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What Is The Theme Of Braiding Sweetgrass By Robin Wall-Kimmerer

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Robin Wall-Kimmerer makes a compelling argument, her book “Braiding Sweetgrass” that technology created by humans poses a significant risk to the human world, including the natural environment and all living beings. She emphasizes the importance of indigenous ecological knowledge and understanding the interconnectedness and interdependence of all living things. Moreover, Kimmerer considers the role that artificial intelligence and technology play in the shared future of humans and the more than human world on Earth. Technology is often designed and used to benefit human interests and profits, rather than promoting a harmonious relationship between humans and the natural world. The current relationship between humans and the environment is …show more content…

Nanabozho is also a trickster character who teaches humans about the natural world and how to live in harmony with it. She writes, “Nanabozho is a teacher, a shape-shifter, a trickster, and a culture hero” (Kimmerer, 20). Kimmerer uses Nanabozho as a symbol for a more reciprocal relationship with the natural world, one where we are not just taking from the Earth but giving back as well. In contrast, Kimmerer also writes about the Windigo, a malevolent spirit in Anishinaabe mythology that represents greed and excess. Windigo is a cannibal monster that represents greed and overconsumption, which can lead to ecological destruction and harm to the soul. She writes, “The Windigo is a spirit of excess, of consumption gone out of control” (Kimmerer, 297). Kimmerer uses the Windigo as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked consumption and exploitation of the Earth’s resources. Kimmerer also uses Windigo to critique modern society’s obsession with private property and overconsumption, which has led to ecological harm. Through these two figures, Kimmerer highlights the importance of indigenous knowledge and storytelling in shaping our relationship with the natural world and also shows the importance of a reciprocal relationship between humans and the natural world, as well as the dangers of overconsumption and

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