Heal The World: Exploring Palmers the Case For Human Beings :: essays research papers

      kind-hearted beings. We ar an exclusive species. tenders are able to achieve raise thought, while most of the creatures in the animal kingdon have an attention drag of only minutes. We are able to extract the purest elements from the most barren lands. We are also able to destroy the fragile biodiversity that has taken the earth millions of days to create. Should humankind, however, be punished for pushing so many different species into extinguishing by becoming extinct itself?     In Thomas Palmers essay, "The Case For Human Beings", Palmer explores the topics of human accomplishment, the diversity of humankind, and the havoc that said diversity has caused on the environment. using irony and sarcasm, with the occasional clever analogy, he burdens the reader with his cynical candidate on humankind in regards to its brutish treatment of the earths delicate ecosystem. In one paragraph, Palmer states, "The only way to... restore biodiversity to its greatest possible richness, would be to do for every human being on earth to drop executed tomorrow" (323-24). Palmers combative literary form, however, is not entirely lacking its give birth beauty and grace. When he uses human acheivements such as a bach chorale, mans first journey to the moon, and three-masted schooners, he is bringing glory back to humankind. Although he explains the splendor of the Bach chorale, he still states, "Human consciousness...cannot, in this view, endure to biodiversity, except by staying as far out of the picture as possible, so as to avoid tainting still-intact landscapes with unnatural influences" (324). No Bach chorale, no three-masted schooner, no Apollo landing, Palmer reveals, contributes to the ecosystem.     Palmer isnt a misanthrope. He isnt out for the decease of the human species. His authorship strategies, such as comparisons, distortion of the opposition, and smokescreening the obvious issue at hand, which is the ending of the ecosystem, indeed tell the reader of his belief in his writing. Palmer writes this to Everyman--an average soul of average intelligence with only an average curiosity about the destruction of the species.