Mindless Destruction of the Assets of Nature - Article Example

Essay, English Topic: Literature Introduction Mindless destruction of the assets of nature, trees and the greenery for selfish aggrandizement of wealth by humankind, has resulted in irreparable damage to Planet Earth. Unless something tangible is done to replenish the destroyed greenery, we are heading for a disaster; we are heading for a doom. “The Mulberry Tree” is but a representative of nature’s greenery. In the article “The Mulberry Tree” Salima Saleh writes, “A young woman wished to leave her house for an outing, but her husband objected: “What can a person find outside that he doesn’t find at home?” The woman replied, “Grass. I want to lie down on the grass.” This is a significant observation that gives rise to manifold interpretations, besides the joy that it creates at the first reading. I am reminded of a sonnet by William Shakespeare, “Under the greenwood tree/Who loves to lie with me/And turn his merry note/Unto the sweet birds throat, /Come hither, come hither, come hither: / Here shall he see/No enemy/But winter and rough weather.”(Arthur, 1919) The poet is inspired by the beauty of nature and would like to spend some time resting on her lap. “Modern man does not experience himself as a part of nature but as an outside force destined to dominate and conquer it,” (p.11) writes E. F. Schumacher, in his book, “Small is Beautiful.” Solving one problem by shifting it to another sphere and create an infinitely bigger problem has become part of the materialistic civilization. Long-term values are lost sight of. The said author forcefully writes, “The hope that the pursuit of goodness and virtue can be postponed until we have attained universal prosperity and that by the single-minded pursuit of wealth, without bothering our heads about spiritual and moral questions, we could establish peace on earth, is an unrealistic, unscientific, and irrational hope.” (p.25) The contents of the article “ The Mulberry Tree” is the forceful representation to humankind to realize the importance of trees and greenery for sustaining humanity, before this Planet Earth ceases to be the place of habitation for human beings, animals and birds and all other types of vegetation. Salima describes the true beauty of nature in the ensuing description related to grass. She writes it in the form of a parable that has been transmitted from generation to generation in her land, thus: “A child definitely wants grass that is growing, grass that rises vertically from the ground and sinks its roots down into the earth, grass that resists a hand that attempts to pluck it, grass that doesn’t wilt after an hour or two, and grass adorned with tiny flowers.” By describing the love of children for the natural grass, the author conveys the profound message about the necessity to preserve nature. The beauty and function of nature all over the world are the same. It is always benevolently disposed towards humankind howsoever ungrateful the human being may be and exploits it for his selfish gains. The concept of ‘The world is one family’ is not yet an attainable reality from the religious/spiritual points of view, meaning such conflicts have not yet been overcome by the leaders in those areas. But an identical concept ‘globalization’ from the economic and business points of view has almost been achieved without making special efforts for it. It is a self-evolved phenomenon. The economic necessities have united the humankind from the secular considerations and geographic and geopolitical boundaries have been levelled. Global market place has come to stay. Political ideologies have been challenged by the forces of globalization. Thomas L. Friedman in his book “The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization”, while lauding the merits of globalization articulates about the threat it poses and pleads for the preservation of ancient traditions that are the lifelines of the cultural heritage of the concerned countries and geographical regions. He argues that such values should not be sacrificed at the altar of globalization merely for the sake of aggrandizement of wealth. Protection of bounties of nature and preserving natural water greenery are important, otherwise the benefits of commercial globalization will be wiped out and human civilization will reach the point of no return. Globalization is like running the marathon race, but it should not be a mad race going by the cautionary signals provided by Friedman in his book. If man considers that he can conquer Nature, he is sadly mistaken. When Nature reacts, humankind will land in a sorry plight. Environmental degradation is one of the serious outcomes of globalization. The post-cold war world is in for a serious trouble without actually opening the warfronts through weapons. The world society is changing since 1989 and no one is able to accurately gauge whether the change is for the better or worse in the ultimate analysis. As international trade flourishes, the geographical boundaries have limited meaning. Internet revolution has provided the power to the individuals to