Man's Rebellion Against Nature: How Humans Have Asserted Themselves Against Nature's Strictures
Nature has long held a commanding and often unforgiving influence over human existence. Throughout millions of years of evolution, the earth's natural forces have shaped and molded the species that eventually became Homo sapiens. Yet, when one examines the history of human civilization, it becomes evident that humans have not meekly accepted nature's dictates but rather have actively challenged and manipulated the natural world. This article explores some of the strangest and most significant ways in which humans have defied nature's power in their quest for survival and progress.
The Long History of Human Evolution and Natural Challenges
Emerging out of the archaic early forms of life approximately 3.6 billion years ago, nature waited more than 3.5 billion years before allowing the emergence of Homo sapiens. This long period saw multiple iterations of the genus Homo, all of which—apart from Homo sapiens—were wiped out by nature's unforgiving hand. Evolving to become the dominant species on Earth, Homo sapiens faced numerous challenges from nature, including the exceptional helplessness and vulnerability of newborns, the precarious balance of life and death, and the struggle for sustenance in a hostile environment. There is no other animal on this planet that can survive without the constant assistance of others for the first six years of life. Such utter reliance on others for survival denotes the unique predicament of human beings in the natural world.
The Struggle for Survival and Control
When human life expectancy was no more than 25 years, nature required a human mother to wait for 15 years before she could give birth, a period during which she herself is highly vulnerable. Furthermore, childbirth, particularly under conditions of a narrow birth canal, poses a grave risk to both mother and child. This stark reality underscores the inherent hostility of the natural world towards human survival.
Nature's demands often went beyond mere biological survival. In the story of a tadpole and a tiger, nature presented horrifying solutions for hunger. A tadpole was instructed to consume its siblings for nourishment, while a tiger was faced with cannibalism to survive. Such mandates highlight the extreme measures nature took to ensure the survival of her children. However, the human species, approximately 20,000 years ago, decided to defy these daunting demands and teach nature a lesson. This resistance to nature's dictates marks the beginning of a centuries-long journey in which humans have defied and shaped their natural environment.
Challenging Nature's Decrees Through Technology and Adaptation
One of the earliest instances of human defiance against nature was in the realm of food production. Nature, in its wisdom, commanded that certain herbivorous animals be killed and consumed raw, but early humans chose to care for and protect them, allowing them to reproduce and generate milk. This act not only contradicted nature's dictates but also evolved into the practice of animal husbandry and dairy farming, a cornerstone of many civilizational societies. In another instance, the human response to a severe drought involved irrigation to save the plants, whereas nature had deliberately made the soil hard and compact to discourage vegetation growth.
The story of irrigation also offers insights into the development of technology. In the face of nature's hardening of the soil, humans innovated and developed techniques to loosen and aerate the earth, thus enabling plant roots to spread and obtain nitrogen. As a result, the once barren land became a source of grain, revolutionizing agriculture and feeding the burgeoning human population. Moreover, early riding of horses, camels, and elephants marked a significant stride in human defiance of nature's limitations, as these animals provided mobility beyond what humans could achieve unaided.
The invention of sailboats is another prime example of human defying nature. In the face of nature's winds, humans harnessed the power of wind and compelled it to serve their purposes by hoisting sails on their boats. This ability to manipulate and control natural elements is a testament to the ingenuity and audacity of the human spirit. Similarly, humans have developed medicines and technologies to defy nature's natural designs for human survival.
In conclusion, while nature has exerted a profound and often adverse influence on human life, the resilience and ingenuity of humans have continually defied these natural challenges. From the cradle to the grave, humans have not only adapted and survived but have also actively worked to alter and control their natural environment.