Nature's Nature

See my own artwork here.

This is gonna be an odd one, so bare with me. You might need a few swigs of coffee.

First, entertain the idea that everything has a nature. 'Nature', used in this context, is the collection of qualities for which something is known. You may simplify this to the utmost basic- the 'meaning' for a given thing's existence. You can apply it to anything, though non-living things are easier.

I.e. the nature of fire is to burn.

Unsimplified, 'nature' becomes a complex web of emotions and intelligence that forms who we are. Our personalities, our morals, our outlooks, our emotions. Our identities. You might even stretch to call 'nature' the manifestation of a soul, if you were to look at it spiritually. If not, than our 'nature' is the essence that makes us human, spirit or not. I.e. according to Professor John Z., the nature of Marissa Smith is smug.

But 'nature' is also the natural, physical world. Not just our earth, but the entire cosmos. The known universe. 'Nature' is not just the forest, not just the animals. 'Nature' is the driving force behind these things, even, perhaps, behind ourselves.

So what is the nature of nature?

Our perceptions of the world warp and molt with each situation. Writers, artists and politicians are masters at warping perceptions. Just a single tweak of a word can change a pleasant scenario (the dog sang to the wind) into a wretched one (the dog screamed to the wind). How we view nature is a whirlwind of emotion and instinct.

Lets say you go for a walk into the woods. It's sunny, the path is well displayed, and small animals scurry into the undergrowth. A dog barks far off, and birds bounce in the tree branches. Then it gets dark. A fog rolls in. The path is obscured by shadow, and the animals in the undergrowth seem larger, much larger. The barking dog becomes a howling wolf, and owls swoop low above your head.

Suddenly nature is not so reverent. Suddenly nature is scary as hell. And does it care what happens to you? Does it honestly care that you respect it, adore it, cherish it? Does it care that you're scared? That you hate it? That you want to destroy it? Probably not. I think the result would be the same no matter what YOUR 'nature' is.

But the sun does come up again, after your night in the forest. You are alive, and you have a choice to make. Is the nature of nature how you thought of it when you first walked into the trees? Is it full of light, goodness, benevolence? Or is it a dark mass full of monsters?

Maybe it's both?

The nature of nature is neutral. It is the grey area comprised of awe's and horror's lovechild. We, living things, aren't 'pawns'. We're different natures existing within one giant nature, a grey one that endures and survives no matter what, no concern for what happens to us in the process. How uncomfortable!

But, you know? We love stories. That's why we use pieces of nature as symbolism. Maybe it doesn't really matter what the nature of nature is at its most basic level. Maybe it's how we spin it.

It's not like we can escape nature anyhow. Might as well make it pleasant to live with.

This post's featured artwork, seen below, is by, Aaron Pocock. Click the image for a bigger view.