I think a very serious problem in America, that is rarely discussed, is the so called "Nature deficit disorder." The concept is basically that spending time in nature has very tangible and rejuvinating qualities for people. Its a great way to relax, get healthy exercise, gain greater perspective, feel an increased connection and empathy with the Earth, and gain much needed skills, self assurance, and an improved attitude. However, out of the hundreds of psychological maladies one can be diagnosed with, a broken connection to the wild world is not even on the books. In my opinion this is one of the most dire problems facing the country, and I'm saddened to watch it happen without any sense of outrage or national attention.

The term was coined by Richard Louv in his book "The Last Child in the Woods." It is excellent reading, and I encourage anyone to pick it up. If you're interested there is also an older interview with him I found on NPR that makes for some good listening. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=4665933

I'm wondering what your thoughts on the idea are? Do you think that are really suffering as a people by being isolated from nature? What are the effects going to be on our children raised in a suburban bubble, and how can we change this trend?

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DILIGITE JUSTITIAM QUI JUDICATIS TERRAM

Its sad that people have plenty of time to engage in partisan bickering and mud slinging, but no one has an opinion on something as serious as this issue.

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DILIGITE JUSTITIAM QUI JUDICATIS TERRAM

I don't think that getting in touch with nature is necessarily what is important. What's missing in our society is a sense of community. The idea of looking to nature as a way to gain perspective- I don't think kids today get it. Most of the time when people talk about that now, it embodies an obsession with individual survival and the abomination of "survival of the fittest" (Social Darwinism to be exact) that merely makes people more obsessed with escapism and anti-socialism. Is it nature that causes it? No. It's a reflection of our decline into narcissism and compartmentalization.

So while I can appreciate a desire to get people back into nature... I don't think it's a solution. The core failure of our society today is the death of community... and that perverts everything- nature included.

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Agreed on that second point. We really don't have a sense of responsibility and connectedness to our fellow man any more. But, on the first. No, no, getting ourselves back into nature is essential.


True. Theres a real disconnection. As generations are raised increasingly distanced from the natural world, the problem is amplified. A parent is raised with limited experience to nature, and so their children are raised with even less.

I see your point, but I think you might be overstating the SotF aspect. I'm an avid hiker, and you'd be hard pressed to find more generous and selfless people than the ones you run into on the trails. Outside of the trappings of civizilation, cooperation is needed much more. I think that theres a reasonable share of survivalist types that get into the woods in preperation for their wet dreams about a Russian/ UN/ zombie invasion. I'd imagine hose guys are usually driven by personal insecrity and a lack of control over their lives. But, theres plenty of people, the majority I'd imagine, that don't share those views.

I don't think its a solution to the worlds ills either, but I think it would significantly improve our society.

I've found community to be more evident in nature. Without your AC, plasma TV, fancy computer, stereo, video games, and the rest of our modern trappings, you're forced to confront your fellow man much more often. That interaction is naturally going to lead to more empathy, and thus more community. Combined with the neccecity of needing each other to prosper, a community can spring up from getting back to the woods.

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Hmm... interesting argument. I think it's slightly flawed though. Here's the flaw: that word "natural".... what does that mean exactly? Seems to me, you're kinda unnecessarily "restricting" the scope of that word a little -

I mean, lemme give you an example - a "scenario" - you know it's a few years in the future (50? 100?) and we have "over-population", but we also have space travel and advances in genetic technology. So, like, "some" people are suggesting, that what we oughta do policy-wise, is the China approach, you know, restrict everyone to having "just one kid", and that way food supplies and government resources don't get scarce, that kinda thing...

And then the other half, are gonna be screaming, "no, that's coercion, just let us leave earth, we'll go to the nearest inhabitable planet" - you know, they're gonna opt in favor of "opportunity", instead of making the "sacrifice" of having only one kid -

And then, I mean, while all this is going on, we're "genetically programming" ourselves, and everything else under the sun. You know, we're sticking new genes in tomatos already, so they won't rot as fast, and I mean, every single tomato you get at McDonald's or any of the other fast food places is genetically engineered that way, you know.... and it's only a matter of ten years before we can actually do that to people....

