Social Science Perspectives
1/20/12
Do We Run the World or do the Gods? In the book Ishmael by Daniel Quinn I think that there could be multiple thesi and it all depends on how you see or take in what Quinn is saying. The thesis that I believe Quinn develops in this novel is that there are two types of people or living beings in the world there are those who think they run the world and there are those who think the gods run the world. Quinn states that there are two types of people or living beings there are takers and there are leavers. Leavers are a being that believe that the gods run the world. They believe that if they are hungry the gods will give them what they need either by sending wild game or by sprouting vegetation. The takers are a being that believe that they run the world and that they were created to run the world. They don’t want to put the fate of their lives into the god’s hands; they want to be in control. So let’s say that the takers are hungry instead of putting their fate into the gods supplying them with food like the leavers, the takers will grow their own food so that they can have what they want, as much as they want and save as much as they want and don’t have to rely on the gods. He constructs this thesis by looking back at the past history of the world and some of the events that took place and are still taking place. He starts by talking about how for centuries there have been stories of how the takers have been fighting the leavers, Cain and Able for example, trying to convince them that the takers way of living is the right way of living. He also brings up some of the current events that show the takers still today are trying to show that they run the world by tearing down rainforests and destroying the brush just so we have more land to grow vegetation. He lastly talks about the leavers and how that since the beginning of time they have always lived the same way and have never changed. They are comfortable with the lives they have and they see no problem with putting their fate in the god’s hands, and the takers do not know how they can live that way. I agree with Quinn in that there are different types of living beings in this world and that no matter what we do we are all not going to agree on the same issues. Everyone thinks that they know what is right and what is wrong but in reality we do not. The world needs diversity like Quinn says without diversity our world would end. I disagree with Quinn in that he believes that the takers think that they can control the world around them. I don’t think the takers believe that they can control Mother Nature or the world I think they believe that they can control certain aspects like what will grow where. I believe that the takers know and believe that the gods are the ones that control if everything will grow and if we will get good weather unlike Quinn who thinks that the takers believe that they control those aspects. When it comes to the relationship between technology and religion, conservation and religion, and technology and conservation I believe that they all are connected or that their relationships are the same. The relationship between all of them is that people do not know how to feel or don’t know if they should trust different opinions or ideas on religion, technology, or conservation. I guess what I am saying is that when someone introduces someone else to a new religion, technology, or form of conservation, they look at it as if it could be a bad thing before it could be a good thing. People feel comfortable with the type of religion and form of conservation they believe in and when someone comes up with something new they just don’t trust it like they do with what they believe in. I don’t know if this is making much sense or not but it is in my head. Here is an example, let’s say that one guy is a Christian who thinks that in order to help conserve a certain species of deer humans need to step in and help. Now he has this friend who comes up to him one day and says that he has just heard of a new form of religion called Buddhism and a new form of conservation where instead of the humans stepping in to help the animals we let the animals be and say that no human can touch these animals, you should check it out. The guy will be hesitant at first because he does not know much about this new religion or this new form of conservation. He is perfectly content with what he believes in and does not see his views changing anytime in the near future. I believe that biodiversity is at a great risk due the actions of humans. Humans are eliminating all types of species to help deal with our “needs”. It is in all forms of nature too not just one. For example, the ocean with the coral reefs, and the rainforests for more agricultural land, and that is just to name a few. We get rid of species that are of no use to use humans but little do we know that getting rid of the species that are no use to us is actually hurting us. The species that don’t help us help the other species that do help us and without them we are in trouble. In order to reduce this risk we need to start leaving some of the species and land alone and let nature take its course. We are so greedy that even just cutting back on the agricultural land we use would help. I understand we need land to grow food but when do we say enough is enough. We are getting rid of some of the most beautiful natural sites in the world just so we can put up a few houses or businesses. If we do not stop soon there will be no biodiversity in the future and that is a shame because it will end up hurting the human race and other species in the long run. To tell you the truth I am not a big reader. I usually read maybe two or three books a year and it takes me awhile to finish one even if it is for a class. I found myself staying up past 1 A.M reading this book and not wanting to stop. It made me think of myself and how I might go about living my life and what I believe in. Do I think I know what is right and wrong? Do I try to tell people how they should live their lives? And the truth is that I was one of the takers, I was thinking that I know better than you even if you are a taker yourself. The book made me want to do something to warn the people that we need to take a step back and look at what we are doing to “our world” and that we need to take care of it.