shape their own economic destiny. Friedman articulates, when globalization arrived, it arrived like an avalanche, uncontrollable and uncheckable. Governments just watched, being unable to intervene decisively. Friedman acknowledges "globalization is everything and its opposite. It can be incredibly empowering and incredibly coercive. It can democratize opportunity and democratize panic . . . . It leaves you behind faster and faster and it catches up to you faster and faster” (p.406) Evan an intellectual and seasoned reporter like Friedman is confused about the true face of globalization and whether it can deliver permanent good to the humankind. According to him, globalization has proved to be the leveler, for which no political negotiators have been conducted between the countries involved. Economic relations have strengthened between such countries of their own. Growing economic interdependence and cross-border transactions are realities now and perhaps no power on earth will be able to reverse the trend. As compared to the above world scenario, how just one or two Mulberry Trees can impact the sociological and cultural life of a small township? Their profound implications have been described by Salima thus: “There are two giant trees in our house. One reached across the street to form a bridge over it, extending its branches to the neighbors’ roof. It violated human laws, recognizing only arboreal ones. Every now and then there would be a knock on the door; someone would be asking us to prune these branches…. Whoever shook the branches would climb them one after the other, gathering berries to fill oval containers lined with grape leaves…. On other days, there would be a knock at the door, and a woman carrying a container would look in. “I want some mulberries for my children.” Occasionally children we didn’t recognize would come. No one stopped them from entering the courtyard to gather the berries that had fallen. It was everyone’s tree. ... Many new trees in nearby houses had been propagated from this one…” This is the graphic description of life in rural areas, where people love each other, mutual trust prevails, and they are willing to co-operate with each other, enjoy their small fights and they share their gains. This nature’s bounty of mulberry fruits acts as the cementing force for the social camaraderie. The sum and substance and the profound message of the poem “The Mulberry Tree” by James Whitcomb Riley is also the same. His deep love for the beauty of nature and the life in the countryside is an unforgettable experience for the poet. He has spent his childhood there and the sweet memories of his different activities during that period have left deep imprint on his mind. Referring to the Mulberry Tree he writes, “And to-day as I dream, with both eyes wide-awake, /I can see the old tree and its limbs as they shake, /And the long purple berries that rained on the ground” (2014) It seems as if the mulberry fruits are the staple diet for the children of the village. The poet makes reference to the Mulberry Tree and fruits thrice in the poem initially in the second stanza and again twice in the fourth stanza. The taste of those unadulterated fruits must be haunting the memory of the poet, unlike the taste of the artificial fruit juices currently available in the market. Conclusion Forests are the natural wealth of any region and the backbone of a society. Besides, being the source of joy, they maintain ecological equilibrium. Trees and forests with their greenery identify the seasons, help in maintaining ground water and water cycle. Politicians with their ill-founded policies and the industrialists with their craze for amassing wealth have been responsible for destruction of forests have now realized their importance and have engaged in tree-plantation. Trees and forests are indeed long term crops and some authority needs to own responsibility for their proper growth and conservation. An international awareness is also needed because mass destruction of forests in the borders of one county will affect the climate and the geology of the neighboring countries. Encouraging the cultivation of fruit giving trees like Mulberry is essential as fruits are the source of vitamins and they contribute to human health. Wastelands need to be converted into profitable forests by planting trees that have high commercial value. Medicinal plants and fruit-bearing trees fall into this category. It is an irony that poorest people live in the richest forests and they do not know the commercial viability and marketing techniques of the forest products. Works Cited Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English; William Shakespeare. Verse: 1250–1900. Friedman, Thomas L. The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization. New York; Picador; 2012 Poems by James Whitcomb Riley – Poetry; Web: www.oldpoetry.com/James_Whitcomb_Riley_poems‎; Accessed on May 6, 2014 Saleh, Salima. The Mulberry Tree. Translation © 2013 by William Maynard Hutchins. Web: http://wordswithoutborders.org/article/the-mulberry-tree#ixzz30ts8Odmy; Accessed on May 6, 2014 Read More