There tends to be this romanticized idea about how back in the day of the western pioneers, there was a greater respect and appreciation for things in life and the environment. Perhaps, appreciation for the material things I would agree upon, since these luxury items were difficult to come by in rustic living, yet very useful, as many have now become basic necessities. To a certain extent, there was a greater connection to nature, as many to lived off of the land, depended on it, and interacted with it directly.
Yet, due to the overwhelming abundance of natural resources and wildlife at that time, they appear to have been taken for granted from the very moment of the colonists' arrival. There was no consideration of consequences for future generations or nature itself. Everyone just lived in the present; survival being the primary focus. One could catch fish by the hundreds in a matter of hours without a permit or limit, or log acres upon acres of old growth forests to make a quick profit and supply the demands of development and progress.
Materials, time, and back-breaking labor were put into a home, just to be abandoned a few years later for a more appealing tract of land, convenient access to roadways or town center, or better accommodation for an ever-expanding family. In those days, it seemed so common that every couple would have a minimum of five or so children, so why not plan ahead and build accordingly, instead of constantly enduring the upgrading process? The pioneers claimed immediate ownership to the land that they settled, which apparently granted them the authority to rape and pillage it as they did. This set the standard in the development of our current mind set; the need to upgrade, the commercialism, nature just being there for the taking for our own benefit, and our total disconnect from it.
Yet, due to the overwhelming abundance of natural resources and wildlife at that time, they appear to have been taken for granted from the very moment of the colonists' arrival. There was no consideration of consequences for future generations or nature itself. Everyone just lived in the present; survival being the primary focus. One could catch fish by the hundreds in a matter of hours without a permit or limit, or log acres upon acres of old growth forests to make a quick profit and supply the demands of development and progress.
Materials, time, and back-breaking labor were put into a home, just to be abandoned a few years later for a more appealing tract of land, convenient access to roadways or town center, or better accommodation for an ever-expanding family. In those days, it seemed so common that every couple would have a minimum of five or so children, so why not plan ahead and build accordingly, instead of constantly enduring the upgrading process? The pioneers claimed immediate ownership to the land that they settled, which apparently granted them the authority to rape and pillage it as they did. This set the standard in the development of our current mind set; the need to upgrade, the commercialism, nature just being there for the taking for our own benefit, and our total disconnect from it.
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