Over the past few quarters we have discussed the environmental issues we are now or have been facing. We have been assigned with readings regarding the privitization of land (Thoreau), the role of corporations (Bp), and how our background influences the environment. When I mean background I mean our social, ethnicity, and religious status. These were all subjects that were mentioned in The Parable of the Sower.
In this novel, Butler describes how water was treated as a precious commodity. Our water today is in fact a precious commodity. After watching the documentary Tapped, a film on the water we drink, I was informed that out of the 75% of the earth's water, only 1% percent is drinkable. JUST ONE! We all know LA (or our semi desert) is in danger :( So where is that water going? It's going into water bottles of course.And now corporations are taking over a basic necessity that was never meant to be owned or used as profit, which is what Henry David Thoreau argued in his essay "Walking". Thoreau argues that nature should not be gated or owned.Why? I gave it a lot of thought and I'm sure he knew the consequences of owning nature.Because we might just end up like Butlers dystopic world, where capitalism still stands and democracy no longer exist. We have seen Food Inc and the way corporations like Monsanto have the power to keep people silent and decieve consumers. Farmers working for these big corporations were putting their health at risk yet the corporations did not bother solving the problem. What I am really trying to say is that if we continue to let corporations own our natural resources, fifty years from now the corporations will be the ones controlling the environment while we beg to be heard and demand for our environment to be left alone (our voices will never be heard of course). Corporations do not have a limit and do not know when to stop making profit. I am sure we have read how corporations are still playing their part in the novel.
Another point I would like to make is the way people were divided in this novel. The well off were protected by a wall the same way we are protected by borders and the sea. I am sure we have all seen commercials of children suffering from poverty in different countries. I am sure we have all heard of the drug trafficing and violence going on in Mexico. I might be over analyzing this, but it seems like Butler was trying to let us imagine how our life would be if the borders were broken or if the countries somehow united. I am not saying there are good guys in this picture. As a whole, we are ALL bad, no matter how religious a person might be. It's sad to say there are very few care bears out here. However, the character Lauren knew the importance of working together,which is what our world lacks. Lauren formed a group of people and convinced them to trust each other and share what little they had. Which comes my Butlers main point : those who are able to trust one another and share resources, will survive. Sadly, our countries are nowhere near trusting one another. They will continue to fight over oil,land and power, and as result ,ruin the environment. In my opinion, fifty years from now sounds like wishful thinking. I feel Butler's dystopic world is much closer than we think.
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