Alienation

Trying to walk up an unpaved way in Flip-Flops. Outside the Bahia Honda State Park, “featuring an award winning beach”. ยฉ Alexandra Lamp

Consumption means detachment.
Detachment from our origin. It means that there is always something in between. Something artificial, a manmade system which interferes. Money. Money and the value we assign to a certain thing. I feel here everything is about consumption – I’m not only talking about fast food and drive thrus. I talk about the possibility and the inevitably consequencing expectation to get everything you like by just paying for it. You decide, pay, enjoy. Consumption. Even coral reefs are consumed.

It is not about going out into nature. It means going out into a manmade system making something called natural environment available, accessable, consumable. Beaches are called nature. Recreational activities they call it, so that the product you consume has a name. And since you pay for it and do it in your freetime it in fact should be easy, convenient and accessable. Is nature easy? Is it convenient? Is it accessable?

I tell you what: on the other hand I had absolutely challenging moments experiencing maybe untouched areas of the Everglades. It brought me to my limits because I am not used to such a wild, uncontrolled environment. This is nature. Mangroves growing close to each other in a to us seemingly chaotic way, having long, strong and winding roots stabilizing them in the muddy ground. You sink in, you have to work to get one foot in front of the other, you have to fight your way through. I would call that neither convenient nor easy and accessable. I would call that natural beauty. So much nature that I sometimes felt I can’t take it because of its unfamiliar but true wilderness.

But is there a healthy togetherness? A combination of humans and nature without consumption, exploitation and abusement? Human are nature aren’t they? So, why can’t I find here “human AND nature“? So far America/Florida only gives me “either…or”. Isn’t that absurd? By the way, looking for the word absurd in a dictionary it also gave me the colloquial phrase “Isn’t that rich?” – Isn’t that defining for humankind in this context?

I feel it always needs entertainment. I feel nature here is assigned to some kind of Park, State Park, National Park, whatever. Organized – and customized. They (have to?) attract people to come and enjoy nature by advertising what kind of activities and entertainment is awaiting them there. But HEY! Wake up, look around you! Nature itself IS entertainment. Just be active and GO there. BIKEย  there. Put your stupid car, jetski and motorboat aside. Use your own physical power and experience. You don’t need to be entertained, it will all come to you. It will be there.
This is a not a one-year, two year, no it’s a lifetime guarantee which doesn’t need to be advertised with empty promises. Open your heart, your soul, your thoughts and widen your horizon. Experience where you come from, where you belong to and where you’re a part of. And realize where you always can go back to, and where you always can rely on. Leave your smartphone in the backpack, instead actually take your beloved people with you. Leave twitter, facebook, snapshot or instagram behind for a while but share your thoughts by directly speaking to others and spread the word.
No medium, no interposition. No money, no interference. No barriers. This experience is yours – for free! Always.

 

 


These lines are the outcome from many thoughts during my last weeks. I’m aware that my impressions result from a limited period of time I spent here and they can also only speak for the locally limited area I experienced. So, while reading this please have that in mind, it is my very personal point of view. Also, I talked to different people about that topic and those may recognize one or the other thing they said to me – thank you for your mental input and valuable conversations.

6 thoughts on “Alienation

  1. Dear Hanna,
    YES! I just read through this and couldn’t stop thinking “Yes! Exactly!” I couldn’t have said it any better.
    Also, I just looked back at your first post – the difference is stunning! Hats off to you ๐Ÿ˜‰
    And if I may just use this opportunity: It has been lovely to have met and spent time with you. And I think you’re a lot greater than you think ๐Ÿ™‚
    Keep up the good work German girl ๐Ÿ˜‰
    Alex

    • Dear Alex,
      I just thank you for finding those words!
      Some of those points you said I simply give back to you – and I think you probably know which ones I mean ๐Ÿ™‚
      Keep on going other (at least originally) German girl ๐Ÿ˜‰
      Hanna

  2. Dear Hanna,
    I just found this article and I gotta say, I loved reading it! This is exactly what I’m thinking too all the time!
    We should appreciate nature just the way it is. We don’t need any extras like jet-skis and all this unnecessary sh**, nature itself is entertainment enough!
    I really think more people should read and remember this ๐Ÿ˜‰
    Best wishes

    Saskia

    • Dear Saskia,
      thank you for your comment – and your support ๐Ÿ˜‰ It feels reassuring that there are people sharing this mindset! This way I’m sure we can initiate and make changes, if we only keep up communicating it in any way.
      Best, Hanna

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