The environment that human beings are exposed to have different situations and experiences make philosophers have divergent views concerning every occasion that accompanies them. It requires individuals who can relate the facts to statements and thereafter come up with policies that explain a particular phenomenon. Most importantly, the life encounters that human beings are entitled to have an environmental relationship that scholars find interesting and captivating while analyzing. Most of the philosophers employ symbolism to relate and explain various accounts of human beings. For instance beauty, sweetness, intoxication, and control are some of the desires that people coils around in their lifetime. The philosophers try to explain each of the aspirations through different plants. A good case example is The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s Eye view of the World by Michael Pollan. There are four plants that Michael have used to explain this desire and how human beings (and plants at the same time) manipulate each other in the lifetime activities. Each of the charactersdepends on the other to complete certain circuits that are required either in the plant or human life. Pollan makes the whole topic more interesting by introducing the biological processes that entail the production of the fruits(Pollan, 2001). The text above by Michael about the overview of the world and environmental policies has adequate explanation these requirements that every human being is affiliated. This paper will analyze how these plants (tulip, apple, cannabis and potato) have a relationship with people policies (Pollan, 2009).
The life of individuals is incomplete if it lacks cravings like sweetness, intoxication, control and beauty. Therefore an outline of how these needs are perceived will be listed in the entire text. The plants are used to gratify human desires. It is argumentative on the issue whether people are domesticating the plants or the plants have tamed man. Firstly, the sweetness is an aspect of every individual’s life. Some philosopher has tried to explain why it exists, but Michael gave a valid and symbolic explanation to what is sweet in life. He used an analogy of the apple that best suits the situation and makes it more interesting. Apples and human beings have a close rapport that has been strengthened because of the mutual benefits that exist between them. For health purposes, the Apple is meant to keep the doctor away(Pollan, 2001). Therefore man is obliged to produce extra fruits to keep himself healthy. Michael stated that there is a myth associated with apple trees, whereby those planted from seed bear fruits that are bitter. However, them being bitter does not mean they are useless, but also they are used to prepare some alcoholic drinks that most people like. Drunkenness increased as the production of the bitter apple increased. Apparently, the sweet apple was used for other purposes that the fruit caters. He argued that grafting is the best solution to a problem where some species becomes extinct. Planting seeds producean entirely different fruit plant making the original defunct. When they are propagated or grafted, the plants produced carries the genes and the traits of the mother plant. Surprisingly, most of the philosophers may wonder how this relates to human life(Pollan, 2001). Well, it is similar to the production aspect of people. Children have a slight resemblance to the parents and so do the mitigated apple trees. In the same issue, the essential production factor that relates to the Apple cannot be ignored. For instance, these fruits bred through monocultures are prone to pesticides. It translates that the farmers have to be numerous friends to the pesticide companies that are around. To maintain proper sweetness in the life of human beings, some factors need to be considered like in the case of production of apples. The original virtues should be maintained; it is vital to make sure that they are not breached by “pesticides” that make it weak and frustrating (Pollan, 2009).
Also, human environment gives a sweet portion to those who are careful, and on the other hand, it rewards those who care less about bitter life. It is advisable to avoid steps that lead one to the bitter end. Life lacks meaning if the consequences of every action are painful. In contrast, it is more interesting if there are painful tales that makes one learn from the mistakes they made. The desire to have sweet things in human life makes us vulnerable to errors. Most of the beautiful aspects do not come on a silver Plata. Therefore, efforts are made to maximize sweetness. Those who chose to be lazy gets the bitter apple that is not such enjoyable. As stated above the bitter apple is used to produce alcohol which mostly affects the moral standards of human beings. At times, peopleare used as vessels, the gardener (Jonny) compares himself to the bee. This is a good analogy; bees think that they manipulate the flowers by using their nectar to make honey, but from a philosophicalperspective, the two characters use each other. Bees carry the pollen from one flower to another as they collect their nectar. Surprisingly enough, they are not aware they are doing it. They have their primary objective to achieve at the end of the day, but concurrently complete another task. The pollination process cannot be complete without the bees; this means that there are no apples that will be produced if the bee is denied access to the flower(Pollan, 2009). The world is complex and ambiguous; most people have a weak imagination that limits nature. They say nature is on “out there” that is why they consider the wild to be the character and they forget that what in within them is also nature. This is a failure in the entire mindset, the plants and animals that are considered to be domesticated were once wild. Therefore the current associates around human beings (plants and animals) are part of nature. Michael states that there is a considerable distance that people need to cover before they understand their position in the environment. Finding quality in the sorts of things that are close to a man like they quickly find life in the wild, will be a great stride in realizing the real position in the environment and the stipulated policies. There is a healthy relationship between man and nature, but from previous studies, most people have misinterpreted the essential determining factors that define the environment. Michael has put it so clear that the most important attributes are left out in coming up with a good affinity definition (Pollan, 2009).
Intoxication
The knowledge that man has acquired with time enabled him to make selections in what to grow and what to leave out. Some rules are in place, and therefore the society is entitled to certain legalities. The environment bore the plants, and the interaction between the plants and man has introduced new lifestyle that has either positive or adverse effects on the environment. Most of the fruits produce sweetness and the flowers before the fruits come along have a false value to the environment. They make surrounding beautiful and attractive to fellow mankind. On the other hand, some plants produce chemicals that have the ability to alter the consciousness of man. It is out of an experiment that these chemical effects are realized. Previously, cannabis was the arguably the best readily available chemical used to relieve pain and even asthma treatment. People have strong believed on this perspective during the 20th century(Pollan, 2001). Specifically, the Americans used the weed for the functions above. Philosophers say contact between human beings erupts different cultural practices.
