And this ties in with what Morfe is saying about his mistrust of the word "nature" (which implies that we are something separate from nature). When I see a bird's nest I am reminded of a house, and when I see an ant-hill or a bee's nest I am reminded of a city. I cannot call anything made by human hands anything but natural. We are a part of nature, and therefore everything we make is natural. Ultimately I agree with you, though, Nigel. I choose to live in the countryside, not the city, after all. But I am not blind to the beauty of humanity's works, even those works that are destroying our world. Indeed, I often feel a strange sense of guilt for finding such things as the Redcar steelworks beautiful. I'd sooner have the heath every time, mind you!
And isn't that what's great about ancient monuments? Humanity leaving permanent marks on the landscape for the first time. But what marks! So in harmony with their natural surroundings (unlike the cement works near my home!). This is one of the things I find the most thrilling about such places - to see humanity and nature working together, in harmony.
To finish here's a quote from Keats (Ode on a Grecian Urn):
"Beauty is truth, and truth beauty, - that is all
Ye know on earth and all ye need to know"
Reply | with quote | Posted by TomBo 30th June 2003ce 14:56 |
Spirit of Place (Shestu, Jun 26, 2003, 21:11)- Re: Spirit of Place (FourWinds, Jun 26, 2003, 21:16)
- Re: Spirit of Place (nigelswift, Jun 26, 2003, 21:25)
- Re: Spirit of Place (Pete G, Jun 26, 2003, 21:25)
- Re: Spirit of Place (fitzcoraldo, Jun 26, 2003, 21:33)
- explaining myself (TomBo, Jun 26, 2003, 21:52)
- Re: Spirit of Place (wychburyman, Jun 27, 2003, 08:21)
- Re: Genius Loci (Wotan, Jun 27, 2003, 10:08)
- Tombo and Shestu (nigelswift, Jun 27, 2003, 10:08)
- Re: Tombo and Shestu, there's more... (nigelswift, Jun 27, 2003, 10:10)
- Wow Nigelswift (pebblesfromheaven, Jun 27, 2003, 10:16)
- Aha...! (Moth, Jun 27, 2003, 11:59)
- Re: Tombo and Shestu, there's more... (Shestu, Jun 27, 2003, 15:52)
- it took up several beermats! (TomBo, Jun 27, 2003, 22:28)
- ...here's the second bit (TomBo, Jun 27, 2003, 22:28)
- Re: ...here's the second bit (Shestu, Jun 27, 2003, 22:42)
- Re: ...here's the second bit (nigelswift, Jun 27, 2003, 23:35)
- Not done! (morfe, Jun 29, 2003, 21:35)
- Not done! (morfe, Jun 29, 2003, 21:35)
- Re: it took up several beermats! (FourWinds, Jun 28, 2003, 09:08)
- Re: Spirit of Place (Blaidd, Jun 27, 2003, 12:47)
- Worcestershire Ramble part 1 (nigelswift, Jun 28, 2003, 10:28)
- Re: Spirit of Place (wychburyman, Jun 28, 2003, 23:31)
- Re: Spirit of Place (morfe, Jun 29, 2003, 00:37)
- Re: Spirit of Place (FourWinds, Jun 29, 2003, 23:27)
- Re: Spirit of Place (wychburyman, Jun 30, 2003, 00:41)
- Re: Spirit of Place (TomBo, Jun 30, 2003, 14:58)
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