religion places humanity at the centre of the universe, initially with the heavens revolving around the earth, and as the sole agent of manipulation, be it in a destructive or protective capacity. whether the myth is that god placed us in command of the garden and gave us the free will to eat the apple, or the aristotlian hierarchy underlying linnaeus, or the eastern karmic wheel, we are always placed at a summit, as the highest form of creation, and ultimately put in charge.

this is our world.

but, that is bullshit.

the shamanists had a more scientific understanding: we are but one component of a system that must be understood holistically. the other living entities on this planet have agency, and are capable of undoing our damage. together, they are much more powerful than we are. life is not fixed in creation, but constantly changing - adapting, evolving...and ceasing to exist, too.

you think you can destroy the planet? think again: it is the planet that will destroy you. and, that just makes the necessity of interdependence in a greater ecology that much more apparent.