In class on Friday was the second time seeing "Grizzly Man" for me, and both times I loved it. As we were having our class discussion someone pointed that he might have been living with the grizzlies for selfish reasons, and I could not disagree, only because I believe everything that anyone does voluntarily is for selfish reasons. However, when people said that he was causing more harm than good I had to disagree (in my head, because I didn't bring anything up in class). I consider what Tredwell did to be an extraordinary and out of the ordinary conservation effort. When I think about modern conservation efforts I think about the national and state parks that cost millions to maintain. But why? Because otherwise society would spread and take over these areas. This is the right way to control the effects of human behavior, but not a very good way of helping the cause. In Tredwell's case, he targets the perception that humans have of nature, which I believe is the harmful part.
It seems to be a trend that as human society moves forward it distances iteself from nature, and as a result desensitizes us to the importance and beauty of nature. The cave paintings in Lascaux show the reverence that humans felt for nature at one point, while today nature is viewed more as an obstacle and a nuisance. Tredwell tries to bring us closer to where we were before in the that way we perceive nature. I believe that the message Tredwell is sending to society through his adventures serves a reminder that we are giving up something in this world that is more valuable than any amount of money.
It may be hard to see the benefits of Tredwell's work upfront, but considering that he devoted a lot of his time to educating young kids, and without pay, we may have to attribute advances in conservation in the future partly to him.
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