Perhaps one of the initial important tasks of the discipline of sumbiology is to complete the critique of Anthropocene category mistakes. In particular, the concept of the “environment” must be removed from our thinking. However, another concept that must be critiqued is the concept of “ecology” and the related idea of an “ecosystem”. A sumbiology-based
Category: Earth Emotions
Alongside the Extinction Rebellion movement we need an ‘Extantion Celebration’ movement. ‘Extantion’ is an action that values the existence of life. That which is still in existence (extant) should be celebrated for its continued presence on this Earth. Yes, we should be rebelling against extinction, yet if people do not know what diversity of life
It troubles me that we do not have a concept for the opposite of ecocide. I tentatively propose “Terraliben” (Terra = earth), and liben (Old High German, lebēn, to live, from Germanic libēn)) meaning ‘let the Earth live’. Terranascient thinking might be enough, yet I feel that a strong, simple counter to ecocide and tierracide is urgently
Sumbiocide is the deliberate killing of symbiotically unified communities of life at all scales. Sumbiocide is inflicted by humans on the living parts of the symbioment and societies. It is a sub-set of ecocide or the deliberate destruction of the living and non-living elements of ecosystems and tierracide, the deliberate destruction of the totality of complex
Human identity for all; males, females and LBGI+, has become a place of dangerous contradictions, with globalisation destroying the planet while locking people into psychic instability, toxic jobs, structural unemployment, addictive consumption and deep inequality. Control and influence over our emotions in such a context has become a battleground. Tribalism is built into our
Despite the importance of connections between environmental health and human health (physical and mental) in many cultures, we have very few concepts in English that address environmentally-induced mental distress and physical illness. In order to rectify that deficiency, I have created two new diagnostic categories: psychoterratic and somaterratic health and illness. These make the connection
Plato’s Cave. The 5th century BC philosopher Plato, in his book The Republic, tells the story of the famous Allegory of the Cave. The allegory is a conceptual device to help the reader see the distinction between appearance and reality. In the story, prisoners in the cave see only the shadow shapes of real objects
Vitality requires something more than renewal, restoration, resilience, sustainability and regeneration. All these terms can inadvertently or deliberately be used to reproduce qualities and properties that are undesirable. Vitality, as a life force (elan vital) is eternally creative and it will always seek new ways of regaining health. I have given this idea a new
Endemophilia: The love of the locally and regionally distinctive, as felt by the people of that place. [From the French endémique plus Greek roots, endēmia (a dwelling in), endēmos (native in the people) and philia (love of)]. Eutierria: A oneness with the earth and its life forces where the boundaries between self and the rest of nature are obliterated and a
The generations produced by the Boomers, and now, their own children (Gens X, Y and Z), are labelled as vague, directionless tribes in the Anthropocene, but now is their time in history to unite and fight for a cause that is without peer … themselves and their own future. In Australia, in late 2018, the
