This is an article I’ve been hesitant to share, but I’ve been thinking about it for a while and have decided to make a statement. Much of my work and the progression of my thinking has been to advocate for a more systematic approach to environmental problems. This approach requires us to think about all aspects and components of the systems in which we operate. Our social and economic systems exist within the larger environmental system and they all impact each other, interact and have co-dependencies and feedback loops. A holistic perspective requires us to reflect deeply and honestly on the path on which we find ourselves, as well as to question the building blocks of this path. One of the key building blocks of our economic and social systems has been the culture of masculine energy. I would like to discuss this further and propose the idea that if we are to create real pro-environmental change, we have to let feminine energy play a greater role in our decision-making, in our leadership and in society.
The world faces numerous significant environmental challenges. This article outlines some of the key problems as identified by the UN:
- combating climate change and pollution
- protecting the oceans
- transitioning to renewable energy sources
- developing a sustainable food model
- protecting biodiversity
- addressing water scarcity
- improving waste management
These problems tend to interact with one another and each comprise a whole set of other challenges. However, when we consider that human behaviour is a key driving force behind these problems, we can identify common threads in the general attitudes, culture and patterns of this behaviour.
In particular, there is a general theme of being out of touch with nature. The environment has many different component parts, all of which interlink and co-depend to create a working system. There is a natural rate of growth of plant life and organic matter. On the other end of the scale, there are natural rates of waste absorption into environmental sinks. While the capacity for production, growth and absorption can be improved as elements within the system strengthen, there is an ultimate limit to the capacity of these functions.
Many of our environmental problems arise from human activity that disregards the pace and capacity of these natural functions. Fossil fuels, minerals, resources and animal life are extracted and depleted at rates faster than nature is able to replenish them. Overfishing, for example, reflects this rate of use versus rate of replenishment problem. The environment has a number of mechanisms in place to deal with waste, yet the rate at which we produce waste and pollute the air far exceeds the capacity of nature to absorb it. Issues of pollution and climate change are intricately connected to a way of thinking that is completely out of tune with nature.
In many cases, nature’s functions are attempted to be overridden to increase productivity and improve yields. This comes at a cost to the environment. Think of conventional agriculture methods and the dependence on synthetic agrochemicals, high energy inputs and mono-crops, all of which inevitably destroy soil health. Think of aquaculture, which many believe is the solution to overfishing, but which comes with a host of other environmental problems. Economic and political dynamics further reflect the role of natural resources as symbols and sources of power which are used ultimately for personal or political advancement. Even the process of monetising nature is a mechanism to justify its depletion (whilst being under the guise of protecting nature). This treatment of nature reflects the perspective that it merely a commodity to be controlled to the utmost advantage of humankind. Natural resources are units of production that are there to be extracted, exploited and pushed to the limits of their productivity.
How does this relate to masculine energy?
The masculine is a linear and static energy that goal-orientated, logical, directed or single-minded, striving, assertive or driven, productive, competitive and controlling. None of these qualities are bad in and of themselves, but when taken to the extreme without a balancing factor, negative consequences start to manifest. It is undeniable that we live in a masculine-dominant society; one that values relentless productivity. The problems we face in nature – depletion, exploitation, pollution and degradation – result from a single-minded, unsystematic perspective of controlling nature to maximise productivity, efficiency, yields and profit, without regard for the wider cost of these activities.
In contrast, the feminine is a much more gentle energy that centres around flow, flexibility, connectivity, intuition and collaboration. This energy lends itself to being more systems-orientated and in touch with nature. The connection between the environment and feminine energy first sparked for me when I started diving deeper into the principles of regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture essentially proposes that when you take a step back from controlling every aspect of the farm, or if you only control it in alignment with natural evolutionary principles, and rather allow nature to flourish based on its inherent qualities, you create a much stronger system as a whole. This approach is holistic and systems-orientated as it recognises that aspects of a farm cannot be treated in isolation. Practices of cover cropping, increasing biodiversity, no tillage and animal integration all serve to strengthen soil health and have compounding benefits for the farm.
Regenerative agriculture recognises the role of communities both within the natural ecosystem, across the farm and within the larger agricultural space. It encourages networking and learning through connectivity and collaboration. It also requires a level of letting go and allowing nature to run its course. Trusting the pace and processes of nature stands in contrast to the controlling and striving approach we see in agriculture and indeed in our society today.
For environmental problems across the board, where there exists this trend of being out of touch with nature, there is a significant role for feminine energy in providing a counteractive balance. Where society pushes nature and its systems single-mindedly to the point of its degradation in lieu of personal or political advancement, having cognisance of the systematic impacts of certain decisions, as well as a deeper intuition as to the natural pace and capacity of the system, will serve to lessen the impacts of human activity. As we move forward, encouraging this feminine perspective and allowing it to thrive in the leadership and decision-making spheres of our society is an essential part of finding a new balance in relation to the environment.
It’s important to note that I am talking about the archetypal feminine and masculine energies. I am not staking female against male, nor am I slating men. Both men and women possess both these energies within them to different degrees. My position on this is simply that, moving forward, we all have to become more cognisant and intentional about allowing for the feminine characteristics of flow, collaboration, of intuition and of being in touch with nature guide our next steps.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
