What do you think?
Rate this book
Animism: Respecting the Living World
How have human cultures engaged with and thought about animals, plants, rocks, clouds, and other elements in their natural surroundings? Do animals and other natural objects have a spirit or soul? What is their relationship to humans? In this new study, Graham Harvey explores current and past animistic beliefs and practices of Native Americans, Maori, Aboriginal Australians, and eco-pagans. He considers the varieties of animism found in these cultures as well as their shared desire to live respectfully within larger natural communities. Drawing on his extensive casework, Harvey also considers the linguistic, performative, ecological, and activist implications of these different animisms.
248 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
35 people are currently reading
1910 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 16, 2019
دوستانِ گرانقدر، این کتاب در موردِ زندگی و افکار و رسوم و عقایدِ پیروانِ <آنی میسم> یا همان < آنیمیسم> در گذشته و حال، توضیحاتِ مفیدی را ارائه نموده است
---------------------------------------------
عزیزانم، در آیینِ <آنی میسم-آنیمیسم>، روان و نفوس، نقشِ اساسیِ جهان را به عهده دارند و جهان آکنده از ارواحِ موذی و مفید میباشد
میتوان گفت آنیمیسم پیش از پیدایشِ خط در میانِ نخستین اقوامِ انسانی وجود داشته است
سحر و جادو در آیینِ آنیمیسم، در اصل از <فتیشیسم> گرفته شده است
سحر و جادو در آنیمیسم به منزلهٔ فنونِ نبرد و فریب و نیرنگهایِ جنگی میباشد که در پرتوِ آن انسان میتواند در نبرد و پیکار پیروز گردد
پیروانِ آنیمیسم براین باورند که اگر واژه ها و جملات با صدایِ بلند و آهنگی بخصوص تکرار شوند، دارایِ اثرگذاریِ خاصی هستند... مثلاً ریختنِ آب در فضا با آدابِ مخصوص که به صورتِ باران سرازیر شود و تکرارِ کلماتی ویژه را در باریدنِ باران موثر میدانند.. و این عمل را "جادویِ تقلیدی" نام نهاده اند
تصویرِ دشمن را با خواندنِ وردهایی پاره و زخمی میکنند و معتقدند که دشمن زخمی میشود. و این عمل را "جادویِ عاطفی" مینامند
انسانهایِ نخستین، با رسم و قلم زنیِ اشکالِ حیوانات مانندِ فیل و گوزن و گاوِ وحشی و غیره، بر رویِ دیوارهایِ غار، تصور میکردند که با اینکار حرکت و عملی بر رویِ آن حیوان انجام داده میشود و اگر تصویرِ آن حیوان را زخمی رسم میکردند، برایِ آن بود که بتوانند او را زخمی کرده و به راحتی شکارش کنند... البته اینکار را با حیواناتِ نر انجام میدادند، چراکه انسانهای نخستین، از آنجایی که ماده ها نسل و نژادِ آینده را تأمین میکنند، برایِ حیواناتِ ماده، احترام زیادی قائل بودند... و البته هدفِ دیگر این بود که تلاش کنند تا روانِ انسانیِ خویش را از خویِ حیوانی جدا و خارج سازند
بیشترِ نقش ها و تصاویرِ نامفهوم و حتی زینت آلاتی که مردان و زنان با خود داشتند، انواعی از طلسمات و حرزها برایِ مقابله با ارواحِ خبیث و موذی بوده است
در کل میتوان گفت: پایه و اساسِ این آیین، جادو و موسیقی و رقص و آواز و نقاشی و قلم زنی میباشد که به طورِ مستقیم یا غیرِ مستقیم در تمامِ امورِ هنریِ جهان نفوذ میکند، به طوری که هنرهایِ نخستین از جادو ناشی میگردد و سپس با ادیان و مذاهب گوناگون تحول میپذیرد.. اگر کمی در هنر بیاندیشیم متوجه میشویم که <جان پرستی> و آنیمیسم ارزشِ بسیار مهمی در پیشرفتِ تحولاتِ هنریِ انسانها داشته است
