In my last post I wrote about the Derridean concept of differance. The idea is meaning is made through the system of difference and that there is no self-contained inherent meaning in words.
Yet this formulation is neither new nor unique. Environmental philosophy’s concern for interconnected is one such instance.
In plain terms interconnectedness is about how all things in the ecosystem is connected, that nothing is an isolated entity without affecting other parts in the web of life. Just like meaning the words as system of difference interconnectedness suggests that everything is part of the system and cannot be separated from it. The loss of a species (or of even a single life) affects the balance and has consequences that simply cannot be observed or be known. Every “happening” in the system changes the the system.
Put in other words everything is absolutely relative and that a change in status of one thing changes the relation within the system. To think that each item within the system is isolated from each other is an ideal and not a reality for nothing exists in isolation except in the mind. It is a trick of the mind and a good one, one that has deluded us for a long time.
To me interconnectedness is a positive way of saying differance. The latter term is colder more scientific in its formulation. We only need to look at nature, the animals – the food chain – and the mountains and trees to see how everthing has a role in the web of life and that something cannot be seen as having no role in the system even if it seems it does not affect the system. We must respect and see the importance of everything. In short sustainability is about giving up our complacency going beyond our self-importance. And if we can do this then we will have advanced as a species.
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You’re absolutely but you right have jumped the gun. I am going to right a post about this later.
“Doomed” would not be the word I would choose. Sure, we will be reborn until we reach enlightenment, but it isn’t doom. Life isn’t that bad as long as we try. And the trying is in itself little steps closer to enlightenment so it is alright to be unenlightened. Beat yourself up too much about not being enlightened and you will hurt yourself. Call me an optimist.
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Does not Lord Buddha teach to us that all things are interconnected? That by His view, we are doomed to be reborn until we realise ego exists not, we are not separate entities onto ourselves – for this merely an illusion – but are instead all just one interconnected being or something of the like?
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