Wild Geese 44. The World Is Re-Enchanted When We Pay Attention To Trees
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Jan 21, 2026 Dive into the fascinating world of plant intelligence and behavior. Discover how plants communicate, remember, and even cope with unnatural systems. Explore the debate around consciousness and the compelling concept of animism. Learn how metaphors can enhance science communication, and ponder the parallels between art and science. The conversation also critiques our society's reverence for AI, urging a return to nature-focused narratives and advocating for wellbeing economies that mirror plant cooperation.
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Personal Moments Of Change And Anthropomorphism
- Anna Corinne describes cutting her hair short and swinging between loving and hating it as a personal experiment in self-expression.
- She also recounts meeting a tiny mouse in her apartment and anthropomorphizing it as a coping mechanism.
Language Shapes Perception Of Animacy
- Anna explains that many indigenous languages treat the world as animate, using verbs over nouns to describe beings.
- Childhood tendency to anthropomorphize suggests seeing nonhumans as alive is a natural human inclination.
Plant Intelligence Is A Controversial Frontier
- The book The Light Eaters explores controversial debates about plant intelligence and behavior.
- Using words like "intelligence" for plants risks harming scientific reputations despite intriguing evidence.
