Chapter 13 Presentation (Amanda Capper)

Chapter 13 of Ecology of Eden really stood out to me because of some of the connections I found. I really liked the idea of the conflict between wanting to find an idealized paradise for both people and nature, and yet, seeing logistically how difficult this can be. On one hand, Arcadia can be a great thing - people living in community, aspects of both the Mountain and the Tower (resources from the city, lots of people, but also living in community with nature and not being separated from it) to one place. In this way, this reminded me of the sacred vs. the profane. The profane being the everyday, and the sacred being the desire to get away from the everyday, to a better land or world in order to make it better. This is how I found these two things to be similar. 

However, it is also difficult because this is not usually how Arcadia presents itself. Arcadia is seen as a suburbian hell, where every house, street, backyard, looks the exact same. God, that would be the worst. I personally cannot imagine living in one of these types of neighborhoods. But I can also understand why someone would want to - its the "ideal American life". Its the white picket fences, the nuclear family with two kids, the green grass and lawn. This is what a lot of people look for when coming to America, but I feel like there is only a select few who actually find it. 

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