As time passes, Ecohumanism Research finds itself in its second year of existence. As its owner, I must state that I feel as though the time has passed, and continues to pass at a pace that I perceive to be indescribable. If the statement seems hyperbollically redundant then that is because it is. Or at least it is in my judgment… Yet, I am almost certainly not alone wondering what time is other than it implicating the past, the present, and the future. With that said, it may be best to not analyze it excessively for one may put themselves at risk of losing themselves in a realm of abstraction that cannot compare to what is happening in the now. What is happening now is what exists, which is what reality is. As we reflect on this, we realize that analysis is ironically what I am doing! After all, it forms the basis for what Ecohumanism Research is about.
In the previous year, I announced that it would not be possible for Ecohumanism Research to post regularly. This is because at present, I am pursuing a Master of Science degree in Environment and Management while working on a near full-time basis. In addition, I do not perceive it as necessary to post more often as I believe that the quality of the website’s content is more important than its quantity. Admittedly, this is a bias and it is one that I have adopted with intent. What I have learned over the years from observing the human ability to behave in ways that are less than optimal for survival is that adaptation is both necessary for evolution and as inevitable as a planet’s axial rotation.1
Why does the above-mentioned matter? It matters because the blog is dedicated not just for publishing research, but also for reflecting upon the self and nature. In other words, it is about allowing for feelings and emotions to arise, and for their meaning(s) to be discovered. It is for this reason why I began the opening paragraph of this post with a reflection on time; I have an idea of what time is but what I do not have is knowledge of it except for the time that it may be at any given moment.
The relevance of this to Ecohumanism Research and its philosophy may seem unclear. However, it is my intention to elucidate how long-term human evolution requires not only knowledge of objective reality (what is external to the self) but it also requires knowledge of subjective reality (what is internal to the self). The problem that arises when these realities are in discord is that it prevents the acquisition of meaning. The reason why I emphasize this is because I have directed my energy and time to understanding why the West has and continues to have a bias toward objective reality, and how it has permeated across the world. The consequences of this are noticeable in problems relating to socioeconomic inequity, political upheaval, and ecological degradation.2
What I am describing has been happening around the world for a significant portion of recorded history, and fundamentally, it is symptomatic of the (un)awareness that humans have of themselves. It is for this reason why I emphasize the need for subjective reality and for comprehending the relationship it has to its objective counterpart. As this concerns more than just thoughts, feelings and emotions on their own, it is something that may be described as “spiritual”. In other words, it is embodied.
I shall end this reflection by stating my awareness that although not everyone will appreciate the value that Ecohumanism Research has to offer, at least at present, it is my hope that it will naturally grow to make a contribution in advancing a humanity that can discover its latent potential. For this to happen help is required, therefore, Ecohumanism Research welcomes any feedback. With that said, I thank you for reading this reflection!
References
1 This is a facetious attempt to describe the phenomenon that is known as “foolishness”.
2 These problems are described in some detail in the books that Ecohumanism Research recommends for reading.