even more on agriculture

Agriculture changed our relationship with the land, and with each other, on several other levels.  For one, it accelerated the development of the concept of private property.   Thus, land became valued more as a means to an end rather than as an entity in itself. No longer did man worship the forest and its mystery. Rather, it simply became a means for growing food.  This is analogous to the contrast between a genuine loving relationship, in which one loves the whole person, and a purely sexual relationship, in which the other merely a means to a temporary sexual satisifaction.   Thus, the "and" between man and nature was weakened.   Similarly, much like some sexual relationships, it acquired an addictive quality.  For as population grows, the farmer is contantly seeking ways to increase crop yeilds.  As we've already said, farming in itself largely results in a decrease in biodersity.  And it can't be said that even the healthiest soil on a farm is as healthy as the soil in a peat forest.  Nonetheless, during the earlier days of agriculture, it was possible to increase crop yeilds to adequate levels without harming the soil.  However, as with the case of a sex addict, the increase in crop yeilds was never enough, and now the use of artificial fertizilers has been deemed necessary.  And there does not appear to be any genuine dispute that the overuse of said fertizers damages the long term health of the soil.   Thus, the "and" between man and nature has been weakened both on a psychological level and a more concrete level.
As noted above, the development of agriculture accelerated the development of the concept of property.  In such a case, the earth is no longer one with me, but is something which, or at least something some of which, is mine.   Thus, the relationship between man and nature becomes attenuated on yet another level.  Finally, property is finite.  And we all want property.  Thus, at some point, it becomes necessary to divide land into separate lots.  Thus, when viewing the land itself, the "and", or the connectedness of the entire forest and nature itself, is further dissipated, and on a superficial level, the "or" is strengthened in the guise of separate lots of property.  As we've already said, in reality, the biodversity of the "or" is being destroyed.
Agriculture's affect on social relationships will be discussed in our next post.