Patrick Jones                                                               Approximately 150 Words
pwj2@geneseo.edu
INTD 105-19: Science Writing

The Fallacy of Wilderness

In William Cronon’s essay, “The Trouble with Wilderness”, he addresses the major problem modern environmentalists face in defining the wilderness as natural. Cronon argues that over the past 250 years, the connotation of wilderness has changed from being uncertain and fearful to “a symbol of God’s presence on earth.” , making wilderness a manipulation of civilization. The monopolization of this definition and it’s use as a way to escape reality has created a problem for environmentalists by setting a high standard for what counts as natural that “…the landscape that for better or worse we call home.” does not meet. This fallacy we created for wilderness has caused modern environmentalists to protect the aspects of nature that provide a spectacle at the expense of the trees in our own backyards.
When looking at the parking curb behind Milne Library, I saw a clear dualism between wilderness and civilization. In his essay, Cronon believes that this view of separation between the worlds only divides us more, leaving ourselves “…little hope of discovering what and ethical, sustainable, honorable human place in nature might actually look like.”

Juniper Tremper
Scientific Writing 105-19
Geneseo, NY
~170 words

The Contradiction of Saving Natural Beauty
Juniper Tremper

Throughout his analysis of wilderness, William Cronon never denies the majesty of waterfalls and vast canyons. His point is not that the world is less beautiful than before, but rather, the idea of “wilderness” is littered with ironies and contradictions. Primarily, wilderness once offered connection with God, because in the untouched savage lands, “the boundaries between human and nonhuman” were less. Where we experience crippling awareness of our insignificance, we are most likely to connect to higher power. The contradiction comes with the tourists. Although the scenery is still grand, the tourist’s experience is “familiar enough to be instantly recognizeable,” unlike Cronon’s many literary references, whose revelations were distinctly unique. Furthermore, he points out, the only way to prevent all human destruction of nature is to rid the world of humans.

His observation is relateable to a tree planted only to be cut down, because we conclude that present conditions are not the right ones for proper appreciation. A tree planted amid cement is not a tree so much as a sculpture.

Robert Romano

Rjr12@geneseo.edu

We Are Wilderness

Wilderness has been around for the best and worst times of history and has always played a key role in the life of our planet. Wilderness was there when Jesus was tempted by the devil in the desert, but wilderness was also there to give men such as Henry David Thoreau an experience with the divine world. An idea of Cronon’s that aroused questions within me was when he stated that “If nature dies because we enter it, then the only way to save nature is to kill ourselves.” I found this quote to be very radical and inaccurate because humans are nature and we as a species are biologically designed to live in union with nature. I definitely do see the author’s ideas intertwining very nicely into my mini-essay due to the fact that the author is a lover of nature and the SUNY Geneseo campus is a sensational place that truly shows the world the true beauty of wilderness.

Will Gerber                                                                                       About 150 words

10 MacVittie Circle

Geneseo, New York 14454

(315) 250-9687

wrg1@geneseo.edu

“The Trouble with Wilderness”

By Will Gerber

William Cronon’s essay “The Trouble with Wilderness” is a critique of post American Romantic views on the idea of wilderness. Cronon claims that the contemporary view of the wild, in which we see nature as a test of individualism and escape from modern responsibilities, is not only historically inaccurate but socially damaging. He refers to pre-nineteenth century accounts of people exploring far from civilization and notes that nearly all of them are marked by fear and awe rather than wonder and contentment. This change in outlook was accompanied by a strict line being drawn between the natural and civilized worlds, with the former being glorified and the latter being demonized.

Cronon’s argument holds up well, as we are in fact prone to holding some stretches of nature in higher standing than others. However, I feel he puts too much emphasis on our intrinsic motivation to maintain beautiful expanses of nature and not enough on our desire for clean air and water for our own physical well being.

Hunter Cowles                                                                                About 150 words

hc17@geneseo.edu

INTD 105-19: Science Writing

In his paper, William Cronon  establishes that preserving the environment should be humanity’s first priority, and analyzes how society’s perception of “wilderness” has changed so drastically over time.  Cronon also proposes if humanity can find balance between both urban and nature, the more appreciative we will become of both. In today’s society however, people have a very fabricated idea of what the true wilderness actually is. Cronon explains how various places such as national parks can be misleading representations of the uninhabited wilderness. If one  wanted to discover a destination that is still truly uncontaminated by humanity, we’d have to travel miles away from the city. In the past, surviving in nature was a life or death matter, which caused people to fear the . However today nature is viewed as an oasis or a safe haven where people can escape the stresses of everyday life. As our technology changed, so did our perceptions of nature.

