“We humans did many mistakes. We polluted the Earth. We caused destruction. So Nature is angry and taking revenge on us! Humans cannot fight and win over Nature! Nature is superior when compared to humans! Mother Earth is a super power and we humans are just puppets!“
I had been hearing such comments often. We polluted! We did some mistakes. Some of our acts were destructive! Is it our mistake? or is it our ignorance? or is it our cruelty? or is it our innocence? Let us keep that aside. Which is ethically right and which is ethically wrong, I am not discussing about that in this article.
But one main important aspect that I am trying to convey is, Nature and Earth cannot / do not ethically judge people and take decisions. They are not human beings. We humans have intellect and so we can create ethics for the welfare of mankind. But nature and Earth cannot do that. Nature favors the species that is more adaptable and successful. Mutations, natural selection and destruction (caused by nature) are random processes. Some substances called mutagens, like X rays and UV rays fall on an organism and change its DNA sequence. If the change is favorable, species starts growing in number. A virus suddenly changed its form and became capable of living in humans. We are calling it COVID-19. After it gained a capability of living and multiplying in humans, it started spreading. Since humans are everywhere in the world, the change that virus had undergone started favoring the virus to live and propagate successfully to all places! We the humans and the virus, both of us are part of nature. The war is between Corona virus and humans, but not between Nature and humans.
Poets and writers personify nature and that is a artistic expression. Believers of mythology personify nature and that is belief. Its absolutely fine if someone believes in something. But artistic expressions and beliefs are not scientific facts. They cannot be used as scientific evidences to justify the deaths of people.
Every person has a right to express. If anyone is propagating messages similar to the ones that I mentioned in 1st paragraph, they need to add a line in the beginning of statement “According to my belief…”
Why some of us are trying to justify deaths? When I think as Psychologist, this is what comes into my mind. May be they want to rationalize whatever is happening and want to make peace with fact that many humans are going to die. There is a coping mechanism called rationalization where person tries to justify the painful event to feel better with the help of a irrational belief. But being in touch with the emotions like fear and sadness is a better option than making attempts to justify deaths!
K L Niharika 