اهالی "فوئزی" و ساکنینِ "تنگهٔ ماژلان" به ارواحِ فراوانی که تمامیِ انقلابات و تأثیراتِ طبیعت را از آنها میدانند و به زبانِ بومی آنها را <اوالاپاتو> مینامند، معتقدند..... اکثرِ قبایلِ استرالیایی همچون ساکنین: نوول گینه و نوول زلاند و قبایلِ آمریکایِ شمالی و جنوبی، همچون: یاهاگان، هوپی سری ماکوزی، گیس، کارائیب، سیو، داکوتا، چینوک، توپی، تاراهومار، تاماناکا، تلینکیت، پاتاگن، بوتوکودس، اینکا، اوژیبو، آتاباسک ... دارایِ اعتقاداتی هستند که از آنیمیسم سرچشمه گرفته است... مثلاً ساکنینِ قبیلهٔ "یاهاگان" به موجوداتِ نامرئی و مرموزی باور دارند که آنها را <کاشبیک> مینامند و به موجوداتِ نامرئی دیگری معتقدند که آنها را <هانوش> میگویند
از میانِ معتقدین به این آیین، "فوئژیها" برایِ مقابله با ارواحِ موذی، شبها مسلح میشوند... قبایلِ "کت دور" در آفریقایِ جنوبی، دور هم جمع میشوند تا با تشریفاتِ خاصی ارواحِ موذی را بیرون کنند...معمولاً مناسک و آداب و رسوم آیینِ آنیمیسم و توتمیسم، مختلط و همانند است
دوستانِ عزیزم، لازم است بگویم که تمامیِ جادو هایِ این آیین به دو دسته تقسیم میشد: یک نوع آن بود که رؤسا و روحانیون، اجرا و عمل میکردند که آن را <جادویِ نیکو> مینامیدند.... و نوعِ دیگر، <جادویِ شر> نام داشت که جادوگرانِ بی رحم به آن عمل مینمودند. این جادوگران باعثِ بیماری و مرگ میشدند و بعضی از آنها بدونِ آنکه خودشان متوجه باشند، جنایت هایِ زیادی مرتکب میشدند... به همین دلیل انسانها از جادوگرانِ بد دوری میکردند و اسرارِ زندگیشان و حتی مو و وسایلِ شخصیِ خودشان را از آنها پنهان میکردند.. انسانها نمیگذاشتند حتی مدفوعشان به دستِ این جادوگرانِ بد نهاد برسد.... برایِ باطل نمودنِ جادویِ بد، مراسمی مذهبی با حضورِ ریش سفیدان و رؤسا و روحانیون انجام میشد و اگر عده ای جادو شده بودند، برای آنکه بفهمند که چه کسی خوب و عادی است و چه کسی جادو شده است، دست به انجامِ آزمایشی عجیب میزدند، که آن را <اوردالی> مینامیدند که با این آزمایش خوب از بد تشخیص داده میشد... به شخصِ موردِ نظر، مایعی به مانندِ سم خورانده میشد و در صورتی که جادو در بدنش نباشد، سم او را نمیکشت، که این مراسم در آفریقایِ استوائی بسیار مرسوم بوده است
---------------------------------------------
امیدوارم این ریویو برایِ شما دوستانِ اهلِ پژوهش، مفید بوده باشه
<پیروز باشید و ایرانی>
---------------------------------------------
عزیزانم، در آیینِ <آنی میسم-آنیمیسم>، روان و نفوس، نقشِ اساسیِ جهان را به عهده دارند و جهان آکنده از ارواحِ موذی و مفید میباشد
میتوان گفت آنیمیسم پیش از پیدایشِ خط در میانِ نخستین اقوامِ انسانی وجود داشته است
سحر و جادو در آیینِ آنیمیسم، در اصل از <فتیشیسم> گرفته شده است
سحر و جادو در آنیمیسم به منزلهٔ فنونِ نبرد و فریب و نیرنگهایِ جنگی میباشد که در پرتوِ آن انسان میتواند در نبرد و پیکار پیروز گردد
پیروانِ آنیمیسم براین باورند که اگر واژه ها و جملات با صدایِ بلند و آهنگی بخصوص تکرار شوند، دارایِ اثرگذاریِ خاصی هستند... مثلاً ریختنِ آب در فضا با آدابِ مخصوص که به صورتِ باران سرازیر شود و تکرارِ کلماتی ویژه را در باریدنِ باران موثر میدانند.. و این عمل را "جادویِ تقلیدی" نام نهاده اند
تصویرِ دشمن را با خواندنِ وردهایی پاره و زخمی میکنند و معتقدند که دشمن زخمی میشود. و این عمل را "جادویِ عاطفی" مینامند
