Learning about Edward Abbey during the first week of discussion facilitation was insightful as I realized I now love nature reading. The style of Abbey's writing really kept you thinking, hoping, and motivated to understand the human experience in nature. I was touched by his sentiment about animals and his moral to encourage everyone to be leaders on their own.
Abbey's writing style was an aspect of the readings I was surprised by. I was intrigued from beginning to end as his relationship with nature expanded after every essay he wrote. I often thought about what I would do in his situation in the desert. For example, in "The Serpents of Paradise," when the rattlesnake was under his home. Abbey was contemplating how to resolve the issue without harming the snake. I credit him for using nature's natural interactions to lure the snake. I liked how he found another snake to evoke fear in the rattlesnake to solve his problem. It is courageous to befriend a snake because snakes are an animal that many people fear. I know I could never capture a snake to fear a more dangerous snake without being fearful myself. Still, I enjoyed reading an objective viewpoint on the societal fear of snakes.
Overall, Abbey's points test his audiences' minds because he tends to have a direct and opinionated perspective. Another excellent discussion attribute arose when viewing "The Dead Man at Grandview Point," which challenged me to think of human life and understand the importance of making every day count. I found his two truths to be revolutionary, as people as a whole tend to believe one reality over the other. The first truth is practical and straightforward because the fact entails the idea that people die, which is just a part of our life cycle. When people die, it just means there is more room for those alive.
In contrast, most people, including me, believe in the second truth. The second truth expresses that humans are unique and that the world we have built for ourselves through knowledge like religion, science, government, etc., has made human life significant and memorable. I stand by this truth because we are, as we know it right now, the only species to be innovative and collaborative to make our species sustainable through technology and social civilizations.
Reflecting on Tuesday's discussion about Edward Abbey, I learned much about nature and life. I remembered the video of Abbey stating that he didn't want to be remembered for his writing as he didn't write for everyone because he wrote for himself. But he understood that if his reportings provoked and made people ponder, he was doing something good for the world. My favorite writing of Edward Abbey so far had to be "The Dead Man at Grandview Point" because this story made me deeply evaluate and reflect after I read the story. I enjoyed his urge for the necessity of solitude. From a college student perspective, people today eqaute solitude as loneliness when, in reality, solitude can serve many benefits in and outside of nature.
My exposure to nature writing has generated a love for a new reading genre that I never knew existed before. Reading through Abbey's experiences made me look into my own life. Nature plays a significant role in our lives without us even being aware. Abbey's readings taught me the value of nature, a deep comprehension of life and death, and furthered my ideas about the human impact on our planet. A connection to nature brings a better connection to yourself.
Thank you for viewing my thoughts on Edward Abbey! Have a great day!
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