So far, this reading has been my favorite of the three books. I was immediately drawn in by the introduction with the author explaining how she reached the “mushroom world” and essentially the backstory for the book. I am already getting an idea of what the mushroom will be used as a symbol for. I noted the part of the reading where the author describes the ideological battle between the loggers and others who need careers from the exploitation of natural resources versus the environmentalists. I thought it was interesting how the people that collect mushrooms fit into an entirely different category. The mushroom collectors are able to exploit natural resources (mushrooms) in order to find valuables and potentially make money, without the environmentalists intervening or paying much attention. It could be possible that the author wants us to all behave like the mushroom collectors and believes this may be the only balance that can allow for exploitation of natural resources without gravely damaging the environment. I believe she may apply this idea to a larger scale.
I also loved the last paragraph of chapter one. The author demonstrates how the idea of progress is subjective and while progress was seen as beneficial and powerful in the past, sometimes the word has implications that no longer make sense. I believe that this idea can apply to progress in the form of new technology and industry as well as socially. While I will never be opposed to social progress, there are some powerful people who can twist the idea of progress to fulfill their negative agenda. We have also progressed technologically in ways that may not even make sense, in ways that are hurting humans as a species rather than benefitting us. While I did enjoy reading that last paragraph, I honestly do not understand what the author meant by “more and more of us looked up one day and realized that the emperor had no clothes.” I am assuming it refers to the idea that we have progressed past a point that is sensical.