Introduction
“Wind, Sand and Stars” is based on aviation and the marvel that is the airplane. The device, according to Saint-Exupéry, is a tool designed to enhance communication, facilitate the discovery and explication of phenomena, and foster togetherness among people. The author views the airplane as a means through which individuals can experience nature and overcome the obstacles it presents. He further argues that an individual knows his true self in his quest to overcome obstacles. A pilot, in Saint-Exupéry’s view, is akin to a peasant toiling the land in a bid to extort secrets from nature. Technology is the means through which discerning human beings get to appreciate the immensity and importance of nature in humanity’s quest for enlightenment.
Technology and Nature
The chance at experiences few people had the opportunity of getting drew Saint-Exupéry to the clouds. It could be argued that, unlike the common man, the author was an aristocrat with the resources to pursue dreams that others were incapable of conceiving. Perhaps many of his ideas stemmed from a place of privilege. His firm belief in French imperialism and his outright dismissal of Gandhi’s attempts to free India by likening the latter’s attempts to “a child trying to empty the sea onto the sand” are especially disconcerting (Exupéry, 43). Despite the aforementioned flaws, Saint-Exupéry presented some of history’s most intriguing and thought-provoking philosophical musings. The author’s explication of the link between nature and technology proves the extent to which his ideas outpaced his contemporaries.
It is clear that Saint-Exupéry’s appreciation of nature was the direct result of his application and use of technology. He highlights the important role the airplane plays in facilitating humanity’s conquest of the planet and its residents. The author’s embrace of the scientific achievements of his time is evident in his emphasis on the fact that the aforementioned advancements were integral to the appreciation and understanding of new perspectives. He scoffed at “pseudo-dreamers,” who he argued failed to see the mechanisms through which machines helped them “understand one another” (Exupéry, 44). It is worth noting that Saint-Exupéry’s ideas challenged the views held by environmentalists, who were quick to blame technology for the destruction of nature. The prevalent argument at the time was that humanity’s mechanistic focus has devastated the environment as well as people’s capacity for spiritual contentment. The author rebuked such opinions and focused instead on the future and the promise of a renewed understanding of the bond between technology and nature.
Saint-Exupéry was a fervent explorer of the human mind and body. He argued that technology was, in fact, an extension of humanity, in view of the fact that it accorded civilizations the freedom and opportunity to explore the world and understand its workings. Saint-Exupéry points to the hypocrisy in society’s definition of technology. The author argues that the proponents of the view that man’s progress is deleterious “often confuse ends with means” (Exupéry, 44). He agrees with the premise that individuals who strive to achieve material gains are unlikely to achieve something meaningful. In Saint-Exupéry’s view, machines are tools rather than means to an end. While contemporary society has made astounding progress with regard to technological achievements, Saint-Exupéry would be astounded at the degree to which technology has been used as a means to an end. The author does not envision that the tools he had grown so accustomed to would promote hyper-individualism and seclusion.
The use of technology as a tool for understanding the world is, perhaps, one of Saint-Exupéry’s strongest messages in the book. He argues that if a pilot completes a successful flight, he essentially becomes nature’s master. This is because the pilot has access to all of the planet’s hidden spaces and mysteries as he glides through the sky. The author notes that a man in such a space acquires qualities and thoughts that bind him to nature. An individual that is devoted to the pursuit of aviation and is capable of navigating its inherent challenges gains wisdom. It is evident that the act of flying shapes Saint-Exupéry’s perception of his environment. The wisdom the author gains as a result of the use of a technological marvel facilitates his exploration of the world’s wonders, thus binding him to nature. The author’s awe of the natural world is the direct result of personal experiences. His aerial challenges against rough weather informed his view of the ferocity of nature and its unfettered indifference to humanity’s qualms.
Saint-Exupéry’s appreciation and acceptance of nature’s beauty and dominance are attributed to the use of technology. He posits that by seeing something in its entirety, one is able to appreciate its splendor. The earth’s magnificence can only be appreciated by seeing “it as the moon” (Exupéry, 190). It should be noted, however, that while the author appreciates the beauty of the planet, he views flight as an escape. In addition to the physical separation that one feels as he rises through the air in an airplane, there is a mental separation. The experience is divided into compartments that clearly distinguish life on earth from life in the air. Saint-Exupéry relishes the escape from the pettiness associated with living among men incapable of appreciating the marvels of technology.
