I see there’s another letter condemning
HCN’s “drift” into “sociology” eye. One of the biggest
mistakes made by conservationists and environmentalists in the past
40 or 50 years was to drift away from sociology.
Sociology has to do with the way we humans treat each other and
that in turn has enormous implications for how we treat the earth
and its creatures.
Environmental breakthroughs of real
consequence result from deep involvement in political, economic and
sociological reality. There is no isolated pristine place from
which meaningful breakthroughs can be levered.
People Who
Care About the West ought to be the first to admit, and shout out
loud, that knowledge about society is essential. We need more of
that, not less. Please, let’s not turn that into an isolated
dugout with a big sign: VARMENTALISTS STAY OUT.
Martin Murie
North Bangor, New York
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Sociology is essential.
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