My Interpretation

Jasmine Garcia
English 102-042
Blog Entry #1

"Fast rather than slow, more rather than less-this flashy "development" is linked to society's impending collapse. It has only served to separate man from nature. Humanity must stop indulging in the desire for material possessions and personal gain and move instead toward spiritual awareness"-Masanobu Fukuoka. 

This was one of the readings/quotes that our professor introduced to us this semester. I found this a very powerful bit of reading. When my parents tell me stories about when they were young, playing outside all day, no cell phones, they came in when the street lights went out, no cable, only having 6 stations on television to choose from, it really amazes me. When reading this quote I am wondering if our society today is a separation from man from nature. Why do we feel we cannot live life simply. Why do we need to have the best phone, fastest internet etc. It is hard for me to compare, as I was born in a generation where this is all I know. 

I visited an island named Saint Vincent and the Grenadines about 2 years ago. This is a small island in the Southern Caribbean. This is an island moves slow rather than fast. More rather than less consists of family and food. In this country, growing and preparing food together is something that is done everyday. Employment and Education is lacking, which is very sad, however the people are content and happy. The children on the island don't have access to internet and electronics and they are perfectly happy just running on the beach, picking fresh fruit off trees and spending time with family and friends. 

It was very interesting reading this information and I will like to try to simplify things in my life as well. I feel if we all do this, we will live in a less stressful environment.