including Navy airmen who were the first POWs in the Vietnam War and a Paralympic swimming gold-medalist who lost 100% of his vision in combat in Afghanistan.  You may be wondering what any of these stories have to do with the environmental topics of our class, but it was more about the theme of the conference that connects everything. The theme was trials to triumph and ways in which these leaders used optimism, honor, and strength to overcome some of the worst days of their lives. When I was listening to their speeches I started to think about how optimism and honor can be related to some of the concepts in the reading, such as how people's optimism for the capabilities of the future could advance society, and how neglecting to honor the environment for all that it offers is how we got to such a negative point in environmental history. 

Optimism is something that was discussed at the conference a lot, referring to the drive or energy that someone expresses to get through a rough time. For the Vietnam POWs it was creatively coming up with secret communication techniques, for Lieutenant Snyder who lost his vision it was being persistent in never letting his disability hold him back from the hobbies he loved, and for people of the early 1750s it was imagining how much easier life would be for future generations with the advance of technology. Optimism is also very critical for activism. I like that the book talks about environmental aesthetics because I think it sheds light on how people can be very appreciative of the beauty of Earth's landscapes. The way that people view the land as beautiful is an optimistic view looking past all of the damage that has already been done, as well as providing hope that there are still people who appreciate nature for what it is, and not what we can make of it. While optimism comes in many forms and is necessary for the progression of society and environmental activism, I think it can also be a gateway to overlooking the excessive use of resources for the supposed benefit of the future. 

 As almost a devil's advocate moment, I can see why people were so quick to overlook the consequences of the Industrial Revolution that could occur generations later. First, we have to notice the difference between glory and honor-- glory being an external force that motivates you, and honor being your own morals that drive your action.  The book describes our ability to identify changes that can be made to reflect our culture and material interests as simply in our "nature," although that nature is separate from the natural world itself. The Industrial Revolution, in a perfect world, was a win-win for everyone-- more jobs, more production, more money flowing through the economy-- but what their optimism toward the Erie Canal, the Gold Rush, and factories across the country didn't account for was how money was the glory factor. We all know that the Industrial Revolution never honored the land that it used to prosper, from deforestation, burning fossil fuels, and polluting water/ecosystems, but it the wealthy fed on the money they could gain from disregarding that honor. While they may not have even realized it, glorifying wealth and luxury is the root of the issue. Humans always want more, trading prosperity for destruction, as the book describes.