انسانهایِ نخستین، با رسم و قلم زنیِ اشکالِ حیوانات مانندِ فیل و گوزن و گاوِ وحشی و غیره، بر رویِ دیوارهایِ غار، تصور میکردند که با اینکار حرکت و عملی بر رویِ آن حیوان انجام داده میشود و اگر تصویرِ آن حیوان را زخمی رسم میکردند، برایِ آن بود که بتوانند او را زخمی کرده و به راحتی شکارش کنند... البته اینکار را با حیواناتِ نر انجام میدادند، چراکه انسانهای نخستین، از آنجایی که ماده ها نسل و نژادِ آینده را تأمین میکنند، برایِ حیواناتِ ماده، احترام زیادی قائل بودند... و البته هدفِ دیگر این بود که تلاش کنند تا روانِ انسانیِ خویش را از خویِ حیوانی جدا و خارج سازند
بیشترِ نقش ها و تصاویرِ نامفهوم و حتی زینت آلاتی که مردان و زنان با خود داشتند، انواعی از طلسمات و حرزها برایِ مقابله با ارواحِ خبیث و موذی بوده است
در کل میتوان گفت: پایه و اساسِ این آیین، جادو و موسیقی و رقص و آواز و نقاشی و قلم زنی میباشد که به طورِ مستقیم یا غیرِ مستقیم در تمامِ امورِ هنریِ جهان نفوذ میکند، به طوری که هنرهایِ نخستین از جادو ناشی میگردد و سپس با ادیان و مذاهب گوناگون تحول میپذیرد.. اگر کمی در هنر بیاندیشیم متوجه میشویم که <جان پرستی> و آنیمیسم ارزشِ بسیار مهمی در پیشرفتِ تحولاتِ هنریِ انسانها داشته است
اهالی "فوئزی" و ساکنینِ "تنگهٔ ماژلان" به ارواحِ فراوانی که تمامیِ انقلابات و تأثیراتِ طبیعت را از آنها میدانند و به زبانِ بومی آنها را <اوالاپاتو> مینامند، معتقدند..... اکثرِ قبایلِ استرالیایی همچون ساکنین: نوول گینه و نوول زلاند و قبایلِ آمریکایِ شمالی و جنوبی، همچون: یاهاگان، هوپی سری ماکوزی، گیس، کارائیب، سیو، داکوتا، چینوک، توپی، تاراهومار، تاماناکا، تلینکیت، پاتاگن، بوتوکودس، اینکا، اوژیبو، آتاباسک ... دارایِ اعتقاداتی هستند که از آنیمیسم سرچشمه گرفته است... مثلاً ساکنینِ قبیلهٔ "یاهاگان" به موجوداتِ نامرئی و مرموزی باور دارند که آنها را <کاشبیک> مینامند و به موجوداتِ نامرئی دیگری معتقدند که آنها را <هانوش> میگویند
از میانِ معتقدین به این آیین، "فوئژیها" برایِ مقابله با ارواحِ موذی، شبها مسلح میشوند... قبایلِ "کت دور" در آفریقایِ جنوبی، دور هم جمع میشوند تا با تشریفاتِ خاصی ارواحِ موذی را بیرون کنند...معمولاً مناسک و آداب و رسوم آیینِ آنیمیسم و توتمیسم، مختلط و همانند است
دوستانِ عزیزم، لازم است بگویم که تمامیِ جادو هایِ این آیین به دو دسته تقسیم میشد: یک نوع آن بود که رؤسا و روحانیون، اجرا و عمل میکردند که آن را <جادویِ نیکو> مینامیدند.... و نوعِ دیگر، <جادویِ شر> نام داشت که جادوگرانِ بی رحم به آن عمل مینمودند. این جادوگران باعثِ بیماری و مرگ میشدند و بعضی از آنها بدونِ آنکه خودشان متوجه باشند، جنایت هایِ زیادی مرتکب میشدند... به همین دلیل انسانها از جادوگرانِ بد دوری میکردند و اسرارِ زندگیشان و حتی مو و وسایلِ شخصیِ خودشان را از آنها پنهان میکردند.. انسانها نمیگذاشتند حتی مدفوعشان به دستِ این جادوگرانِ بد نهاد برسد.... برایِ باطل نمودنِ جادویِ بد، مراسمی مذهبی با حضورِ ریش سفیدان و رؤسا و روحانیون انجام میشد و اگر عده ای جادو شده بودند، برای آنکه بفهمند که چه کسی خوب و عادی است و چه کسی جادو شده است، دست به انجامِ آزمایشی عجیب میزدند، که آن را <اوردالی> مینامیدند که با این آزمایش خوب از بد تشخیص داده میشد... به شخصِ موردِ نظر، مایعی به مانندِ سم خورانده میشد و در صورتی که جادو در بدنش نباشد، سم او را نمیکشت، که این مراسم در آفریقایِ استوائی بسیار مرسوم بوده است
---------------------------------------------
امیدوارم این ریویو برایِ شما دوستانِ اهلِ پژوهش، مفید بوده باشه
<پیروز باشید و ایرانی>
March 31, 2012
I've given this book 4 stars - not because 'I really liked it', but because it did what it set out to do - no more, no less.
