Tsimtsum and Self-Control

As we discussed in class, tsimtsum is the principle of bringing yourself inward and taking up less from those around you. In context, it is all about allowing nature to flourish separate from human influence, and leaving that which is natural to repair and reclaim itself. Through this principle, humans should draw back into the cities and leave much of the wilderness alone.

This acts as a more moderate version of the planet fetishers we had discussed previously in class. However, rather than being a political stance that one believes everyone should be made to follow, tsimtsum acts as a practice of self-control, suggesting that humans who do not living with the land pull away and find the land in higher concentrations. It does not attempt to require anyone to do anything, and thus leaves room for those whose cultures are intimately tied to the land to continue their work on their own terms, rather than forcing them out as well. In this way, I think that it has value as a self-reflection tool for many people, getting them to think about how they may overstep their influence on this earth, and that they can think about how to step back and reevaluate that influence. Whether that is consuming too much, causing excessive pollution, or simply fragmenting a local habitat with not having native species on their land, it acts as a way of thinking that simply requests the individual take a critical look at their behavior, and in this way, it promotes self-control.