What role does this play on the mind? Could it be the case that we ignorantly think we're some adaptable species and that the way we have influenced our environment is better when in reality, it causes mental unrest? — dnote

There is an interesting study done on the psychological 'imprint' relating to the industrial revolution, whereby "[r]esearchers suggest this is the inherited product of selective migrations during mass industrialisation compounded by the social effects of severe work and living conditions," that enveloped into a higher probability for mental health issues. The social conditions, urbanisation and urban sprawling is a massive change and the effects of learned behavioural traits together with maltreatment from the terrible conditions can potentially impact on genetics. The city working environment is busy and the dirty spaces increase stressors that this is likely to replicate into our home environment and our children. There is also a privilege to that research and one could imagine the difficulties in urban slums in Rio or Mumbai, or megacities like Bangkok or Mexico City - can one imagine the psychological toll this would have?

I think that there is also an estrangement to nature that has built a damaging bulwark that aggravates negative physical and cognitive development, particularly in children, and we have embedded 'band aids' to try and fix the growing mental-health concerns that could largely correlate to poor physical development and interaction with nature. Kids are watching television and eating artificial foods, forming an identity based on social networking and media representation about appearances; I was out having a coffee with a friend and saw two young girls - probably between 10-12 years old - holding handbags, wearing make-up and walking down the street 'shopping' and the disturbing picture of these girls has left a lasting effect on me. Children have very little to no relationship with the outdoors.

We cannot deny that there are also a number of positives to these social changes and it is really about striking the balance. As someone in the process of adoption, I have learnt that children' development is strongly linked to 'play' and my relationship with nature is very strong that I will reinforce that regularly into my child, being an avid hiker and outdoorsy person myself. I have also been promoted to a role that requires me to work full-time in the city, a temporary thing for me as I hate working in the city, and I know that this has increased my stress levels, something I will change over the next year or so.

Thanks for your reply Timeline, i'm reading into the study you mentioned, it's quite interesting. Also, I completely agree with your point on a general estrangement from nature.. I was recently on a prop plane flying over the great barrier reef in Australia, a once in a lifetime experience, and sure enough I noticed the two girls in front of me on the plane were staring at their cell phones... the rest of the folks on the plane seemed to share enough of an appreciation of nature to be gazing out the windows, but i was unable to reconcile this behavior.

I completely agree with your point on a general estrangement from nature.. I was recently on a prop plane flying over the great barrier reef in Australia, a once in a lifetime experience, and sure enough I noticed the two girls in front of me on the plane were staring at their cell phones... the rest of the folks on the plane seemed to share enough of an appreciation of nature to be gazing out the windows, but i was unable to reconcile this behavior. — dnote

Have you seen those couples sitting together and they're both on the phone? It is an estrangement from our nature not just a closeness to our environment spatially, but an actual connection with others, nature and ourselves. It is like nature mirrors what we should be doing. People today have formed a digital identity where they connect to the external world through a faux system, a very capitalistic one where our 'wholeness' seems dependent on what others want rather than what we feel. Happiness rests solely on the applaud from others and that depends on how you 'present' yourself. When you are out in nature, hiking for instance, there is an isolation from that and it reminds us to connect back to ourselves and in doing so we become one with nature, so to speak, whole with our environment as it should be and remember what we want and not what others want from us.

That couple mentioned earlier are not in love with each other, but they love how through each other everyone loves them or applauds them and that is why they are together. What happens to real love?

"Those who have never known the deep intimacy and the intense companionship of mutual love have missed the best thing that life has to give."