"...I propose to you that feminist consciousness is a scientifically revolutionary consciousness. I see feminism and ecology as sharing the same perspective, which represents a new (yet very old) way of seeing, a way of making peace with (rather than war on) Nature. Such a perspective is holistic: everything is connected to everything else and each aspect is defined by and dependent upon the whole, the total context. Life is interconnected and interdependent: we are not above Nature, we are an intimate part of it."
The connection of ecology and environmentalism with feminism implies a culture of coexistence between humans and nature. In the same way that feminism seeks the equality of men and women and the importance of each sex to the other, the idea of eco-feminism renders humanity equal to and a part of nature. Asserting our dominance over nature is not preferable, but rather valuing nature, understanding it intrinsically, and connecting to it emotionally as well as intellectually. As the passage states, this new understanding of nature would be holistic, and it would at least partially reject the tenant of individualism in favor of coexistence.
Many in our freedom-loving society might balk at this idea, and perhaps for good reason. As humans, we view ourselves as superior beings above all else, literally capable of conquering the world. Furthermore, being told to see ourselves as equal to nature, merely a part of its mysterious processes, goes directly against our own ideas of independence. In truth, we would give up a good deal of our personal liberty were we to fully adopt the ideas of eco-feminism. However, I believe that it is fundamentally important to embrace this culture of coexistence. Human history has long followed a disturbing pattern of oppressor and oppressed, of master and slave. We fought our own revolution in 1776 to win an emancipation from Britain -- but only gave freedom to the white, landowning male. It was nearly 200 years until both blacks and women would even begin to gain their full rights. In the same way that women and blacks were oppressed, we ourselves have oppressed nature. As has been made clear through the emancipation of these groups of people, they are a fundamentally important part of society that cannot be ignored, and the same is true for nature. By understanding nature to be equal to ourselves, by seeing ourselves as part of it rather than master to it, we can truly make progress in truly understanding nature and coming closer to a culture of coexistence.
I totally agree with you here. Regarding your point that "we would give up a good deal of our personal liberty were we to fully adopt the ideas of eco-feminism," this is definitely a big turn-off for most people. But I think that uncomfortable feeling of dread over "sacrificing our freedoms" is not even accurate. It reminds me of how we always say "this is a free country!" but simultaneously give legitimacy to our laws (quite GLADLY for the most part). In defining myself as part of a system--the United States--I "give up" my "right" to murder, to steel, etc. and I believe that this actually EXPANDS my rights (right to life, right to be safe, etc.). In other words, we see eco-feminism as threatening our "rights" when in actuality I think we hinder our own rights by NOT buying into the holistic attitude towards nature.
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