“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” The words attributed to Jesus of Nazareth in The Gospel of St. Matthew, chapter five, verse five, are pretty clear about that. But, as my history of religion professor was fond of asking “Who are the meek?”
From a biological perspective, the vast majority of the plants and animals that are slowly, quietly, and efficiently taking advantage of the changes humans are making to the planet are decidedly “meek.” Some are, of course, disruptive to the way we think things should be or actively thwarting of our efforts in agriculture, forestry, or a number of other areas of commercial activity; but as Professor Chris D. Thomas points out in his book Inheritors of the Earth; How Nature Is Thriving in an Age of Extinction, change is a part of life, and “we should not treat the Earth as a faded masterpiece that we need to restore.”
Having not read the book myself, I have to admit, I’m a little skeptical about his thesis; it strikes me as a tad exculpatory to the many ecological sins of our species. However Mark Avery, who has read it, is much better placed to render a more informed and nuanced judgement, which he does in this week’s review.
Links to Mark Avery’s Sunday book reviews appear in The Well-read Naturalist by special arrangement. You can find all of Mark’s past reviews as well as a wide-ranging collection of his other writings on his Standing Up for Nature website. Mark’s opinions regarding the books he reviews are his own.
