What is Social Ecology? What are your reactions to the readings? What forms of hierarchy are in our world today? Are these hierarchies natural? Are there any better alternatives?
Social Ecology is basically the idea that social hierarchies are ultimately destroying the ecosystem, and that in order to change and to protect the environment we must abandon the traditional system of hierarchy. I can agree with the idea that in Utopia we would be a classless species, however I do find it extremely impractical that humans will abandon the current hierarchy we have set in place. I believe this because it is natural for humans to be in a hierarchy; it is all we have ever known. If it were unnatural, as social ecology states, then why should we have to force change?
In American society today we have lower , middle, and upper class with much leeway; in our society, a person can start from the bottom and make their way to the top provided they are successful in their endeavors. But a person can also be born in upper class and be very unsuccessful and ruin their status in society. India has a caste system where you are locked into your social class at birth. Asian culture has traditionally been centered around authority, honor, and respect for those who are deemed superior. I believe this proves that it is human nature to have hierarchy.
I do think that it could be achievable in the future, but we would have to be a much more intelligent, empathetic, and advanced species for it to work properly.
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