In clear-cutting, he said, you clear away the natural…
““In clear-cutting, he said, you clear away the natural forest, or what the industrial forester calls "weed trees," and plant all one species of tree in neat straight functional rows like corn, sorghum, sugar beets or any other practical farm crop. You then dump on chemical fertilizers to replace the washed-away humus, inject the seedlings with growth-forcing hormones, surround your plot with deer repellants and raise a uniform crop of trees, all identical. When the trees reach a certain prespecified height (not maturity; that takes too long) you send in a fleet of tree-harvesting machines and cut the fuckers down. All of them. Then burn the slash, and harrow, seed, fertilize all over again, round and round and round again, faster and faster, tighter and tighter until, like the fabled Malaysian Concentric Bird which flies in ever-smaller circles, you disappear up your own asshole.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage condemns industrial forestry that replaces diverse ecosystems with monocultures, using chemicals and rapid cycles, ultimately destroying the environment and humanity’s connection to nature.
In simple terms: Industrial clear‑cutting destroys natural forests for profit.
Key Takeaway
Avoid monoculture practices; protect ecosystems.
Themes
environment
industrialism
exploitation
nature
sustainability
Mood
angry
critical
concerned
Type
political
environmental
philosophical
When to use this quote
- forestry policy
- land management
- conservation activism
- environmental education
Key Concepts
Ecology
capitalism
human‑nature relationship
Questions to Reflect On
- How does profit‑driven forestry affect future generations?
- What alternatives preserve both economy and ecology?
A Different Perspective
Monocultures can be economically efficient but cause long‑term ecological collapse.