“Totalitarianism is not a historical coincidence. In the final analysis, it is the logical consequence of mechanistic thinking and the delusional belief in the omnipotence of human rationality.”
Mattias Desmet
We hope this finds you all fit and in good spirits, dear Friends.
Not that we mind the hotter months, but the cold of July was a welcome change. Five nights with frost ensured that all around us nature fell asleep and we enjoyed a camp-fire mornings and evenings.
Progress on Kachana remains constrained by departmental politics, yet beyond Kachana people too are observing that donkeys can have beneficial impacts in a landscape! - Numerous times we were sent this link: Introduced donkeys and indigenous pumas are helping to resurrect extinct food webs in Death Valley - On a crowded planet it is so important for people in villages, towns and cities to appreciate how connected we all are, and how we all depend on functional and resilient landscapes. Please keep the conversation going.
Risk or opportunity? – perhaps a matter of mindset: ‘Nature’ - somewhere between ‘wild’ and ‘dead’
Already in 2002, based on first-hand observations on a different continent and ten years of local experimentation we began to believe that the synergistic potential of wild donkeys should be explored. Twenty years later, we are fully convinced that (unwittingly?) replacing herbivores with fire in our region has had catastrophic consequences. - Results are every bit as devastating as the mandated clearing of vegetation was in Southern parts of Western Australia. To the South the ‘harvest’ was salinity and dehydration; here in the Kimberley with our heavy seasonal rainfall, dehydration of the landscape comes with leaching, flooding and erosion.
At every opportunity we share our observations and explain our reasoning. Thankfully the message is finding resonance. - Those who enjoyed Nathan’s photos in last month’s mail-out might also enjoy reading his article about Kachana in the R M Williams - Outback magazine. (The story is now out in the August/September 2022 edition; Issue #144.) – We thank all those who support our work. However, we ought to also thank our detractors! After all, they serve to keep us honest and ensure that our homework gets done.
In the July photo-selection we join Matt and Bec for a walk to Cleanskin Gorge!
Warm regards from Kachana
Photos of the Month
News & Views
“Totalitarianism is not a historical coincidence. In the final analysis, it is the logical consequence of mechanistic thinking and the delusional belief in the omnipotence of human rationality.”
The quote for July is taken from a book written by Mattias Desmet. I found his book very illuminating.
We live in dangerous times, but not necessarily because of bad actors and conspiracy theories.
Despite the peddling of dubious agendas and no shortage of bad acting at personal, corporate, government and political levels, apparently there are way less actual bad actors than one might be tempted to assume.
It is argued that society as a whole, is acting out deep-rooted behavioural patterns that have existed “forever”. Desmet explains how scale and other considerations in today’s contexts make our current times particularly dangerous.
The book: The Psychology of Totalitarianism by Mattias Desmet
Link of the Month
There are forces that want you to believe we are all just ugly and hateful. But we aren't.