Launch Post: Carrying on about Carrier Bag

One particular point that struck me about Michael Pollan’s talk “A Plant’s-eye View” was the way it took an idea we’ve discussed in class—empathizing with the land as a character—one step further. For Pollan, the story is not just about looking at nature as a humanoid character, but it’s looking from nature’s perspective at humans to understand our relationship. It’s not about putting human qualities to nature to understand nature, the story is found in watching the land’s qualities and extrapolating an understanding of humanity from nature’s own language.

Also, once again, I’m obsessed with Carrier Bag theory and this presentation was full of this idea that the whole world is just a big tool box and you just need to look at the whole system and arrange what tools you’re going to use to interact with. There’s no winning or losing here, just a close attention to detail and an appreciation for the whole system. The end goal, then, is to “heal the Earth” instead of overcoming the Earth. The only stumbles along the way might be when plants or animals trick each other into doing what they want, but that just makes the puzzle of life a little more complex.

Do you all think these ideas are sustainable, like Pollen believes they are? I guess it comes down to how much hope you have in humanity’s ability to work together. I for one am ready to move out to a farm like the one described in the video.

Also, check out this photographic comparison of how flowers look to us vs how bees see flowers: http://www.naturfotograf.com/UV_flowers_list.html

 

p.s.

Journal idea: Go out and find a naturally occurring object/animal, like Pollan’s bee. Make a list of commonalities and differences, both literal and figurative (e.g. physical qualities, goals in life etc.). Choose one or two of those similarities and write about them. Or, choose one or two differences and write about that. Super challenge mode: choose one difference and one similarity and write about both in a way that brings the two together.  

2^nd idea: What natural object is seducing you? Find a natural object like the ones Pollen listed (corn, grass, etc.) and write a backstory from its perspective about what it’s like to watch humans and feel in control of what it’s doing. E.g. What does grass’ plan for dominating the world sound like? What do humans look like to grass that’s using them for their benefit?