I decided the sentient mycology, or planetary awareness idea comes originally from Lovecraft, At the Mountains of Madness, when the explorers discover the polyps that can manifest psychic stuff on Antarctica. I think this is Lem's source for Solaris, the novel where astronauts discover a planet with a single organism covering it, that can manifest people from the astronaut's past in order to distract them and break their minds. Who is to say that the Earth isn't like that, with a spiritual mushroom god emanating from a gigantic planetary fungus? Certainly not Terrance McKenna.
"The animist is not the one who merely ‘believes’ that the oak tree has a spirit – holding a particular metaphysical view comparable to the metaphysical views of other religions, even if at odds with them – but rather one who lives in a common culture with the oak tree, the cuckoo, the fox and the mountain – but also, in the new animism; the refrigerator, the propelling pencil, neuron stars, holograms and Jack Bruce."
Really great article, Andy
I decided the sentient mycology, or planetary awareness idea comes originally from Lovecraft, At the Mountains of Madness, when the explorers discover the polyps that can manifest psychic stuff on Antarctica. I think this is Lem's source for Solaris, the novel where astronauts discover a planet with a single organism covering it, that can manifest people from the astronaut's past in order to distract them and break their minds. Who is to say that the Earth isn't like that, with a spiritual mushroom god emanating from a gigantic planetary fungus? Certainly not Terrance McKenna.
That was an unusual William Blake reference (17). I had to check your source. You're reading some good books.
Great article!
"The animist is not the one who merely ‘believes’ that the oak tree has a spirit – holding a particular metaphysical view comparable to the metaphysical views of other religions, even if at odds with them – but rather one who lives in a common culture with the oak tree, the cuckoo, the fox and the mountain – but also, in the new animism; the refrigerator, the propelling pencil, neuron stars, holograms and Jack Bruce."
I dunno whether you saw this, which was only about 80% tongue-in-cheek: https://peakrill.substack.com/p/elemental-animism