Harmony with Earth with Joseph Meeker, Ph.D.

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In this insightful radio episode from 1988, host Michael Toms engages with Joseph Meeker, a human ecologist and author of Minding the Earth. Meeker delves into the vital need to live harmoniously with our planet, addressing pressing environmental issues like global warming and cultural adaptations required for sustainability. Highlighting the interconnection between human consciousness and the natural world, Meeker introduces the idea of permeable boundaries in understanding our relationship with nature. Reflecting on the legacy of humanism, he discusses the balance between exploitation and preservation and emphasizes empathy and humility within environmentalism. The episode also navigates topics such as the role of wilderness beyond physical spaces, the dynamics of urban and rural living, and the significance of systemic thinking in environmental ethics. (hosted by Michael Toms)

Bio

Joseph W. Meeker, Ph.D. is a human ecologist with a Ph.D. in comparative literature, and a master's and postdoctorial studies in wildlife ecology and comparative animal and human behavior. He has been a ranger in the National Park Service. He produced and hosted the radio series "Minding the Earth" carried on many National Public Radio stations during the 1980s. He has taught in several universities, and is currently a Core Faculty member at the Graduate School of the Union Institute.

He is the author of:

• The Comedy of Survival: Literary Ecology and a Play Ethic (1974)
• Minding the Earth: Thinly Disguised Essays on Human Ecology (1988)

Topics explored in this dialogue include:

• Living in harmony with the Earth and cultural adaptations to environmental changes
• The interplay between human consciousness and the natural world
• The role of permeable boundaries in understanding nature
• Balancing exploitation and preservation with empathy and humility
• Embracing the concept of wilderness as a state of being
• Integrating humor and reconciliation in environmental ethics
• Reflecting on systemic relationships and interconnectedness in environmentalism

Host: Michael Toms    Interview Date: 10/5/1988  Program Number: 2109