Sarah Lambert                                                                                 about 180 words
sel15@geneseo.edu

Student, INTD 105-19: Scientific Writing

“The Trouble With Wilderness” Response
By Sarah Lambert

Throughout his piece written about the connotations and interpretations of the word “wilderness,” William Cronon develops the assertion that “wilderness” is not entirely wild, “it is quite profoundly a human creation-indeed.”

    This awesome, other-worldly “wilderness” attracted many. Cronon exemplifies other’s views by quoting multiple writers who have described nature with powerful allusions to religion and God’s presence because of the way it struck awe into the hearts of men. Attitudes towards it shifted from bewilderment and distaste to admiration and reverence which caused people to preserve them as national parks. The national parks, as Cronon points out, have provided us with a false sense of security that the wild is still there to be “our true home” while in fact, it is just a false dichotomy. Cronon summarizes by stating that these parks are “standing for…wild freedom…and seeming to represent a highly attractive natural alternative,” an alternative to civilization whereas it’s truly just a side effect.

    Though his argument that wilderness isn’t entirely wild is intriguing, his statements do not exactly fit into my ideas about the boundaries of humanity and nature.

Alec Toufexis

agt9@geneseo.edu

INTD 105-19 Scientific Writing

Most believe that wildlife sanctuaries are a place to see nature in its most untouched state. However, Cronon claims that these serene landscape are not actually wild, but are in fact an “Illusion”. An illusion that began with the search for the “religious experience” and continues to this day with the fear of a diminishing frontier. Places such as Niagara Falls, Yosemite, and Yellowstone are littered with lodges, dams, trails, and boardwalks which cater to the needs of human recreation and their false sense of being in a true wilderness.

Cronin believes that wilderness can be found everywhere, not just in a protected state or national park. To truly be responsible with regards to nature, we have to find the middle ground between using nature or not.

I thought that Cronin’s stance on the issue was very insightful. A lot of his ideas, such as the false sense of true wilderness and the need to find the middle ground made sense. Also the idea that humans and nature can coexist, if humans are responsible, loosely connects to The Greek Tree, in that the tree survives even though it is directly affected by humans.

Alexis Baer                                                                                        about 150 words
anb8@geneseo.edu

Student, INTD 105-19: Writing Science

“The Trouble with Wilderness” Reflection
by Alexis Baer

Nature is commonly known for the beauty of plants, animals, and several landscapes which was formed before humankind existed; it was completely untouched and pure. Past history has revealed individuals overlooking it’s significance on a daily basis and often resented the idea of the wilderness. Over time, the meaning of nature has greatly transitioned from something so unappreciated to something widely cherished. William Cronon’s main argument focuses on how individuals simply choose to distance themselves from “home” by developing multiple communities in either towns or cities. Preservationists feel that our environment should be properly maintained instead of tending to societies wants; often times, humans do more damage then intended or recognized. My object, the doors, connect with Cronon’s ideas perfectly because it represents a form of boundary that separates humans from the wilderness. Although a door is free to enter and exit, most people will chose to stay inside if given the option, similar to ancestors staying in their civilizations.

Simon Lee                                                                     Approximately  150 Words

Shl5@geneseo.edu

Scientific Writing 105-19

The Trouble with Wilderness

By Simon Lee

Can nature be man-made? William Cronon argues in his essay, The Trouble with Wilderness, that the wilderness is “the creation of very particular human cultures”. Cronon talks about how at first the word nature had a very negative connotations because in Biblical times the wilderness is where satan tried his best to force Moses and countless others to give into their temptations. However, there was a turn in attitude of the frontier because of the sublime and the frontier.  Writers expressed their awe for nature in different ways, but they were all referring to nature as a cathedral. He then goes to explain how the wilderness is slowly being destroyed and that the only way to save it is for human intervention.

This is the case with The Greek Tree. The students may not have realized it while they were painting the tree but by making it a Geneseo landmark, they have saved the tree from being cut down and used for human needs in the future.

Rachael Natoli                                                      Approximately 170  words

rln5@geneseo.edu

INTD 105-19: Scientific Writing

“The Trouble With Wilderness” by William Cronon discusses how the purity of wilderness is an illusion and that “..people have actually been manipulating the natural world on various scales for as long as we have a record of their passing.” He states that some think the only way to have pristine wilderness is to return hunter-gathering yet he believes we must learn to honor the wild while still enjoying the world as we know it.

Cronon also brings up the point of using land sustainably and thinking about the effects of our actions before changing the land. We have to learn to combine nature and humanity rather than thinking of them as separate entities. This connects to my mini-essay about the gazebo because that is a symbol of mixing of the natural world and the human world. In the article, he talks negatively about how wealthy humans use wilderness experiences to escape the industrial world. However, I believe that this escape is healthy and should be welcomed.