A Natural View

The question of whether we are separate or a part of nature and how beneficial that distinction is goes beyond urbanization vs. preservation. While this is an important question, I think it is also important to ask how often do we, as people, truly consider ourselves naturally? When we wake up in the morning we force ourselves awake to abide by scripted schedules and we eat food cognitive of how it might affect us and we shape our appearance to influence how we will be perceived. Not all of these things are true of everyone, but if we really consider it how many of us accept ourselves as we are naturally? It would be more beneficial to us as humans, from a physical and mental health standpoint, to allow ourselves to just be. While distinctions from nature can be helpful and allow us to function as a society there are also many habits we have developed that do more harm than good. For example, while having a set school schedule for students keeps things organized, it does not allow them to learn organically. It kills their ability to develop an inner desire to learn, explore, and create. We tell kids what they will learn when and exactly how much time they will have to do so. This may help to spot kids that fall behind in certain areas, but it hinders students that want to go deeper and neglects diversity of interest within humans. We as a society, especially within schools, also schedule our meals very specifically. It can be good to keep people on a schedule and to make sure that everyone eats, but the human body wasn’t built to eat at three prescribed times a day. It would be healthier for us physically to eat when we are hungry and mentally for us to not feel guilty for doing so. Furthermore, we don’t often accept our bodies and appearance as they are. I am all for makeup and the fun it can be and confidence it can bring, but when we take it too far it can hurt our self image. Photoshop isn’t natural. Why can’t we appreciate bodies as they are naturally? This would be better for us mentally and emotionally. Our need for order, which isn’t always natural, fosters guilt and kills creativity. We would be happier and healthier as a whole if we would allow ourselves to just be. Explore if you want, eat when you are hungry, don’t obsess about expectations.