Have you ever noticed how our opinion of whether we own something affects how we act toward that object?
I ran across a study (read the PDF) in the journal Developmental Psychology this week that has some interesting findings on how our sense of ownership develops. The researchers found children–as young as three years old–feel that although man-made objects are owned (like a stuffed animal), naturally occurring objects (like a rock or pinecone) are not.
The management and use of our public lands seems to be an endless debate (e.g. this link), not only within Congress, but in many other arenas as well. Although their name–public lands–would lead us to believe the collective people have a say in these matters, experience suggests this might not always be the case. While to some extent, we’ve all outgrown this notion that the natural world isn’t “owned,” perhaps the world would be a better place, and we would be better stewards for the the land, if we thought like a toddler from time to time.
Reading the linked discussion just makes me crazy as I think about this issue, and many others, and how unfortunately strident the sides to these things have become. I understand the need for strength when fighting for something you believe in, but the lines have been drawn so solidly that I wonder if any middle ground exists anymore.
Anyway, your observation about thinking like a child sometimes, which I think has been a subject before, is well taken. It would be preferable if we as people could just learn to show respect for all of Nature and not just what we see as owned by the public (although publicly owned is sometimes attractive for misuse a s well). I know I find it so frustrating around here in the Northeast with so much land being posted. But property owners want to protect their land from misuse by folks who have no regard.
Well, grumbling over. That is a lovely shot, Greg.
Thanks for your opinion, Steve–I really appreciate you sharing. I’m not always the best at summarizing my own opinions, but I feel largely the same as you.
You said it the best…if we could just learn to show respect for all of nature, things would be much better….
I agree. Good post Greg. In a sense public land belongs to all of us, not the corporations bent on pillaging it, but more importantly it belongs equally to those generations yet to come. We owe it to them to protect it.
I agree with Steve too — wonderful photo.
Thanks for weighing in, PJ. Your opinions are always so well stated and logical.
I agree that we owe it to future generations to be good stewards to the land…