What Does the Future Hold?
This has been an interesting and intriguing semester for me. I have always been a fan of writing, so being able to do so for this class, especially on topics that are so interesting to me, has been a great experience. It has also been a great way to interact with my peers during a time of distance education, and I enjoy seeing how everyone has a different approach to things even when we are all writing about the same topic. I feel as if this has expanded my horizons because in some cases I approached a particular topic a certain way and was able to read someone elseās interpretation and reflect upon my own ideals (and sometimes even change them). Because of this, I wanted to thank everyone for an amazing class this semester and for making these blogs so much more enjoyable.
When I think about the term āethicsā, I think about what is important to me and what I believe in. While not exactly the same as morality, the two are very closely connected. Morals are typically what drives a personās ethics; to me, morals are what you believe in, and ethics is how you act upon those beliefs. I, personally, like to consider myself a very morally driven person ā I have a very strong internal sense of right and wrong, and I am not afraid to voice this if need be. I feel as if this may affect my role as a nature interpreter in a number of ways.
As a nature interpreter, I believe that I have a responsibility to remain inclusive and respectful to anyone I meet while working in the field. Inclusivity must be met in a number of ways, all the way from different learning styles to our inherited privilege (Beck et al. 2018). Going back towards the beginning of the semester and the importance of āunpacking your invisible backpackā, as someone who is privileged, there are some things that I donāt understand when it comes to the struggles of others because I have never had to deal with it myself (Gallavan, 2005). It is my responsibility to work on myself, to rid myself of any unconscious discrimination or bias that I may have learned due to the systemic nature of many of these issues. This is something I am all too familiar with ā some of these ideals get internalized from a young age, and it is our responsibility to make the effort to unlearn them. I may not be perfect, and there are still things that I need to learn and mental roadblocks that I need to overcome, but I consciously make an effort to make myself a better person so that I can be respectful and inclusive to all, and I feel as if that is very important if I am considering a career in nature interpretation.Ā Ā
Another way in which my personal morals and ethics may influence my role as a nature interpreter is what motivates me to do this work in the first place. As mentioned in the course content, there are so many issues impacting the natural world that we need to be worried about. These are ongoing issues that have been changing and shaping our world since before I was even born and will continue to do so after I die. Many of these issues can feel very discouraging and may lead to feelings of helplessness. I will never forget when my mother said to me: āDonāt have kids. Donāt bring children into this world, because it is going to sh*t.ā She meant it, and I can see where sheās coming from; sometimes it feels like we are taking a step forward, other times it feels like we are taking two steps back. Every day, we watch human greed trump morality, and Iād be lying if I said that I wasnāt discouraged at times as well.Ā Ā
Whatās happening in the world isnāt pretty. Photo retrieved here.
However, kids are the future. We as students are constantly told that we are the future, and this is true ā it is our responsibility to try and change the things that have been implemented before us, even if it seems impossible. As mentioned in the course content, we need to pass down hope, hope that future generations will go past sustainability and into regeneration (Hooykaas, 2021). If we pass down the message that this is the way things are and that things will never change, no effort will be made to make that change. This is why I want to become a nature interpreter ā I want to pass down that message of hope and the feelings of wonder when it comes to the natural world, just as those before me have done for me, because if it isnāt, nothing is going to change.
Of course, I worry when I think of the future. I even worry about things that will happen long after I am no longer alive and therefore have no personal effect on me. But I would rather pass down feelings of hope, hope that the next generation will be better than we are, take bigger steps and achieve bigger things. Because if they donāt, there may not ever be people that will.
References Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage for a better world. Sagamore-Venture Publishing. Gallavan, N. (2005). Helping teachers unpack their āinvisible knapsacks.ā Multicultural Education (San Francisco, Calif.), 13(1), 36ā. Hooykaas, A. (2021). Unit 10: Nature Interpretationās Role in Environmental Sustainability. University of Guelph Courselink. Retrieved from https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/666945/viewContent/2597605/View
Hi Leah!
Great job on our final blog post! I think we started this course in two very different places. You mentioned that you were excited to express yourself in writing, I was quite the opposite. I have never been a fan of writing as a way of expression and I am constantly editing myself to find better ways of saying things long after Iāve hit the post button. I think that is sort of how I view myself ethically as well. In a constant state of self reflection, trying to make sure the next āpostā is better than the last. Does that always work? Absolutely not. But I want to keep trying. Like you mentioned, we all have mental roadblocks and personal bias that we need to overcome. I agree that in order to be the best nature interpreter we can, we must be on a constant journey of self discovery and improvement.
I think you touched on a lot of great points about the ethics involved with interpretation. Specifically, the conundrum with kids. I too have heard the argument āwhy would anyone want to bring a kid into this messed up world,ā and in my darkest moments, I kind of see their point of view. But Iām with you, kids very much are the future. I donāt have kids, but I have a niece and nephew I am very close with. When Iām with them I see the wonder and excitement they exude in their daily lives. More importantly, I see the curiosity that drives them to make new discoveries and learn new things about the world and themselves.
Like you, I hope to āpass down that message of hope and the feelings of wonder when it comes to the natural world.ā I think kids have that innate sense of wonder hardwired into to them. I think it is our role as interpreters to foster that feeling and allow them to find their own unique way to express it (Rodenburg, 2019). We live in a time where we are presented with what feels like insurmountable challenges. I would be lying if I said I didnāt occasionally buckle to that pressure. But I think as interpreters, itās not our job to fix every problem, rather to do our part to use our moral and ethical beliefs to guide us, and to help foster others to find the strength within themselves. Kids are the future, and I hope that with our encouragement they can grow to be their own unique initiators of change.
To quote a great philosopherā¦
Just saying...Yoda had some gems.(Pintrest, n.d)
Great job again on your post! I wish you all the best in your future as an interpreter!
Cheers,
Tim
Pinterest (n.d) We are what they grow beyond [Image] Retrieved March 27, 2021 from https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/707205947713011809/
Rodenburg, J. (2019, July 17). Why environmental educators shouldn't give up hope. Retrieved March 27, 2021, from https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/14300























