The Nature Of with Willow Defebaugh Robert Macfarlane on Embracing Flow and Letting Rivers Heal Us
10 snips
Nov 4, 2025 
In this engaging conversation, celebrated nature writer Robert Macfarlane explores the profound connection between humans and rivers. He shares insights from his book, discussing the idea of rivers as living entities and how language shapes our perception of nature. Macfarlane emphasizes the importance of seeing ourselves as part of the flow of life and reflects on the healing power of water. He also touches on ecological rights, storytelling through law, and the need to reconnect with our personal and cultural river narratives.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Life As Flow
- Robert Macfarlane frames human bodies and rivers as processes of flow rather than static units.
- Seeing life as flow shifts worldview from substance to ongoing relations and change.
Childhood Spring Sparked The Inquiry
- Macfarlane grew up fishing Scottish rivers and found a nameless spring near his home that sparked deep curiosity.
- That modest spring's fragility and decline helped start his inquiry into rivers' animacy.
Language Shapes Liveliness
- Grammar shapes perception: English treats rivers as nouns and can enforce deanimation of nature.
- Turning 'river' from noun into verb reorients ethics, law, and imagination toward liveliness.