I found it very highly detailed and analytical - rather like an academic paper or dissertation. I thought that the sections on language and grammar in Objiwe, Maori and Australian Aboriginal society were meaningful when they detailed practice and related conversations with tribal members, but it seems to me that examining the way language is used is an unreliable way to determine what a society considers animate. In English, at least, both speech and writing often animate what are generally accepted as objects for effect all the time. The most reliable way of getting to the truth of how other cultures perceive 'persons' is by in-depth discussion and immersion in their society.
I noticed that the author sometimes arrives at conclusions that are by no means certain from the evidence he presents. One in particular concerned the idea of the animist viewpoint of children, and the possibility (expressed by some ethologists) that this is retained in certain cultures rather than being lost by education. His conclusion seems to be that animism in different cultures is arrived at by discussion among elders and others, that animism is taught or absorbed in these cultures, and childhood understanding of/belief in animism irrelevant.
The book is descriptive in some parts and analytical in others. I enjoyed the sections that delved into the practices of different cultures, but found his examination and criticism of the work of earlier academics difficult to retain until the end of the page. I questioned his conclusions sometimes too, and once I spot one leap I tend to look for others.
I was surprised that the author didn't include a section on scientific research conducted to study consciousness in plants. I read somewhere that a plant will react if a person who has destructive intentions towards it enters the room - I think this would have been far more relevant, informative and fascinating than including examples of creative writing, which should have had no place in a serious work such as this.
I found some sections quite heavy going. I'm pretty fit and literate, but lifting the dictionary too often can become tiring.
I found it very highly detailed and analytical - rather like an academic paper or dissertation. I thought that the sections on language and grammar in Objiwe, Maori and Australian Aboriginal society were meaningful when they detailed practice and related conversations with tribal members, but it seems to me that examining the way language is used is an unreliable way to determine what a society considers animate. In English, at least, both speech and writing often animate what are generally accepted as objects for effect all the time. The most reliable way of getting to the truth of how other cultures perceive 'persons' is by in-depth discussion and immersion in their society.
I noticed that the author sometimes arrives at conclusions that are by no means certain from the evidence he presents. One in particular concerned the idea of the animist viewpoint of children, and the possibility (expressed by some ethologists) that this is retained in certain cultures rather than being lost by education. His conclusion seems to be that animism in different cultures is arrived at by discussion among elders and others, that animism is taught or absorbed in these cultures, and childhood understanding of/belief in animism irrelevant.
The book is descriptive in some parts and analytical in others. I enjoyed the sections that delved into the practices of different cultures, but found his examination and criticism of the work of earlier academics difficult to retain until the end of the page. I questioned his conclusions sometimes too, and once I spot one leap I tend to look for others.
I was surprised that the author didn't include a section on scientific research conducted to study consciousness in plants. I read somewhere that a plant will react if a person who has destructive intentions towards it enters the room - I think this would have been far more relevant, informative and fascinating than including examples of creative writing, which should have had no place in a serious work such as this.
I found some sections quite heavy going. I'm pretty fit and literate, but lifting the dictionary too often can become tiring.
March 17, 2010
An excellent overview of animistic and neo-animistic worldviews. Slightly spoiled for me by the feeling that this was a doctoral dissertation dumped into a book for the general reader, so the style didn't always make for an elegant flow, but that should in no way detract from the wealth of information and thought provoking content.
February 10, 2024
Conveys something of the range of beliefs and worldviews which “animism“ might cover. The guts of the book are two sections: one with four cases studies, and the other with seven more general aspects (“issues”) of animism. The former look at how animism can be woven into language (eg grammatically distinguishing animate from non-animate things), our embeddedness in land and environment (Aboriginal “Dreaming”), the arts and, finally, eco-paganism.
