Can Humans Grow Roots? (class reading 5)

This section, as it suggests, is about humans “growing roots” in the sense that they become truly sedentary. Eisenberg argues that they do not and cannot grow roots no matter how much we may want to because the climate or other external conditions change, forcing us to find a new suitable place. I like the message of this section, and I think it makes a good point. However, it seems like Eisenberg is only looking at the humans themselves as constantly moving, and there is more to it than just that. I think we also need to consider what happens when we move to a place. Let’s take, for example, the establishment of cities. People move to cities and urbanize, but the individuals to move there may venture to another city or back to a rural area. But, the structures we build in a city stay there for a very long time. New York City has been around for a very long time; even though the buildings on the various islands change, and the people come and go, the essence of human existence on this piece of land remains, and likely will remain for as long as we are a thriving population on this earth. I think because of this, human impact on land is more stable than this section purports humans to be. Maybe Eisenberg addresses in some form later in the book, but this section made me think that he is not looking at the whole picture.