A shark. Photo from somewhere on the internet. Thanks internet.
News headline of the day: a man has been killed by a shark at Cottesloe Beach. This is the fourth shark attack in Western Australia in seven months. Authorities are out to destroy the shark, or any shark fitting the description of A Large Shark.
Why is this news? If the man had been killed by a car, a machine in a factory, a war or a policeman, there would be no news. Authorities would not go out to destroy all cars, machines, wars or policemen that fit the description.
Western culture has constructed a hierarchy. Higher levels in the hierarchy may kill or enslave lower levels. Lower levels may not challenge, and definitely not kill, those higher up. The levels look something like this:
Banks
Machines
Corporations
Governments
Humans
Animals
Plants
Earth
The action of the shark defies the hierarchy. It must therefore be destroyed.
Sharks are killed and eaten by humans on a daily basis. This isn’t news. It’s never mentioned. People who eat shark probably aren’t even aware that’s what it is.
Let’s turn this hierarchy upside down. Earth first, plants, animals, then humans who are aware of their place in nature. Return to the natural order. Get rid of the top four levels altogether. With Earth, plants and animals to lead and guide us, we have no need for them.
Despite all efforts to kill and enslave the Earth, it cannot be tamed. Volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, droughts, floods and storms are a regular occurance. The San Andreas Fault will bring a significant part of the civilization-machine crashing back to Earth.
Thank you, shark, for reminding us of our place in nature.
stories of creative ecology 