The Trouble with Wilderness… - William Cronon

ucla | Environ M30 | 2023-04-12T18:23

Table of Contents

Supplemental

  • 1990s during environmntal justice movement
  • wilderness masterplot
    • nature is best when untouched - pure (evangelic purity)
    • Muir is a patron saint of this idea
  • pastoralism
    • managed nature - shepherds
    • rural, countryside

Notes

In “The Trouble with Wilderness: Or, Getting Back to the Wrong Nature,” William Cronon explores the historical and cultural ideas surrounding wilderness and pastoralism in the United States. The essay critiques the notion of wilderness as a pure and pristine place, untouched by human influence, and argues that this concept has been used to justify the displacement and oppression of indigenous peoples and the destruction of natural environments.

Cronon begins by tracing the evolution of the idea of wilderness in American culture, from the Puritan concept of the wilderness as a place of danger and sin, to the Romantic notion of wilderness as a place of spiritual renewal and inspiration. He then argues that this idealized view of wilderness has led to the creation of national parks and wilderness areas that are carefully managed and protected, but that exclude human presence and activity.

Cronon also examines the idea of pastoralism, which he defines as the idealization of rural life and the belief that the countryside is a place of simplicity, virtue, and authenticity. He argues that this romanticized view of rural life has led to the exploitation of agricultural and pastoral lands, and the displacement of indigenous peoples.

Cronon contends that the division between wilderness and pastoralism is a false dichotomy, and that both concepts are grounded in a desire to escape the complexities and contradictions of modern industrial society. He suggests that the environmental challenges of the present require a new way of thinking about the relationship between humans and the natural world, one that acknowledges the ways in which human activity has shaped and transformed the environment.

Ultimately, Cronon argues that we need to move beyond the binary of wilderness and pastoralism, and recognize that human beings are part of nature, and that our actions have a profound impact on the environment. By embracing this perspective, he suggests, we can begin to develop a more responsible and sustainable approach to environmental management and conservation.

Lecture

Discussion

  • Cronon advocates for a nuanced perspective of pastoralism as a “middleground” between wilderness (value of untouched nature) vs human interaction (exepctionalism)
  • ssuggests a middleground that is not necessarily pastoralism (he consideres wilderness in ruban envronments) but nsstead advocates for emphasis on the environments and wilderness (a cultural construct) all around us (urban, rural, etc.)
  • the idea behind this is pristine wilderness is a n evangelical idea of maintaining gods creations and humans cting as another such creation (not exceptional) → suggests displacing all human interaction (native americans, agriculture, homes)
  • “flight from history” - exploring wilderness takes us back to consider evangelical historical experiences (garden of eden, the frontier) to reclaim lost history

Resources

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