Summary and Response to "Island Civilization

          In Roderick Nash’s essay, Island Civilization: A Vision for Human Occupancy of Earth, he talks about the relationship between humans and the environment. He criticizes that humans are taking over the planet and leaving no place for the wild lives to live. He states that the wilderness is not something that can be controlled, humans should learn to live with it but not above it because the wilderness has its own will, we are all part of nature and we do not possess it. As the technology improves, humans are starting to feel more powerful and more in control, but the fact is, they are destroying the environment and leaving no future for themselves. Nash believes that humans are now “the death star, but [they] are also capable of changing course” (380). Humans are destroying earth, but they also have the ability to save it. Humans have done so much negative things to the planet, it is time to make it up to her.  

          In the essay, Nash explains three possible outcomes for mankind. The first outcome is that the earth will become a wasteland where it is all filled by trash and poison, wild lives can no longer be supported. The second outcome is called the garden scenario, which states that by the forth Millennium, humans will be in total control. By that time, the human population will be large enough to occupy every corner on the planet, and they will be supporting themselves because other species will be long gone. The third outcome is called the future primitive. In this scenario, humans will live like they were in the old days where hunters and gatherer are needed.  
         The last scenario is a proposal that the author had introduced, it is a way of living peacefully with the wild lives called Island Civilization. In this proposal, he restricts the human population to “1.5 billion or a quarter of the present level” (377). These people will be living on islands that are scattered widely over earth. People are self-supported with high technology and will not harm nature. 

          I agree with what Nash says about mankind should respect nature. Nature does not belong to us. We have used up so much natural resources, if we do not start controlling the inputs and the outputs, and keep them balanced, we will have to pay the price eventually. I believe that all the creatures on earth should be equal, we are all connected to each other because we are all part of the food chain. Humans are not the dominators, without the wild animals and other living creatures, humans will not be able to live long by themselves. 

         Nash’s Island Civilization sounds like a dream world to all creatures on earth, but as appealing as the proposal seems to be, it is unrealistic. First of all, human population is still increasing, it is impossible to cut the population to 1.5 billion. Second of all, after so many generations, humans have already adapted to their current life style, it will not be easy to adapt to a new life style. Revolution like this brings diseases and conflicts, it is too risky. Last but not least, not many people will support this proposal. Humans are selfish and greedy, most people think that they are superior to other creatures on earth, they will never sacrifice their own wants and change their own living style to save the wild lives.