Natureβs pretty good for us
https://www.npr.org/2018/09/10/646413667/our-better-nature-how-the-great-outdoors-can-improve-your-life
The latest NPR Hidden Brain episode titled βOur Better Nature: How The Great Outdoors Can Improve Your Lifeβ discusses how beneficial surrounding ourselves in nature is for the physical, mental and socio-economical aspects of life are. While listening I couldnβt help but tie this in with our project and the drawings that Iβve been working on. Iβve been drawing up the two states and including lots of greenery in the βgoodβ future. While doing this, I was wondering how this would be perceived by the audience. Would it be interpreted as a future that is more advanced as they donβt need to expand and concrete over nature, or one that is technologically behind as there are no impressive structures that stretch the landscape?
For some people, this ^ is an impressive and desirable future. This podcast was great in terms of backing up my perception of an advanced future being one that has integrated into nature instead of replacing it. The part that I found most interesting was how images of nature calm people and immediately has positive connotations associated. This makes me confident that by including images of nature in the βgoodβ future it becomes clear to the audience that this is the intended βgoodβ future.Β
Some other interesting points are that when thereβs a large amount of nature around communities, gun crime is reduced by 9%. There a significant drop in sickness and also anxiety. All of which has massive financial benefits and overall improves quality of life.Β
It also reminded me of a reference from last semester which was Le Corbusier's Broadacre City. Where he argued that the metropolis is undesirable and so designed a community that took the modern lifestyle and put it in a more sparse setting focused on the quality of life. You can see the prominence of nature in his vision. Β













