Why do humans keep destroying nature when science clearly shows that, in doing so, they risk destroying themselves? How can we avoid this disastrous outcome and restore a harmonious relationship between humans and nature? This book attempts to answer these two questions, which are crucial to understanding and overcoming the current ecological crisis. To do so, it draws on various disciplines and approaches, including philosophy, ecology, anthropology, economics, psychology and personal development.
The book first shows that the inability of modern societies to change their relationship with nature is rooted in a set of collective fictions that have gradually shaped them since the Neolithic revolution, in particular the subject-object duality, the mind-matter duality, the primacy of rationality, and the superiority of the human species over other living beings. These false beliefs are so deeply ingrained that they prevent modern humans from acting in the world in accordance with their own needs and knowledge.The book then argues that humans share a common nature that defines them as a unique species beyond their cultural differences. This nature is not made only of flesh and bone, but also of a set of fundamental needs. These needs spontaneously connect humans to nature because they are the manifestation of life within them. Recognising and celebrating our fundamental needs allows us to restore harmony between body and mind, unify our different forms of knowledge, and build an economy focused on the fulfilment of human beings and life on Earth.