The second section looks, for example, at how animism makes sense of relation with other animals, including when and how we can kill and eat them; and, in fact, the same relations with other humans. This is where Shamans’ ability to ‘adopt the perspective of subjectivities’ is useful.
The author leans over backwards atoning for the patronizing, sometimes abusive, treatment of animism by earlier generations of social scientists. The trouble is that history remains something that we did to them so there’s no way of understanding how particular animisms have changed over time. We’re told that Maoris see themselves as “an integral part of nature …[with the] responsibility to take care of the whenua (land) and, tangata (people)”. One may imagine this has developed over time given the extinction of fauna like the moa on which Maori relied. This is the kind of attitude Western civilization will have to learn and the book’s missed the chance to show how other cultures have done that.
The second section looks, for example, at how animism makes sense of relation with other animals, including when and how we can kill and eat them; and, in fact, the same relations with other humans. This is where Shamans’ ability to ‘adopt the perspective of subjectivities’ is useful.
The author leans over backwards atoning for the patronizing, sometimes abusive, treatment of animism by earlier generations of social scientists. The trouble is that history remains something that we did to them so there’s no way of understanding how particular animisms have changed over time. We’re told that Maoris see themselves as “an integral part of nature …[with the] responsibility to take care of the whenua (land) and, tangata (people)”. One may imagine this has developed over time given the extinction of fauna like the moa on which Maori relied. This is the kind of attitude Western civilization will have to learn and the book’s missed the chance to show how other cultures have done that.
August 21, 2023
The subject is fascinating
March 5, 2015
In this book Harvey does exactly what he sets out to do: discuss animism in the modern world. He starts off by giving a brief overview of the history of the word, describing the "old" animism of Tylor and then explaining how it has changed and how the term is used in modern academia.
The second section then includes four case studies, in which he looks at the animistic tendencies among certain cultures. Included here are the Ojibwe and their language, Maori Arts, Aboriginal Law and Land, and Eco-Pagan activism. In each section, Harvey does a through job of explaining what they believe, and gives plenty of sources for the reader to pursue. He also achieves what is perhaps the main point of the section: showing that animism isn't necessarily the same for everyone.
The third section focuses on issues facing animist, and is divided into seven chapters. In these, Harvey discusses the history of the subject, as well as how it fits into an animist worldview both in modern times and in the past.
The fourth and final section is on challenges that animists face. Here Harvey has provides three big challenges, and also provides some answers to them. At the end is a bibliography of all the work which Harvey references during text, making it easy for the reader to find an article or book on a particular topic of interest.
While this is a great book and highly recommended for anyone to read, it must be noted that the book is very academic and might not be the best pick for someone more casually interested in the philosophy behind animism.
The second section then includes four case studies, in which he looks at the animistic tendencies among certain cultures. Included here are the Ojibwe and their language, Maori Arts, Aboriginal Law and Land, and Eco-Pagan activism. In each section, Harvey does a through job of explaining what they believe, and gives plenty of sources for the reader to pursue. He also achieves what is perhaps the main point of the section: showing that animism isn't necessarily the same for everyone.
The third section focuses on issues facing animist, and is divided into seven chapters. In these, Harvey discusses the history of the subject, as well as how it fits into an animist worldview both in modern times and in the past.
The fourth and final section is on challenges that animists face. Here Harvey has provides three big challenges, and also provides some answers to them. At the end is a bibliography of all the work which Harvey references during text, making it easy for the reader to find an article or book on a particular topic of interest.
While this is a great book and highly recommended for anyone to read, it must be noted that the book is very academic and might not be the best pick for someone more casually interested in the philosophy behind animism.
November 21, 2017
I should say up front that I am an Earth-based pagan, so I am probably more likely to "buy into" this book than some other folk, however when you consider the ethical and spiritual void of capitalism and our current ecocidal ethos, this offers another view, a way of looking at the world differently, seeing the lifeweb...We need this, not only for our ethical, self-satisfaction, but in order to try to live more harmoniously
This is "the book" for "new animisim" and I would thoroughly recommend it
This is "the book" for "new animisim" and I would thoroughly recommend it
April 24, 2015
This book doesn't provide a lot of answers, but it raises all the right questions, which is about right. And it provides lots of examples and anecdotes, which is very helpful. Reflects sensitive and mature judgment and a knowledge of a vast amount of literature. My only complaint is that the very academic prose is sometimes a bit of a slog.
