Holocene to Anthropocene
“Mama, what
those two guys over there talking about?” a curious cub asked her mother, a
lion, pointing to a boy and a girl who were taking a stroll in the Nehru
Zoological Park, Hyderabad.
“Some
non-sense regarding the Neolithic Revolution, Holocene and Anthropocene” she
replied.
“And what are
those?” asked the cub again.
“He is such
an idiot. Who would talk those sorts of things to his girl-friend in a
zoo-park? Enjoy watching us incarcerated, you moron!” roared the lion.
They became
scared at once and left the lion and her cub.
“Why did you
do that mom? You scared by shouting at them.”
“Oh, don’t
worry dear. It was fun, right? Look at their cruel faces.”
“OK! That’s
enough!! Don’t get started again. I know how much you hate them. Just tell me
what the terms were about. That’s it.”
The lion gave
a one angry look at the cub and said, “Ok, but don’t get started to like them,”
cautioned her daughter.
“Human
history dates back to the Pleistocene epoch (of Cenozoic Era) which began about
1.8 million years ago and continued till 12000 years before present. It was
during this period the human evolution took place. This period is characterized
by striking climatic changes and the Quaternary Ice Age, with many glacials and
interglacials. The Paleolithic or Old Stone Age fits completely in the
Pleistocene epoch.”
“Human beings
solely depended on hunting (animals) and gathering (plants and their edible
parts) to obtain food. Families formed the units of production. Women may have
played a great part gathering plant products and hunting involved group of
males. The food collected or hunted was consumed immediately. Also, the
families frequently shifted their camps in response to the availability of both
plants and animal resources. As they have to move from place to place, the
population remained low. But, all of a sudden, their mode of life style
changed, in many human settlements all over the world. They started to
permanently reside in a particular place.”
“What
prompted the humans to settle?” asked the cub.
“Wait till
you hear it to the end,” replied the lion.
“Approximately
12000 years ago, glaciation ended and the interglacial period started. We are
still living in the interglacial period. This is known as the Holocene Epoch.
In many parts of the world, this period was marked by the onset of milder,
warmer, wetter climate. The temperature is just apt for the development of
agriculture, for the humans to settle and practice domestication. And the
humans took complete advantage of that. Without this change in climate, we
could not have seen any of the developments which we are seeing today. Many
cultures around the world witnessed changing lifestyles—hunting and gathering
to agriculture and settlement. The nature of relationship between humans and
planet Earth underwent a significant change. These changes happened during the
Neolithic Age or New Stone Age where humans used advanced stone tools.”
“Humans
started experimenting with the domestication of plants and animals. They had
experimented with many plant and animal species before finally arriving at the
selected species which can be used for domestication. These experiments may
have continued for many generations. This new relationship between humans,
plants and animals ensured surplus production of food—thus prompting the human
beings to settle at a certain place without fearing about the loss of food.
This sedentary lifestyle led to the increase in population and settlements.”
“With further
technological advancements such as using advanced tools, making pottery, etc.
surplus production increased and this paved way for many different kinds of
exchanges, occupations. The societies became larger and complex and their
socio-economic relations changed.”
“A scholar
called Gordon Child described these changes as Neolithic Revolution. It was not
a sudden revolution but a gradual one, occurred at different places in
different periods, with different features and results. But the effects of
these changes were revolutionary.”
“So, this is
what Neolithic Revolution is—the changes in human lifestyle with change in
climate.”
“Yes”
“And what
happened after that?”
“Neolithic
Revolutions enabled setting up of complex societies which led to the emergence
of metal-civilizations, followed by kingdoms and then the governments. We are
here now.”
“Why you hate
humans then? They are intelligent folks who developed their societies, forged
relationships; they govern themselves with centralized administrations, they
keep their surroundings clean, they care for other creatures like us. I think
they are awesome.”
The lion smiled
at the cub, thinking of her innocence. She replied,
“You’ve never
been out of here, dear. You don’t even know a little about them.”
“Aha! Then
tell me about them.”
"These 12000
years saw the emergence of irrational humans (they think they are rational) as
the supreme species undermining the rights of other species to live (survive). They
radically modified their natural environment by deforestation and irrigation to
grow more surplus food to accommodate growing population. They invaded resource
rich regions to acquire more wealth. They stratified their society depending
upon occupation and later on an imaginary entity called ‘Money’. They killed
themselves in the name of protection. They started acting first and then brood
about the results later.”
“With
perpetual thinking and always striving to move forward or higher, they have
reached a stage where they play a dominant role in shaping the Earth systems.
Their activities now control planet Earth. This is being referred to as Anthropocene.”
“Being the
dominant species, they have the greater responsibility to save planet Earth.
But everybody is reluctant to take it. They know everything but they act as if
they know nothing. They always strive about growth even if it comes at a great
cost. They cut forests to increase the area under agriculture. Yet many people
sleep without food. They extensively use plastics even knowing that they are
harmful. They adulterate their own food products. They talk of their rights by
subverting those of other creatures. Their personal interests prevail over the greater
good. They wage wars either for power or greed. Every country wants to be the
dominant one, to control others. In a way, Homo Sapiens Sapiens is the clever,
cunning and cruel species to ever live on Earth.”
“So, it is
they who put us in these cages then,” asked the cub.
“Yes”
“Why can’t we
do anything?”
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