Pointing

The Pointing essay, “The Lesson of Easter Island” was mainly about civilization in Easter Island and making sure you balance your resources properly. This was a very interesting essay that provided very valuable information not only relating to what happened on Easter Island, but also what can happen to other cultures if we don’t increase the limited resources properly. Because balance was taken extremely lightly on Easter Island, it caused a dramatic decrease in the limited resources they had to survive. Much of the resources became inadequate and the society ran dry of almost everything. The settlers brought forth chickens, rats, breadfruit and coconut, but soon learned that the climate was too severe for the plants, leaving them with only chickens and sweet potatoes. The people of Easter Island failed to remember how important balancing their supply on resources was, so by the time they did come to realize it was too late and the damage was too deep. Much of the culture and history had already been lost and damaged and they did not prepare to replenish for the future. It then became unattainable to support the amount of people living on Easter Island because of the thinning resources. Therefore, because of this down fall, the people of Easter Island had to then turn to cannibalism for survival causing a remarkable decline in population. The society rapidly collapsed and resources were gradually consumed until nothing was left, leading to barbarism.
Thesis: For our society and culture to prosper, we need to balance and maintain the resources provided, and in return they will take care of us for the future.