“If humanism puts an end to all religion and spirituality, […] we should ask [of humanism]: human as opposed to what? If the answer is as opposed to non-human animals/ to nature, then we can unmask humanism; unmask it as simply an unwarranted attitude of superiority to the rest of creation.
[…]
As if, having ditched gods, we were to declare ourselves gods. […] And, pretty obviously, given our record, it just isn’t remotely clear that we deserve to be worshipped. We should give up such a hubristic over-estimate of our own abilities and wisdom. It is past time we took up a humbler (more precautious) attitude to our place in the natural order.”1
“Since the rise of human civilisation, 83% of all wild mammals have been eliminated by people. Extinction rates are currently up to 1000 times higher than pre-human levels. Even if these rates returned to normal within the next half century, it would still take an estimated 5 to 7 million years for the natural world to recover.”2
[1] Rupert Read and Samuel Alexander, “This Civilisation is finished: Conversations on the end of Empire—and what lies beyond”, Melbourne 2019
[2] Paul Kingsnorth, Essay: Life vs The Machine, Published April 27, 2019 in Orion, http://paulkingsnorth.net/2019/04/27/life-vs-the-machine/
“If humanism puts an end to all religion and spirituality, […] we should ask [of humanism]: human as opposed to what? If the answer is as opposed to non-human animals/ to nature, then we can unmask humanism; unmask it as simply an unwarranted attitude of superiority to the rest of creation.
[…]
As if, having ditched gods, we were to declare ourselves gods. […] And, pretty obviously, given our record, it just isn’t remotely clear that we deserve to be worshipped. We should give up such a hubristic over-estimate of our own abilities and wisdom. It is past time we took up a humbler (more precautious) attitude to our place in the natural order.”1
“Since the rise of human civilisation, 83% of all wild mammals have been eliminated by people. Extinction rates are currently up to 1000 times higher than pre-human levels. Even if these rates returned to normal within the next half century, it would still take an estimated 5 to 7 million years for the natural world to recover.”2
[1] Rupert Read and Samuel Alexander, “This Civilisation is finished: Conversations on the end of Empire—and what lies beyond”, Melbourne 2019
[2] Paul Kingsnorth, Essay: Life vs The Machine, Published April 27, 2019 in Orion, http://paulkingsnorth.net/2019/04/27/life-vs-the-machine/
[Cover+Graphik] Ferdinand Klopfer