I travelled the globe to document how humans became addicted to faking the natural world. Here's what I found
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/24/humans-addicted-faking-natural-world-anthropocene-illusion-zed-nelson-aoeI travelled the globe to document how humans became addicted to faking the natural world. Here’s what I found
In his new book, The Anthropocene Illusion, photographer Zed Nelson reflects on the surreal environments created as people destroy nature, yet crave connection to it.
Zed Nelson
Thu 24 Jul 2025 01.00 EDT
The Anthropocene is a new term used by scientists to describe our age. While scientific experts argue about the start date, many point to about 200 years ago, when the accelerated effects of human activity on the ecosphere were turbocharged by the Industrial Revolution. Our planet is said to have crossed into a new epoch: from the Holocene to the Anthropocene, the age of the human.
The strata of rock being created under our feet today will reveal the impact of human activity long after we are gone. Future geologists will find radioactive isotopes from nuclear-bomb tests, huge concentrations of plastics, the fallout from the burning of fossil fuels and vast deposits of cement used to build our cities. Meanwhile, a report by the World Wide Fund for Nature and the British Zoological Society shows an average decrease of 73% of wild animal populations on Earth over the past 50 years, as we push creatures and plants to extinction by removing their habitats. Humans have concentrated in cities. We have separated ourselves from the land we once roamed – and from other animals. But somewhere deep within, a desire for contact with nature remains. So, as we destroy the natural world around us, we have become masters of a stage-managed, artificial experience of nature, a reassuring spectacle, an illusion.
Over the past six years I have visited 14 countries across four continents, observing how we humans immerse ourselves in increasingly artificial landscapes. We holiday on synthetic beaches, attend zoos that display living animals in artistically rendered dioramas of their natural habitats, and visit amusement parks that offer a “jungle experience”. We gaze at aquatic creatures in artificially lit sea-worlds, and at polar bears in Chinese shopping malls, pacing out their existence in glazed enclosures of plastic ice and snow. We ski on artificial slopes in Dubai, while outside the desert temperature is 48C.
…
In the numerous theme parks and zoos I visited, I realised a strange thing: in these places, nothing happens. There are no surprises. There may be a wave machine, or a volcano that puffs smoke on the hour, or a rollercoaster offering momentary thrills. But nothing changes, good or bad. Everything repeats itself. Nothing happens unless it’s part of the show. Here, nature is made safe – no thorns, biting insects, flooding or unpredictable creatures. This is nature only as spectacle.
… more …
= new reply since forum marked as read
Stephen King would have a word. 
It does affirm my dislike of Disney World, Sea World and the like. Though most people love, love the Disney Parks, I've never seen the attraction. Too artificial, too crowded and insanely expensive.
The zoos I make an exception for because they strive to preserve endangered species. Yes, it's a form of entertainment but the zoos are at least trying to mitigate the damage we've done to our fellow creatures and attempt to educate the public.
My oldest son is a wilderness guide leading groups through what remains of the natural world. There is a definite yearning for 'the experience.' But it breaks his heart knowing that so much of what's left, something he genuinely loves and is inspired by, is dwindling every day and may disappear altogether.
It reminds me of those dystopian novels where the kid asks his or her parent:
What's a tree? What did they look like?
There are, in fact, very ritzy camping companies that offer the wilderness experience with amazing comforts. They remind me of the old English films of safari trips back in the day for the aristocratic crowd.
But yes, for the average person it's in a small tent on the ground. Or cowboy style--blanket on the dirt under the stars.
No luxuries.
We are the invasive species.
