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The short version of the story goes like this...
People come on boats to Easter Island, quite possibly the most remote place on this earth, bringing some supplies with them, some animals to breed, and some plants to grow, etc. But with the main intent to live off the land. They cut trees down down to engage in a little bit of arable farming, all is happy. They continue to cut more and more trees down, to build, to burn, and to use as tools. (At some point, two chiefs decided to have a bit of fun and see who could erect the most statues, and they needed lots and lots of trees for this (there were very big bits of stone)). Basically, the short and long of it, is that the people of Easter Island, did not protect what turned out to be their single most valuable resource.
The trees stopped growing back, the soil became useless, and after some time, even the climate changed, and it began to rain less often. The Islanders also turnes out to be stuck on this little island for good, as it turned out that they kind of needed all the wood that they had used up to build boats. One thing they still had were chickens, but these were slowly dwindling in numbers. So they started to fortify their chicken runs, and fight each other for this final resource that could sustain them. The Rapa Nui(?) had been a thriving civilisation, but when the Europeans arrived there were under 3,000 people on the island, all primitive in it's purest sense.
I can not think of a better example as to why we should start taking care of our planet, and start giving back as we take away. It seems to me that we are already fighting over an extremely important, and dwindling resource: oil.
The reason I have put this here is that, while I have never been an enviromentalist, this little bit of history has been making me think...
Originally posted by HumeAOnly until I see people start making those funny faces out of huge rocks will I get nervous.
The short version of the story goes like this...
People come on boats to Easter Island, quite possibly the most remote place on this earth, bringing some supplies with them, some animals to breed, and some plants to grow, etc. But with the main intent to live off the land. They cut trees down down to engage in a little bit of arable farming, all is happy. T ...[text shortened]... le I have never been an enviromentalist, this little bit of history has been making me think...
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1 edit
Originally posted by whodeyBut they did have pointless things (talking about statues/big cars really i suppose) that supposedly looked good and used up excessive amounts of a precious natural resource.
Funny, I don't recall seeing the people of Easter Island having big cars and planes.
2 edits
Originally posted by HumeAI think what you are refering to as pointless are such things as political campaigns and not planes, cars, and statues and such. After all, those later items do have some use and/or merit. After all, when we think of Easter Island what do we think of? Do we think of the people who were there? Heck no, we only get a visual of those silly statues sitting on the island. You see, in a way they have created for themselves a little piece of immortality if you ask me. What will you be remembered for?
But they did have pointless things (talking about statues/big cars really i suppose) that supposedly looked good and used up excessive amounts of a precious natural resource.
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Originally posted by whodeyAt 19 I like to think I'll have a little time to work on that one...
I think what you are refering to as pointless are such things as political campaigns and not planes, cars, and statues and such. After all, those later items do have some use and/or merit. After all, when we think of Easter Island what do we think of? Do we think of the people who were there? Heck no, we only get a visual of those silly statues sitting on ...[text shortened]... ed for themselves a little piece of immortality if you ask me. What will you be remembered for?
There are a lot of people, tends to be in countries like the U.S. or Australia, where they have too much space for their own good, where everyone seems to want to have big cars, with big engines, even where a smaller car would do just as well. Wasting precious oil without which our society will collapse, just as the people of Easter Island wasted their trees on building statues which have, yes, left a legacy... e.g. those are the people that built those funny statues. But is it not possible that if they had played more the part of the 'noble savage', they may have advanced much further... perhaps we would then have philosophical writing, using an extensive alphabet...
If we calm down a bit, and moderate the usage of our most precious resources, then we may just give ourselves a little more time to work something out.
Originally posted by whodeyThe Easter Island statutes were part of their religion. Unless you think religion is totally worthless, you would do well to not keep showing your extreme ignorance of other's cultures (and your own).
I think what you are refering to as pointless are such things as political campaigns and not planes, cars, and statues and such. After all, those later items do have some use and/or merit. After all, when we think of Easter Island what do we think of? Do we think of the people who were there? Heck no, we only get a visual of those silly statues sitting on ...[text shortened]... ed for themselves a little piece of immortality if you ask me. What will you be remembered for?
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Originally posted by no1marauderOh, no1, why do you always have to be so confrontational? I'm not suggesting that the situation on Easter Island happened exactly as events are unfolding in this day and age, but using it as more of a parable.
The Easter Island statutes were part of their religion. Unless you think religion is totally worthless, you would do well to not keep showing your extreme ignorance of other's cultures (and your own).
Now please don't make me cry again... your comments always strike the heart.
Edit: You couldn't just enlighten me as to how you know the statues were part of their religion could you?
Originally posted by HumeARead a book. My comments weren't directed to you; look at the "Reply and Quote" box of the prior post.
Oh, no1, why do you always have to be so confrontational? I'm not suggesting that the situation on Easter Island happened exactly as events are unfolding in this day and age, but using it as more of a parable.
Now please don't make me cry again... your comments always strike the heart.
Edit: You couldn't just enlighten me as to how you know the statues were part of their religion could you?
Originally posted by DraxusThere is considerable debate as to whether the disaster on Easter Island pre-dated contact with Europeans OR was caused by it. So, the "metaphor" might be more fairy tale than anything else.
People, the metaphor is clear, simple and right on. It isn't hard to understand.
Statues = cars, waste, consumerism and everything else that consumes natural resources.
It is EASILY arguable that our modern religion is rampant consumerism.
Originally posted by no1marauderI don't know what happened, obviously you don't know what happened. How about we allow the man to make his point without throwing in a lot of circumstantial speculation that has nothing to do with the idea.
There is considerable debate as to whether the disaster on Easter Island pre-dated contact with Europeans OR was caused by it. So, the "metaphor" might be more fairy tale than anything else.
I guess you can continue to be argumentative and insulting if you are compelled to be. Whatever floats your boat 🙂
Originally posted by HumeAWanna go to a similarly horrible place? Take the next flight to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. From sattelite footage the Island of Hispaniola is brown on the Haitian side and green on the Dominican Republic side....real shocker!
The short version of the story goes like this...
People come on boats to Easter Island, quite possibly the most remote place on this earth, bringing some supplies with them, some animals to breed, and some plants to grow, etc. But with the main intent to live off the land. They cut trees down down to engage in a little bit of arable farming, all is happy. T ...[text shortened]... le I have never been an enviromentalist, this little bit of history has been making me think...
Originally posted by HumeARecced if I could.
The short version of the story goes like this...
People come on boats to Easter Island, quite possibly the most remote place on this earth, bringing some supplies with them, some animals to breed, and some plants to grow, etc. But with the main intent to live off the land. They cut trees down down to engage in a little bit of arable farming, all is happy. T ...[text shortened]... le I have never been an enviromentalist, this little bit of history has been making me think...
You never considered yourself an environmentalist before you read this piece of history? I recommend you read Daniel Quinn's "My Ishmael", to provide you with further nuggets to help you understand the importance of our environment, which is essentially our life support system.
D