Human Obligation: Universe Beyond Consumerism

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Brian Swimme’s statement alludes to the fact that humans distract themselves from the idea that life as a whole is beyond the human agenda. Humans have forgotten the universe is truly valuable, powerful and the provider of life for beings in existence. Unfortunately, forgetting about the value of what the universe has to offer is not new. Everything has shifted and the concepts of Western consumerism and living for instant gratification cloud the greater picture of preservation and sustainable living. Industrial development is only a small part of universal clockwork. The concerns of everyday living cannot compare to humans duty to preserve the earth. This is not far from what cosmologist Brian Swimme was arguing when he said, “It’s a question …show more content…

A higher level of creativity emerged when the human species began to express their perceptions of the world through art. Prior to Neanderthals there had been no signs of art by any other species. This is significant because the art found from the Neanderthal era depicts humans first intent to control parts of nature. A sculpture of a lion man is one of the earliest pieces of art. Author John Black comments on the ancient …show more content…

The common essentials to an average American’s life of materialism and technology are not composed of matter that can be easily recycled by the Earth’s natural processes. For example, some of the small technological advances to satisfy the instant gratification needs of the current human race are not sustainable and will eventually lead to the destruction of the environment and overconsumption of the Earth’s resources. This is as simple as the need for a quick morning coffee. Advances in technology, such as the Keurig, allow humans to create individual cups of coffee within a matter of seconds. However, the resources to create this coffee, Keurig cups, are damaging to the environment. “Almost one in three American homes now has a pod-based coffee machine...last year K-Cups accounted for most of Keurig Green Mountain’s $4.7 billion in revenue—more than five times what the company made five years prior” (Hamblin, Paragraph 2). This is one example of how productivity, consumerism, and economic gains are contributing to the crisis in

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