because men and women first learned to love in,.
under and all around trees, because we need.
for every pair of feet and legs about ten .
leagues of naked nature, crags to leap from, .
mountains to measure by, deserts to finally .
die in when the heart fails.
(Abbey, The Journey home pg. 229).
As with Naess, Abbey does not doubt the existence of humans or the future of the existence of humans. He does suggest that there is a part of the human spirit that only an experience in nature can fulfill. This is the experience of self- realization that Arne Naess believes in. They both believe that the only way to have this experience is to actually go out into nature and spend some time making connections with the world around you.
When it comes to our society, Abbey understands the importance of balance between human existence and the environment in order to have success with both. He believes that it is possible for humans and nature to live side by side without destroying the needs of either.
I believe it is possible to find and live.
a balanced way of life some where halfway .
between all-out industrialism on the one hand .
and a make believe pastoral idyll on the other, .
I believe it possible to live an intelligent .
life in our cities- if we make them fit to live .
in-if we stop this trend toward joining city .
unto city until half the nation and half the .
planet becomes one smog- shrouded, desperate.
and sweating, insane and explosive urbanized .
concentration camp.
(Abbey, The Journey Home, pg. 234-35).
In order to achieve this balance, a change from anthropocentrism to eco-centrism becomes important. We must take into account all factors of the enviromnent before planning our own life. This is a huge change from the past where we have changed the environment to conform with our needs.
Although this book was written in the early nineteen seventies, the issue of population growth could not hold more true today.
