Monday, March 14, 2011

Steward or Trustee – how humans behave in the natural world


Steward is the term usually promoted by those who want to encourage humans to behave less destructively and exploitatively on the earth. However, what image does this word evoke for you? For me it is still the dominator view of the world, with a hierarchy of control and power and humans still at the top, above all. It is difficult to make changes in human thinking and behaving and using this term is a step but it is still within the dominator society paradigm. This idea still reflects the main current religions in this part of the world, one supreme power. It is not surprising, then, that any “new” idea is still within this concept. What do you think of when you imagine what a steward would do? It still implies to me that something is to be used for human use and that making sure something is good and healthy is only for human benefit, not for the benefit of the thing itself. The thing itself (water, trees, for example) has no intrinsic value.

How about using the term trustee? What does this evoke? For me a trustee’s role is to maintain the whole and protect. It is not a dominator role but a protector role. The focus is on making sure that something is maintained for its own sake, not for use by others. Having value includes intrinsic value, something I read about in a book by Given, the Principles and Practice of Plant Conservation.

Words influence how people see the world and, more importantly, how they behave and act in the world. That is why they are important. They reflect our culture. Try substituting the word trustee for the word steward in the next thing you read. How do you see the information you are reading with this change?

Imagine what the world would look like if humans acted in the role of trustees of the land and not as stewards. What are your comments?

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