Consequently, a new lifestyle is bred after a strong relation tohuman beings. Cannabis which is popularly known in America as marijuana had medicinal value(Pollan, 2009). However, after the Mexican found America, they introduced the smoking culture. Some people may ask whether the Mexicans authorized the smoking or the natives adopted the habit. At times in the society, no one says that a particular thing should be done, but people find themselves doing the trending thing. Such actions may affect the current behavior a cliché; the new norm may be immoral. The case of cannabis, Americans knew the positive effect (pain reliever) but after they had the cultural interaction marijuana was used to alter the functionality of the brain. The environment provides the plants which give some effects to the user. For example, marijuana is used with the intentions of relieving the pain while the unintentional use that it provides has made it illegal in most of the countries. Cannabis has a direct effect on the brain, and therefore a lot of medics have discouraged the use of the weed. Michael puts it across in a hilarious way; he says that there are plants that act on the brain of animals. Caffeine and nicotine are also products of plants whose functionality closely related to that of cannabis. They can be used as pesticides because they inhibit and kill the pesticides, thus controlling the diseases in the farm. This interaction is sequential, and it depends on how the man is going to handle the plants (Pollan, 2009).
Human actions contribute largely to the way a particular notion will be perceived in the society. None of the beginners had ill intentions while domesticating cannabis, but due to curiosity and innovative nature of humanity, someone came up with the idea of using marijuana as a stimulant(Pollan, 2001). Such actions have led to mixed reaction from different parts of the world. Individual communities believe that the weed is holy and it has no adverseeffects. Therefore, there are no problems while handling it. In some parts, it is an offense to possess any of its products; itis awarded as a capital offense. It is because different people understand everything differently. It is all limited in mind; it shows that those involved did no engrave themselves onthe downside of the weed, they utilized the helpful part. To establish a good contact with the environment, societal members need not judge issues from the negative perspective, but instead value what is good in every situation.
Environmental beauty
The components of aesthetic characterize the view of beauty in the environment. Michael employed tulips to bring out the theme of beauty about the surroundings. To acquire ruggedbeauty in the society, one has to go through some challenges that build the whole process. Tulips are flowers that make any compound attractive and conducive to live. However, it can cost someone a lot, either in the economic status of social ranking. The flowers have economic value if they are taken care. For example, the Dutch community learned that they could benefit financially by selling the flowers. The whole process of production identifies itself with various stakeholders that ensure the process is successful. The Tulips depend on a man for gardening and pesticide prevention; beesare not left out because pollination cannot take place without their help(Pollan, 2001). People benefit too, because there are those statesmen who want to beautify their rooms and home with the flowers. It shows how everything domesticated by man is beneficial. All in all, humans need to understand the essence of viewing every component of environmental policy fully. Being innovative makes more opportunities available and affordable to the man.
Pollan argues that the flowers have domesticated the human beings because they want their interest to remain intact. He personified the situation, but it is okay because it acts as an eye opener. It is not always fine to see inanimate things as vessels to human prosperity. Most importantly, the flowers can become extinct and have no more offspring if the bees are eliminated from the production process. They depend on men with the botanical knowledge to survive. The symbiotic relationship acquired by the two characters is adamant. Without the knowledge on how to take care of these flowers, the desire for beauty reduces too much. Flowers use the bees to complete the cycle, in this case, bees act as vital carriers which must be there. Humanity ideals of beauty have led to increasing in flower production. The roses are a specific example of flowers that are cherished by human beings.
Control Desires
Under this phase, Michael used the potato which has been a staple food for a good number of people around the world. It is a plant that human beings depend on for survival. Therefore a lot of care and control must be witnessed in the process of ensuring that the yields are maximized. Some communities solely rely on the potato for survival. Such communities are faced with acute challenges when the plant is attacked by various diseases which translate to lower yields or even nothing to harvest. A potato can be alternated by cereals that act as a biological control of the pest and diseases(Pollan, 2009). The seeds that are genetically modified can do well in harsh conditions, but it calls for other structural preventive measures give the best products. Man can use the knowledge of crop rotation to control various things in the environment. Subsequent human actions can be real determiners of the exact thing to do if a particular epidemic occurs.
Michael acknowledges that the methods used to grow these new species are artificial. In the process of controlling the challenges facing the potato, the modified species have lost vigor and originality(Pollan, 2009). These are new plants that acquire the traits of the mother plants, and therefore the problems that affected the mother seed might reoccur to the future potato. The author introduces the issue of monoculture again and says it is the greatest limitation. The plants produced are not healthy enough to cope up with the difficulties that emerge as they grow. The controlling nature of man made him and domesticated Irish vulnerable. Loopholes in the efficient control measures increase with the increase in scientific urge to improve the plant. It might not be a mistake, but the effects on the environment are many.
In conclusion, human desires to gratify nature have risen, but more complex issues arise every day. This corporate management approach to agriculture is the control factor. You don’t have to be romantic to wonder about factory farms. The farm offers a solution to many classes of people in the society, using inappropriate methods to control diseases endangers the process. The corporate advice sounds to be better in solving any problem that exists in the environment. Farmers and all other parties involved in delighting the plants should be extra cautious not to be deceived. Nature is a complex setup that might be hard to understand all the constituents, but an essential thing is handling everything with the caution and prescriptions given. Some process requires aprocedure to come up with a final product, but most of us are disappointed because we like to use shortcuts. The chemical companies should also be on the look, not to prepare pesticide and insecticides that have less environmental effects.
Reference
Pollan, M. (2009). The botany of desire: a plant’s-eye view of the world. Random House Publishers.https://wwwtc.pbs.org/thebotanyofdesire/pdf/BotanyofDesire_RandomHouseTeacherGuide.pdf (Accessed on March 2017)
Pollan, M. (2001). The botany of desire: a plant’s-eye view of the world. Random House Trade Paperbacks.