Love this, Peter. Science backing up what cultures around the world who honour/treat the planet as a living being. Mother Earth, Pachamama- in Māori, Papatūānuku- the land is mother, the sky is called Ranginui/father. The list goes on. I love thinking/feeling about it this way too.
Plants, trees, bushes, and grass have systems that deliver water, and systems that rid them of oxygen as we have a system that brings nutrients to our cells and a system for ridding our bodies of waste and a system for breathing. Why not rocks?
It is amazing to realize how great an impact microbes have on the shape of the earth and how they can influence their environment as much as they are influenced by it. In this context what do you mean by our binary approach is inadequate?
I am thinking of the black and white approach that divides things at first glance to this and not that, e.g. this is a weed and that is not. At another level they are both simply plants. It seems to me that reality is much more nuanced and interconnected.
If only more of us considered rocks as living, we'd likely be taking better care of the earth. Like Karen mentioned some cultures are so in tune with nature. I once visited a village in Sumatra where the locals believed the rocks moved at night. As young travellers at the time we asked not to move them back and let nature do its wonders.
So interesting! We have so much to learn from those who live close to the earth. Ancient truths that we sometimes dismiss as primitive sometimes have much to teach us.
i love the idea of viewing rocks as alive! i’m eagerly anticipating robert macfarlane’s upcoming book, “is a river alive?” — i’m sure it will be along much similar lines.
Thanks, Peter! I also loved "Braiding Sweetgrass" and recommended to a number of friends with more than an abiding interest in the natural world where we all live. Robin's life fascinating as well. You remind me of this from "Midsummer Night's Dream": "And this our life exempt from public haunt finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything"?
And, I used the following quote at the close of a post recently. It's from JFK's Commencment speech at American University, 10 June, 1963:
“In the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal.”
Interesting article with great information and certainly written in an entertaining poetic style. I will be interested in reading the full book. The parallels between this planet we live on and the micro environment our own bodies, and lives, rely on for existence is obvious. As a child of the 60’s, I remember the Gaia movement and the metaphysical attachments it generated. The science based revelations of the past 60 years has expanded our understanding of our world and perhaps will lead to a redefinition of what constitutes a living being. Thanks for sharing the article, it certainly beats my normal morning doom-scrolling routine. I have passed the article on to Will, the evolutionary biologist in the family and await his comments.
Thanks! It is not a topic that flows easily into a conversation, so I was wanting for people with whom to share it. Thanks especially for sharing it with Will. I shared it with the fellow I stayed with in Poland, who is a Geologist. He found it interesting. Most of the serious texts in the area in his home library are in English. He saw it to be a bold statement to conclude that "That would be the most common form of life found in the Universe" and added, :But who knows... We agreed that there is lots yet to discover in the Universe as a whole. It keeps the scientists of all sorts, the theoretical Physicists, busy -- job security.
Love this, Peter. Science backing up what cultures around the world who honour/treat the planet as a living being. Mother Earth, Pachamama- in Māori, Papatūānuku- the land is mother, the sky is called Ranginui/father. The list goes on. I love thinking/feeling about it this way too.
Plants, trees, bushes, and grass have systems that deliver water, and systems that rid them of oxygen as we have a system that brings nutrients to our cells and a system for ridding our bodies of waste and a system for breathing. Why not rocks?
It is amazing to realize how great an impact microbes have on the shape of the earth and how they can influence their environment as much as they are influenced by it. In this context what do you mean by our binary approach is inadequate?
I am thinking of the black and white approach that divides things at first glance to this and not that, e.g. this is a weed and that is not. At another level they are both simply plants. It seems to me that reality is much more nuanced and interconnected.
If only more of us considered rocks as living, we'd likely be taking better care of the earth. Like Karen mentioned some cultures are so in tune with nature. I once visited a village in Sumatra where the locals believed the rocks moved at night. As young travellers at the time we asked not to move them back and let nature do its wonders.
So interesting! We have so much to learn from those who live close to the earth. Ancient truths that we sometimes dismiss as primitive sometimes have much to teach us.
i love the idea of viewing rocks as alive! i’m eagerly anticipating robert macfarlane’s upcoming book, “is a river alive?” — i’m sure it will be along much similar lines.
Thanks, Peter! I also loved "Braiding Sweetgrass" and recommended to a number of friends with more than an abiding interest in the natural world where we all live. Robin's life fascinating as well. You remind me of this from "Midsummer Night's Dream": "And this our life exempt from public haunt finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything"?
And, I used the following quote at the close of a post recently. It's from JFK's Commencment speech at American University, 10 June, 1963:
“In the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal.”
You are a wealth of great citations. Thank you!
Interesting article with great information and certainly written in an entertaining poetic style. I will be interested in reading the full book. The parallels between this planet we live on and the micro environment our own bodies, and lives, rely on for existence is obvious. As a child of the 60’s, I remember the Gaia movement and the metaphysical attachments it generated. The science based revelations of the past 60 years has expanded our understanding of our world and perhaps will lead to a redefinition of what constitutes a living being. Thanks for sharing the article, it certainly beats my normal morning doom-scrolling routine. I have passed the article on to Will, the evolutionary biologist in the family and await his comments.
Thanks! It is not a topic that flows easily into a conversation, so I was wanting for people with whom to share it. Thanks especially for sharing it with Will. I shared it with the fellow I stayed with in Poland, who is a Geologist. He found it interesting. Most of the serious texts in the area in his home library are in English. He saw it to be a bold statement to conclude that "That would be the most common form of life found in the Universe" and added, :But who knows... We agreed that there is lots yet to discover in the Universe as a whole. It keeps the scientists of all sorts, the theoretical Physicists, busy -- job security.