Technology, in Saint-Exupéry’s view, is inextricably linked to technology. The act of flying allows the pilot to have an aerial view of the planet’s inhabitants and organisms as separate dots that should be linked. The view from above allows the pilot to understand the necessity of the aforementioned link, which compels him to return to the ground, laden with wisdom gathered from his interaction with technology. While on earth, the pilot is transformed from a helpless creature wandering aimlessly on the surface of the earth to one filled with purpose and an understanding of the connections between various aspects of nature. Technology allows individuals to be scientists evaluating objects as well as the objects being examined. Flight allows people to absorb the world’s immensity and diversity while the adversities that characterize the craft provide opportunities for introspection. Crashes force aviators to confront the reality of nature as well as their potential to demonstrate strength in the face of adversity. The complex relationship between nature and technology is hinged on the premise that it is often impossible to appreciate the former without the latter.
Humanity’s understanding and appreciation of the reality of nature is perhaps best exemplified by the pilot’s crash in Libya. The author acknowledges the fact that they were completely lost. The only fact they were aware of was that the Mediterranean Sea was unreachable by foot. Their attempt to find help was complicated by vegetation-like mirages and searing heat. It is worth noting that their understanding of dessert conditions helped them stay alive. For instance, they gathered morning dew to stay hydrated. The stranded travelers encounter Arabs, who are kind enough to show them the way to safety. It is evident that while the desert comes across as harsh and inhospitable, it supports thriving communities of people willing to offer help to strangers at a moment’s notice. The natives are accustomed to conditions that Saint-Exupéry found intolerable. The experience left him with a healthy appreciation for the ingenuity and technology that allowed man to thrive in wild and untamed places.
Saint-Exupéry invites his readers to re-orient to technology as a tool that can facilitate the development of a deep and meaningful connection with nature. He argues that machines do not isolate humanity from nature’s problems but rather plunge people “more deeply into them” (Exupéry, 43). By experiencing the rawness of nature, one understands and appreciates the importance of preserving parts of it that are important for the survival of the whole. The severity of nature’s problems can only be addressed through the ingenious use of technology. Modern mechanical advancements are perhaps the only way human beings can appreciate the vastness of nature and the interconnectedness of all living things. While in Saint-Exupéry’s time such views could only be gleaned from an airplane hundreds of feet in the sky, technology today allows people to experience the majesty of nature.
Technology as Nature
The message Saint-Exupéry aims to convey is that technology is nature. While opposing schools of thought may contend that technology is a distinct entity, “Wind, Sand and Stars” proposes that the two elements are inextricably linked. The author hinges his argument on the idea that technology is an inevitable aspect of human evolution. His assertion that it is a tool intended to serve a specific purpose is supported by observed phenomena in nature. Spiders spin webs to catch prey, and beavers build dams to create habitable homes. Human beings are no different from other innovative animals in this respect. The invention of the airplane was an extension of human ingenuity, which is part of their nature. The desire to explore and find effective ways of doing so is an inextricable part of being human. Saint-Exupéry blurs the line between technology and nature by suggesting that “the metal” allows the pilot to rediscover nature (Exupéry, 43). In essence, the tool that allows one to soar above the clouds enables individuals to reconnect with a part of themselves they thought was lost or never knew existed.
Conclusion
Saint-Exupéry had a deep appreciation for the wonders of nature. He keenly observed and documented geographic elements of far-flung landscapes and created captivating evocations as well as philosophical perspectives regarding their relevance. His explication of the world’s wonders from the air is vivid and intense. It is clear that his efforts contributed to the progress of technology and the understanding of its ability to bond a man to nature. The author’s contextualization of the relationship between technology and nature is complex. It is almost impossible to appreciate the immensity of nature without technology, which is, as highlighted in the preceding argument, an integral part of the natural world. The aforementioned elements are inextricably linked in so far as the evolution of man is concerned. Technology is undoubtedly the tool that enterprising individuals understand nature’s intricacies as they strive to understand their purpose in life.
Reference
Saint-Exupéry, A. (2002). Wind, sand and stars. (L. Galantière, Trans). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, (Original work published 1939).