Why nature has become "speechless": the evacuation of meaning and cultural reconstruction in modern narratives

In the process of Chinese-style modernization, the most subtle symptom may be the widening psychological divide between us and nature. "Nature-Deficit Disorder" manifests not only as a series of physical and mental health issues but also as a deep-seated cultural pathologya widely overlooked cultural complication arising from rapid modernization. This paper challenges the common perception that this issue can be simplified to a reduction in physical contact. Adopting a cultural psychological perspective, it argues that the pathological root lies in modernity's cultural script systematically "depriving nature of meaning". By dissecting the disenchantment of modern narratives, the substitution of embodied experiences by technological media, and the threatening coding of nature in risk societies, this article reveals the distinctive generative logic of this rupture of meaning within the Chinese context. The article concludes that genuine healing cannot rely solely on individual "pastoral fantasies". Instead, it must pursue a systemic cultural reconstructionspanning meaning reconstruction, embodied practices, and institutional innovationto address a fundamental question of our era: In an increasingly virtual world, where is the relationship between humanity and nature headed?