A long time ago, humans (some of them) discovered science. Or depending on your point of view, they created it. The way they did this was by, for the first time, separating culture from nature. Prior to this we generally personified the world around us and thought of ourselves as having a relationship with it. But by thinking scientifically, we took out the human stories and perspectives and understood nature by it’s own empirical characteristics.
In doing so, our relationship with the natural world changed. Instead of fearing and respecting nature, we sought to master it. In many ways we have succeeded, and those who have mastered it first have historically been able to use that mastery to great advantage over others. We now live in a world almost entirely controlled by those who focus on mastery over nature. This is our modern world of science and technology.
The other result of this way of thinking, however, has been a change in our culture. Now separated from nature, human culture is no longer linked to place, season, natural ecosystems (oceans/mountains/waterways), or organisms beyond our control (“wild” plants and animals). Many of us live in climate-controlled homes in cities free of natural landscapes interacting only with other humans, machines, houseplants, and domestic pets. Our organic needs of food, water, air, and waste disposal are primarily dealt with for us out of sight and/or are taken for granted. If it weren’t for the weather, many of us would have no experience at all with what we now refer to as “nature”. Our “culture” is simply our communication with each other, and as such is quickly becoming homogeneous across our global population.
So one effect of separating culture from nature has been increased mastery over nature. A derivative effect however has been a disinterest in our relationship with nature, and subsequently a shocking increase in human-caused damage to nature.
Another effect of separating culture from nature has been a change in our culture. This has perhaps in some ways brought our global population together (movements toward equality regardless of gender and race). But it has also reduced the need or importance of local community, tradition, and history. And as these things fade, the human race becomes less a society and more a large number of individuals living together in isolation, looking toward technological interaction to define our culture.
Mastery over nature has improved the lives of much of the human race.
Disinterest in nature has damaged the ecosystems in which we live and the resources we depend upon.
And separated from nature, culture loses its bond and we interact less as communities and more as individuals.