Really appreciating your take on "Nature is Speaking" Julie - being the child of a scolding parent, I don't see much benefit to that approach. In my imagination, Nature is forgiving, compassionate and hopeful - there are so many people doing good work, and more all the time. :) And thank you for the mention of Qstack. ::))
I'm 100% behind recognizing that humans are part of nature and that we need to live with less destruction and consumption of the world, to view nature as having intrinsic value beyond human needs. We are behaving like locusts, but we can survive and thrive in numbers without devouring all we see.
I love the idea of a Nature writing neighborhood, although community sounds more fitting? Wonderful writing and sentiment in the Nature is speaking section, I totally agree. 🌿
What a lovely post, full of inspiring thoughts and creative ideas! Thank you so much, Julie 💕🙏 🪶
I fully agree with you that “Nature is not petty and vindictive”
and that “she is also a mysterious, all-loving and infinitely creative force”
and that “as part of nature ourselves, we too have that potential and that capacity.”
I would add that the way we treat nature is the way we treat ourselves (or vice versa).
Which is another reason why “The stories that brought us to this point cannot deliver us from those outcomes.”
From my perspective, the suggestion that “nature is disgusted with us” sounds like (yet another) anthropocentric trope. It proves that members of Conservation International have not yet grasped the fundamental principles of symbiogenesis. Anthropocentric errors won’t be fixed with anthropocentric ‘solutions’. What we need is the evolution of the human mind towards symbiocentric understanding, being, and doing.
Oh, symbiogenesis is quite an 'old' word. It was invented by a Russian botanist in the early 20th century, picked up by various colleagues, and finally popularised in the 1980s by evolutionary biologist Lynn Margulis. Symbiogenesis is now considered a 'leading evolutionary theory'.
Following on from symbiogenesis, Australian eco-anthropologist Glenn Albrecht coined the word Symbiocene as a name for a new era, when humans 'exit the ecocidal Anthropocene'.
In my wordasts on Symbiopædia I am looking at language from the perspective of symbiogenesis and the symbiocene ~ to usher in a new era we need a new language...
Well said, David. Just reminded this morning that clock time, with its sense of urgency and we-must-fix-now is not the best way to think of this. Deep time puts it in better perspective. We’ve been here before? 🤔
I couldn't agree more with your take on that series of PSAs. It followed on the heels of another sub stack I just read about the impossibility of implementing a circular economy without also shifting to a circular Society. We have so much work to do!
Julie, I love and wholeheartedly agree on your take on our relationship with nature. I think you are hitting on the fundamental shift that is needed at this juncture in history. Thanks xo
Such difficult (Conservation International) and beautiful truths (aligning with the story that we belong here and can nurture our Earth) in this excellent post. Thank you Julie, my heart lifted as I read your piece this morning.
Julie, this was a very refreshing read! And thank you for the shout out to SmallStack. I can't wait to see how these communities grow and blossom together.
Really appreciating your take on "Nature is Speaking" Julie - being the child of a scolding parent, I don't see much benefit to that approach. In my imagination, Nature is forgiving, compassionate and hopeful - there are so many people doing good work, and more all the time. :) And thank you for the mention of Qstack. ::))
Thanks for your thoughts, Troy. I agree with hopeful. It feels generative, even when things are hard.
Sometimes I see Substack as the peaceful, patient eye in humanity's raging storm. All storms are self consuming
And all storms do pass. Thanks for this reminder. (Of course, they can leave tremendous destruction in their wake. . .)
I think casting anyone/ anything in the role of the disapproving, authoritarian other robs us of agency. I’m looking forward to reading!
I'm 100% behind recognizing that humans are part of nature and that we need to live with less destruction and consumption of the world, to view nature as having intrinsic value beyond human needs. We are behaving like locusts, but we can survive and thrive in numbers without devouring all we see.
Well said.
Yes Julie, now it is our turn, we are nature too, destroyers and creators both ,
Exactly.
I love the idea of a Nature writing neighborhood, although community sounds more fitting? Wonderful writing and sentiment in the Nature is speaking section, I totally agree. 🌿
Yeah, I pretty much flogged that metaphor to exhaustion. 🙃
What a lovely post, full of inspiring thoughts and creative ideas! Thank you so much, Julie 💕🙏 🪶
I fully agree with you that “Nature is not petty and vindictive”
and that “she is also a mysterious, all-loving and infinitely creative force”
and that “as part of nature ourselves, we too have that potential and that capacity.”
I would add that the way we treat nature is the way we treat ourselves (or vice versa).
Which is another reason why “The stories that brought us to this point cannot deliver us from those outcomes.”
From my perspective, the suggestion that “nature is disgusted with us” sounds like (yet another) anthropocentric trope. It proves that members of Conservation International have not yet grasped the fundamental principles of symbiogenesis. Anthropocentric errors won’t be fixed with anthropocentric ‘solutions’. What we need is the evolution of the human mind towards symbiocentric understanding, being, and doing.
Hear hear!! Love that - symbiogenesis. What a juicy word! 💚
Oh, symbiogenesis is quite an 'old' word. It was invented by a Russian botanist in the early 20th century, picked up by various colleagues, and finally popularised in the 1980s by evolutionary biologist Lynn Margulis. Symbiogenesis is now considered a 'leading evolutionary theory'.
Following on from symbiogenesis, Australian eco-anthropologist Glenn Albrecht coined the word Symbiocene as a name for a new era, when humans 'exit the ecocidal Anthropocene'.
In my wordasts on Symbiopædia I am looking at language from the perspective of symbiogenesis and the symbiocene ~ to usher in a new era we need a new language...
Fantastic! It’s such a better word than Anthropocene. So much more spacious.
Hi Julie, nice to hear from a fellow Marylander
Thanks for connecting! Always love to find my neighbors here. I’m in Annapolis. Where are you?
Salisbury, on the eastern Shore.
Beautiful country
Visions of malevolence, so hard to give up.
Boogey men, everywhere.
Thank you for this vote for a larger, kinder sort of thinking, Julie.
Well said, David. Just reminded this morning that clock time, with its sense of urgency and we-must-fix-now is not the best way to think of this. Deep time puts it in better perspective. We’ve been here before? 🤔
Your paintings in this one made me "Mmmm!" with delight -- gorgeous lighting!
thanks, Lainey! Glad you enjoyed them.
I couldn't agree more with your take on that series of PSAs. It followed on the heels of another sub stack I just read about the impossibility of implementing a circular economy without also shifting to a circular Society. We have so much work to do!
We really do. Good thing there are plenty of hands to take up this work.
Julie, I love and wholeheartedly agree on your take on our relationship with nature. I think you are hitting on the fundamental shift that is needed at this juncture in history. Thanks xo
Thanks, Gillian. Appreciate you 💚
💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚
Such difficult (Conservation International) and beautiful truths (aligning with the story that we belong here and can nurture our Earth) in this excellent post. Thank you Julie, my heart lifted as I read your piece this morning.
Thanks, Donna. I’m so glad! 💚
Homecoming. Yeah. I like it.
Great post with connectivity energy radiating in so many directions.
Thanks, Jill! 💚
Julie, this was a very refreshing read! And thank you for the shout out to SmallStack. I can't wait to see how these communities grow and blossom together.
Me too! Thanks for all you do. 💚