So I mean, "natural", right? What's the next "natural" step in biological evolution? Jack your brain directly into the "network"? Would that give "us" a biological advantage, over, say, invaders from Mars?

See what I mean?

I guess I'm using the word to mean any place where the living world is predominant. Some place with plants and animals and a functioning ecosystem. Some place undeveloped. Forests and lakes and mountains and deserts and the like. Now, that term is a bit flexible. You can have nature on a smaller scale than vast swathes of the wild. I'd consider parks part of the concept. Or an overgrown lot. Or a farm. Or the fringe edges of a piece of property. You get the idea.

I'm talking about nature as a setting, as a place, as an enviroment. Not as an object like a tomato. So I'm not really sure where you're going with this.

...not quite. I think you're confusing "nature" with "natural." One is a noun, and the other is an adjective.

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First I would like to say I am a big enviromentalist/conservationist and actually I just spent the last four days hiking in my local mountains exploring recently closed trails (due to budget cuts).

I think the fact we are being removed from "nature"- that is to say trees n' stuff- is only part of the problem. I think in general we are far too removed from everything in our society. I can state with absolute certainty, that the way we live our lives is not sustainable and we risk destroying ourselves and our environment if we do not change. The reasons why are almost endless.

The means of production in this country seems to be removed from every day routine and we take for granted many of the harder things in life. I don't know if any of you have tried to start a fire without matches, lighters or a flint, but it's really f'ing hard. So the more "progress" we might be making to give us have simple lives will most likely result in pushing us further away from nature.

I don't want to go too much into it, but I think we are just postponing the inevitable collapse (which is a long ways away) of our way of life by focusing on the more minor issues that neglect the big picture (aka Global Warming Issue). So the way we are pushing nature away from us and indulging in this neo-capitalist consumer society isn't making us more happy, it is simply fulfilling our desires. Nature isn't the solution to happiness, but it is probably one of the major reasons people feel so atomized, isolated and depressed in the mechanics of a modern-day society. Until we change the current course of social development throughout the world, this pattern will continue and "nature" itself will be minimized to small pockets of observation so far removed from our present day lives that the only way to experience it is on the tele.

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I would also like to say, I live in a city environment and I think it's shamefu that I have to drive out for 30 minutes before I can experience any real sense of the word "nature."

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I strongly believe that every man woman and child in this country should have someplace natural within an easy walk from their house. I think if I ever got buttloads of money, I'd use it to building parks in the cities around the world.

Good points.

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"Its a great way to relax, get healthy exercise, gain greater perspective, feel an increased connection and empathy with the Earth, and gain much needed skills, self assurance, and an improved attitude."
except for 'empathy with the Earth' you could be talking about sex. while you enjoy the great outdoors, it appears you also presume others should realize the same enjoyment. that is probably a false premise. other activities, sex, as noted above would be included, as substitutes for the outcomes you describe. i fish, camp, hike, sail, paddle, bike, swim, surf, toss a frisbee, play sports, officiate sports, serve as a scout leader, walk the dog and generally enjoy being outdoors and in a natural environment. and if your question was 'isn't it unfortunate that more kids aren't exposed to outdoor opportunities to the degree they once were' i would probably echo your view. but we are each individuals and can find our own mechanisms to relax, stay fit, improve our disposition and acquire skills. for you and me, outdoors is THE answer, but i can appreciate that for many, they can easily substitute other activities and achieve those same outcomes without a trek thru the wilderness.

i will note, that as a scout leader, i find it disappointing that the boy scouts seldom expose inner city youths to the joys of outdoor adventures which many of us found only by being involved in scouting. i believe that is a missed opportunity on many fronts to be able to offer something of long-term value to those kids and to fail to do so. but again, that was not your question.

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