Coming back here much too late to say: I’m gonna need the other nine Spyplane Literary Titans expeditiously! (And I concur, of course, re: DJ. A true enduring writerly king. Tree of Smoke is a fever-dream masterclass.)
Highly recommend inaturalist for anyone who wants to view smaller life in a more wonderful way -- looking at your local area on there reveals a verifiable plethora of new creatures to treasure. Gorg piece btw
I mean a non-native threat to trees is a problem but when you read about the lanternflies you see that killing them is not actually going to stop their spread -- best case it will slow it a little -- https://time.com/6207401/why-kill-spotted-lanternfly/ -- so I'm suspicious of the bloodlust-stoking propaganda on this score !!
There is definitely something sus and possibly xenophobic about it, also the streets are littered with dead lantern flies , it seems like way more than could be caused by people stomping on them.
This was really wonderful. Thanks Jonah. I just got done reading the new David James Duncan novel, Sunhouse. This feels like a good runway back down into the hear and now, themes remaining consistent.
Really cool your balance of contemporary culture commentary and “mystic mindset.” Love the synthesis weaving that you are able to drop into and draw out 👏🏻
Didn't get to publicly flex my enlightenment and general well-read nature bc Jonah linked to the New Yorker beekeeper article before I got to the bottom of the page. Twitter fingers were ready to go too smdh
Relatedly - after ditching the bug spray in an ultralight effort, I’ve found it feels great not dousing yourself with copious DEET every day! Forces you to learn “serenity now” real quick when it comes to scratching at mosquito bites though...
Tracks with my understanding. One of the five Buddhist precepts (the guidelines for living) is do not kill. But it’s spiritually broadened to include easing suffering in yourself and then in the world. The Buddhist concepts extend out to that we ARE the natural world, swimming in atom soup. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuVqp4KmNWk
Coming back here much too late to say: I’m gonna need the other nine Spyplane Literary Titans expeditiously! (And I concur, of course, re: DJ. A true enduring writerly king. Tree of Smoke is a fever-dream masterclass.)
Mercy and kindness above all else.
Highly recommend inaturalist for anyone who wants to view smaller life in a more wonderful way -- looking at your local area on there reveals a verifiable plethora of new creatures to treasure. Gorg piece btw
You gotta read an immense world by ed yong
What about us New Yorkers under advisement to squash those undeniably swaggy Spotted Lantern Flies?
I mean a non-native threat to trees is a problem but when you read about the lanternflies you see that killing them is not actually going to stop their spread -- best case it will slow it a little -- https://time.com/6207401/why-kill-spotted-lanternfly/ -- so I'm suspicious of the bloodlust-stoking propaganda on this score !!
There is definitely something sus and possibly xenophobic about it, also the streets are littered with dead lantern flies , it seems like way more than could be caused by people stomping on them.
This was really wonderful. Thanks Jonah. I just got done reading the new David James Duncan novel, Sunhouse. This feels like a good runway back down into the hear and now, themes remaining consistent.
Really cool your balance of contemporary culture commentary and “mystic mindset.” Love the synthesis weaving that you are able to drop into and draw out 👏🏻
coolness 🤝 mysticism ; )
Thanks you for this essay.
Great essay! For most of us, it's not guns but cars that are indifferent killing machines. This is enabled by road systems that cut across wildlife habitats, and which are horribly efficient at producing roadkill. I was reminded of this in a new Bill McKibben essay in the latest NYRB: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/10/05/toward-a-land-of-buses-and-bikes-crossings-ben-goldfarb/
Very curious to read this, thanks !
Corollary links:
How to control garden pests without using chemicals https://www.ft.com/content/283460c0-1d06-42ce-869a-49618efad2ae
and
The Bee Edition https://whyisthisinteresting.substack.com/p/the-bee-edition
Didn't get to publicly flex my enlightenment and general well-read nature bc Jonah linked to the New Yorker beekeeper article before I got to the bottom of the page. Twitter fingers were ready to go too smdh
Relatedly - after ditching the bug spray in an ultralight effort, I’ve found it feels great not dousing yourself with copious DEET every day! Forces you to learn “serenity now” real quick when it comes to scratching at mosquito bites though...
Isn’t this just like Buddhism? My mom was Buddhist when I was a child and I’m pretty sure she had to take a vow not to kill or harm any other being.
Tracks with my understanding. One of the five Buddhist precepts (the guidelines for living) is do not kill. But it’s spiritually broadened to include easing suffering in yourself and then in the world. The Buddhist concepts extend out to that we ARE the natural world, swimming in atom soup. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuVqp4KmNWk