Nature Lover or...?

View from the Visitor Center in Utah's Capitol Reef National Park

Recently in my Spanish class one of the group mentioned that she wasn't looking forward to Spring Break as their family  was joining some friends in Utah to be "in nature." Since Utah and its canyon country are some of my favorite places to be, I excitedly exclaimed, "Wow! I'm so envious."  To which she responded, "I don't want to go.  I absolutely hate nature."   I like to think I'm open-minded about most things--except Bush, of course--but I had never even considered the possibility that someone could hate all of Nature.  Maybe one could dislike certain inconvenient species or unpleasant weather but to declare blanket hatred of all things outdoors is almost inconceivable to me.  I have friends who are selective in the nature they enjoy: tropical sandy beaches instead of rocky sea cliffs or sculptured botanic gardens rather than the unpredictable growth patterns of high altitude wild flowers.  Yet they don't discount the possibility that they could enjoy some form of natural beauty in a wilderness setting. 

Nature is my stress manager, mind-cleanser and perspective re-adjuster.  I can't imagine how I would keep equilibrium in my life, were it not for periodic pilgrimages into the mountains, to the ocean, to the desert or to some other destination where I can "get away, feel small  in the greater scheme of things and become calm.  Do I have tunnel vision?  Are there really self-proclaimed nature haters in quantifiable numbers?  Are you a nature hater or do you know one?

Waterpockets in hardened sandstone in Capitol Reef NP

Comments

[Jackie]

Hi Deb, I understand and share your dismay. My 17 stepdaughter hasn't exacly said she hates nature but she has mentioned hating so many aspects of it that in essence, she does. She hates the rain, she hates this animal or that, she hates camping, an so on. I would guess your student has a similar problem to my stepdaughter, extreme narcissistic self-servitude. If anything isn't handed on a silver platter or easy to achieve it's contrary to them. Beside the fact that they can't appreciate anything that came before them, they are the beginning of the world which, by the way, revolves around them. I really hate that I have to feel this way about anyone let alone someone I have to cohabitate with but they are what's intolerable about this world!

[Lou]

I didn't think it was possible to hate nature. I am stunned. The more nature the better, as far as I'm concerned! oh, nice site you have here btw, I just found it :-)

[John M]

You have a very thoughtful blog. I was hoping you could give some comments on the thoughts of my students at http://tesserae.blogspot.com/ Thank you, John

[Corrina]

Hate nature? I wonder what she hates about it.

[Fran]

Wow, wonderful photos. It's hard to believe there are people who hate nature. Out of curiosity, what does this woman have a passion for?

[Paula]

I know, Debby. I feel EXACTLY the same way about nature, and I had EXACTLY the same reaction you did when I heard that. I still can't quite believe it, but I also don't think she was fooling us. Seeing your wonderful photos of Capitol Reef, which also happens to be one of MY favorite places in the U.S., makes me want to quit my job and hop into the car tonight, and head over to the canyons.