Blog #10 Social Ecology

What is Social Ecology? 

What is your view/opinion of Social Ecology?

What forms of hierarchy are in our world today and where do you think they come form?

Are there and better alternatives?

Social ecology is kind of like looking at how humans interact with each other in society and with nature. What social ecology seems to focus on is the hierarchical structures of human communities and how that applies to the hierarchy that humans apply to themselves in nature. I agree with some parts of social ecology. I think that the formation of hierarchies is natural to an extent, but I also think that humans putting themselves above nature is unnatural. 

I never really thought about they whys behind the subdivisions and hierarchy of human society. It's always been that way, it seems. Even back in ancient Greece, Rome, and even Biblical times, there were clear hierarchies and the social classes were divided. When I think about it now, I guess the concept of having a hierarchy free world where there were no divisions of the social classes is about as foreign to us as desegregation was to people in the U.S in times of slavery and segregation. It seems like it will never change or that everyone thinks it's supposed to be that way...until it changes and works. 

Other forms of hierarchy in our world, besides the social class system, are the way that wealthy or powerful countries dominate the weaker or poorer countries, globally. Look at the U.N. Only 5 countries, that never change, get veto power and really get to make decisions. Those 5 countries are, of course, wealthy nations, who more importantly, were the winners of the second World War. 

I don't think that having a world without hierarchy means that there will not be any leadership. There will still be leaders because some people are just naturally influential. Everyone is different and has a different set of talents and abilities, but I think what the social ecological view on hierarchy is trying to get at is, no matter what your talent is, no matter what service or whatever you are providing society with, is just as important as what anyone else is providing. I think that a hybrid of what we do now and what social ecology teaches would be the best method.