May 2, 2016
The concepts of the book and the content is incredibly interesting and well worth learning. However the writing itself was incredibly challenging to get through.
May 10, 2023
Some really insightful bits dispersed throughout but mostly very academic language that made for a dense read. Can anyone recommend a similar book that is more accessible?
July 17, 2024
Very useful book. I know some people complained about the academic jargon, but well, in many ways its an academic book, and overall it was quite readable, and philosophically useful.
March 24, 2025
A classic text about respect in multispecies relationships. I read this alongside Hallowell.
December 21, 2024
Thorough academic examination of the "new" animism
July 24, 2018
In furtherance of his project - presenting "new animism" - Harvey discusses some important background issues, and in a fairly valuable way. However, his discussions are never as complete as the issues deserve, and though that is understandable given the context, I feel quite unhappy that I don't know of other work that I can refer the reader to in stead of this.
For instance, finding him to agree with me against views that "belief in spirits" is "natural" and a precursor to religious beliefs, I became inclined to like the book, but he both covers it inadequately, and seemingly merely to serve his own purposes.
His dismissal of "psychologizing" efforts on shamanism (such as those by Eliade), suffers even more from this.
Even his discussion of "old animism" (or actual, in-the-field animism for that matter) seems sorely wanting, and I'm not sure exactly what about it he is objecting to. Possibly only that it has been viewed as "primitive".
A thread that runs through his writing is a denigration of science and modernity. Particularly strange to see in that vehicle, par excellence, of both - viz. the book. A book presumably written on a computer and produced by a digital printer, certainly discovered by myself via the Internet and purchased via the same - using plastic money. And inaccessible to myself without the aid of strong corrective eye-wear, specifically contact lenses.
As to "new animism", I shall address it only on a couple of points.
The possibility of being told by animists that they respect me somehow doesn't quite work for me, given the view found on pg 102: //When asked what she meant by 'respecting salmon' one Native American woman's immediate response was, 'well, I like the taste of smoked salmon'.//
Extending personhood beyond humans includes the idea that an animal that has been successfully hunted has "given itself as a gift", which strikes me as a dangerously delusional kind of thinking that a serial killer might wish to adopt. The notion that salmon or rocks or oilfields might play an active role in accepting or rejecting our "advances" [my term] appears especially pathetic to me in the context of environmental activism. Since Chernobyl didn't object / "gave itself" to being blown up, why should the engineers have been more careful? How does an animist respond to a BP executive who claims that "she was asking for it?"
Since science has been trying for a long time to tell us of the dangers of tobacco and greenhouse gases, I can only conclude that it is precisely _science_ we should have been listening more to, not rocks.
For instance, finding him to agree with me against views that "belief in spirits" is "natural" and a precursor to religious beliefs, I became inclined to like the book, but he both covers it inadequately, and seemingly merely to serve his own purposes.
His dismissal of "psychologizing" efforts on shamanism (such as those by Eliade), suffers even more from this.
Even his discussion of "old animism" (or actual, in-the-field animism for that matter) seems sorely wanting, and I'm not sure exactly what about it he is objecting to. Possibly only that it has been viewed as "primitive".
A thread that runs through his writing is a denigration of science and modernity. Particularly strange to see in that vehicle, par excellence, of both - viz. the book. A book presumably written on a computer and produced by a digital printer, certainly discovered by myself via the Internet and purchased via the same - using plastic money. And inaccessible to myself without the aid of strong corrective eye-wear, specifically contact lenses.
As to "new animism", I shall address it only on a couple of points.
The possibility of being told by animists that they respect me somehow doesn't quite work for me, given the view found on pg 102: //When asked what she meant by 'respecting salmon' one Native American woman's immediate response was, 'well, I like the taste of smoked salmon'.//
Extending personhood beyond humans includes the idea that an animal that has been successfully hunted has "given itself as a gift", which strikes me as a dangerously delusional kind of thinking that a serial killer might wish to adopt. The notion that salmon or rocks or oilfields might play an active role in accepting or rejecting our "advances" [my term] appears especially pathetic to me in the context of environmental activism. Since Chernobyl didn't object / "gave itself" to being blown up, why should the engineers have been more careful? How does an animist respond to a BP executive who claims that "she was asking for it?"
Since science has been trying for a long time to tell us of the dangers of tobacco and greenhouse gases, I can only conclude that it is precisely _science_ we should have been listening more to, not rocks.
October 19, 2007
expanded my world view of what WHO is. expanding on this review in the future, hopefully.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews