Temporal Tango

From Dictionary.com

ecosystem– Noun - a system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment.

Let’s imbue this word with an extra entendre and connect it to the concept of economy. In fact, the definition for ecosystem comes fairly close to working as a definition of what an economy is. Our connotation of an ecosystem excludes environments so heavily dominated by man (this bit of sexist language is intended; the domination of the environment is masculine in nature) as financial centers. When we speak of the Post Oak Savannah, we are suggesting what the “ecosystem” is as unaffected by people or ECOnomic systems. But by the above definition of ecosystem we should not be excluded. And it makes good sense to have a word that includes the whole ecosystem including economic systems because it is human economy that is most damaging to communities of organisms and it is with human economics that we have the most hope for improving the balance between economic systems and ecological systems.

Like dreams into the psyche, language provides lucid glimpses at cultural meta-forces. The paradigm shift of environmental salvation that most of us seek will places us in the context of the ecosystem and not separate from it. Unfortunately, this will not come with the invention of a word. For such a word, though helpful, would be a measure of our destructive impact and not a measure of an environment in relative balance.

In our nature is a teleological drive to create economic and other forces that separate us from the “natural” environment. This separation is primarily temporal and secondarily psychological. We separate ourselves by creating systems that step beyond nature’s rate of change. We always seek to hasten change. We call this growth. It is this stepping out of “natural” rates of change that forces us to be separated. It is need for growth that causes destruction. Whether we are talking about big boxes or corporate farming we create concepts of growth that outpace natural rates of change and thus destroy natural systems. Interestingly, we seem to have recognized the problem, but rather than adjust our approach to growth we seek GMOs to hasten nature’s rates of change. There are many smart people who believe that we can do this without wrecking havoc on the larger system. This, of course is the very definition of short sightedness and the essence of materialism as expressed through scientific approaches. If you cannot see, predict, or imagine the changes that might happen, they do not yet exist. This despite a clear and willing recognition that we have but a fractional, if not infinitesimal, understanding of the whole system.

There are forces in nature that are intended to purge systems and bring them back into balance. Are we such a force? Like massive algae die off in an over populated pond, are we intended to clear the pallet(te) [to keep with the double entendres] for new growth? Is it within us to fit into a harmonious temporal pace? Is “sustainability” possible if we do not?

Cross posted at http://postoaksavannah.blogspot.com/ and facebook