Nation of Plants

In Nation of Plants, author and neurobiologist Stephan Mancuso argues that mankind’s self-destructiive relationship to its environment is based on the predatory survival models particular to its animal nature.  He suggest that in order for humankind to extract itself from its existential environmental quandry mankind must turn to the vegetable kingdom to discover an older and more sustainable wisdom.

By contrast to ethe xploitive, heirarchical, and non-integrative attitudes of animals, the diffusive, decentralized, and regenerative lifestyle of plants seems far more in line with modernity.

Plants should be our teachers. They bear the fruits of many valuable life lessons. They adapt to limitations, adopt new tactics to confront changing conditions, share their resources, develop strategies of mutual aid, and even spontaneously regenerate themselves in ways that are responsive and intuitive to the threats and opportunities of their environment.

The deeper subject of Nation of Plants is the toxic ground of human nature and the looming predicament of human extinction.Mancuso, with his wry tone, terse insight, and whimsical narrative, has created a terse, wry, and densely thoughtful little book that somehow manages to be both alarming and amusing. Recommended reading for any thoughtful biped.