#Tapestries of Life

[pageadaytale]

BOOK REVIEW - Tapestries of Life: Uncovering the Lifesaving Secrets of the Natural World by Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson

This is the point in the year where I really struggle. As Winter makes way for Spring - true Spring, not the still-dark, still-cold early Spring that, this year, still passes for Winter - I get tired, my body fighting to adjust to the longer daylight hours and warm weather (almost Summer weather - kinda like a warming? Of the global kind?) alongside a mild hayfever which irritates my eyes. Any change in season messes with my body, as the weather seems to suddenly take a turn.

It is also this time of year that makes me most focused on the natural world around me.

When I was recovering from my deepest depression I walked a lot. Up hills, in woods, to lakes and meadows. Being around nature revived me, reminded me of my connection with things, gave me space to just be. I think that's what I look for around this time each year - time to exist in a natural space, reminding myself of what the natural world is.

Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson talks eloquently and enthusiastically about the myriad ways we are connected to the natural world in Tapestries. She takes us through the New York water system and the clams that help keep it pure; through to bone worms that live on the carcasses of dead whales that end up on the sea floor; via mallow plants, possums, and Norwegian orchids. As she discusses the intricacies of the ecosystems involved, she skillfully ties them back to humanity, our modern world.

It's eye-opening to learn how the plants and animals that surround us shape and reflect society - examples include scientists studying ant movements to model traffic flow, and examination of microstructures on moths' eyes to reduce the reflectivity of glass - and Sverdrup-Thygeson keeps it light, making the book engaging. But it's difficult to mesh the theme of nature's effect on humanity with her argument that the natural world has intrinsic value: by saying "this is how nature benefits us" I feel it cheapens efforts at environmental preservation to a self-centred goal. I think there's great benefit in looking at it the other way: "this is nature, and isn't it marvellous that it's there?"

And whilst she tries to present an even-handed view of differing styles of ecological preservation, it seems her preferences lie in one direction in particular. I don't wish to criticize this view too much, because she seems to share my opinions: that between the "traditional conservationists" who see humanity as just another species, championing nature at the centre of all; and what she calls "welfare-first folk" who believe that humanity's welfare comes before nature, and we must save what we can without getting in the way of human progress; the traditional conservationists have the better argument.

Which makes the whole premise of the book feel a little weird? Saying "we need to remember we're part of nature, and take seriously our responsibility to care for the environment" feels at odds with "this is how nature can benefit us, so let's not destroy it!" It feels a litle as though Sverdrup-Thygeson is trying to have her cake and eat it, too.

I am ragging on this a little much. In truth, it was a book I enjoyed: it's a compendium of fascinating stories about the strange facets of nature humans have made use of, and how we continue to turn to the natural world to improve our lives. And it finds time to present urgent messages on climate change, warning that increasing temperatures will not just cost lives - they'll increase costs for companies and governments too, as they react to the changing world and the problems we've already caused being magnified.

But for the most part, the message of Tapestries is more upbeat, revelling in the strange and wonderful in nature that humanity has copied, drawn from, or taken advantage of. The style can feel a bit like a bubbly school teacher presenting a lesson to the class, but overall it's a book that focuses on the wonder of the world and how we can save it, rather than wallowing in doomerism. It's a hopeful and upbeat message which should drive us to work for change, even if I disagree with how that message is presented.

[communist-hatsunemiku]

Takepon

[mooreaux]

my fav thing is scrolling along and seeing a character I've done in a commission for someone drawn by another artist. It's an instant feeling of pointing "hey I know that guy!"

[the-cricket-chirps]

Loja Saarinen (designer/weaver)

Tree of Life Tapestry

circa 1933

[notbecauseofvictories]

I like doing my shopping early. I especially like that hour-ish when I am the only customer in the place and can quietly drift between the aisles listening to the employees talk among themselves, replace stock, and get ready for the day. But it also means that I'm never quite prepared when wild things happen at 7am outside the grocery store.

That particular truism was impressed on me anew this morning, when a man biked past, screaming, with his underwear---the only item of clothing on his person---clutched in one hand.

[thepersonalwords]

Human freedom brings with it the burden of choice and of its consequences. As humankind is akin to claim for its own special privilege a certain unique destiny not afforded with equal measure to other organisms, so must it further—if paradoxically so—entertain the assumption that, in spite of this glorious determinism, there persists nonetheless a thread of free will—or, at the very least, some vague delusion thereof—woven seamlessly into the tapestry of collective experience. Of course, this conception that destiny is to be forged by one’s own hands more often engenders greater restriction than it does greater extension to the potential of human happiness.

Ashim Shanker, Sinew of the Social Species

[muriers]

What happens to St. George after he slays the dragon?

So sorry for the delay, but this my pinch hit gift for @lindentree for the halloween run of the @mcythorrorgiftexchange event!!

[fangirlforeversthings]

Attack of the clones belongs to the girls.❤🌸🌅

[utilitycaster]

re the poll about interacting with fandoms you don't belong to...I fear we may have spent too much time arguing that fanfiction is a valid art form (it is) and not enough pointing out that it must be in conversation with the text on which it is based.

[morelikecrowchet]

Not sure if LIS week is over or not, but I’ve decided to crochet a blue butterfly tapestry for this life is strange logo tapestry that I made a while back(yes I followed an alpha bracelet grid, and I WILL do it again):

Mainly cuz the logo kinda looks a bit bland on it’s own(don’t get me wrong that’s not to say that it’s bad, I love the logo, it’s absolutely iconic), but also cuz I needed some grounding after double exposure cuz wtaf was that. For the love of god.

Anyways, lis 1 will always own my heart idk so yeah!!!! Here it is!!!

[gardenandcountry]

Winter moths and hellebore, painting by Claudine Lecoustre ©️2022

Linktree

[novelconcepts]

Had this screencap living on my phone for art purposes, and I just lost like twenty minutes staring at their hands. These are some of the gayest hands in human history. An entire Pride month could be dedicated to these hands. Put this shot in the MoMA, dude.

[sapphia]

i hope the life series continues for a long time. the fact that inter-series relationships are really starting to affect the gameplay in a meaningful way, that people are starting to get reputations. martyn is king backstabber cleo says even before he kills scott and impulse in the final in the ultimate betrayal. scott and skizz and cleo and plenty more have never betrayed people, or don't seem keen to betray especially close allies, and especially in recent series. grian and scar and jimmy are all people of wavering loyalties. whatever it is that bdubz and etho have that everyone is just so aware of and is 100% just incorporated into all roleplay now it seems. that joel and pearl are insane but are also insanely loyal to their close allies. scott's conflicting reputation as the most lethal and skilled player but who is also just very nice and trusting. just... whatever it is that scar has. not to mention the wide the variety of relationships that previous pairs and allies have that now makes things so interesting and complex. the inter-relationships between teams was so good in limited life, especially when, like in this series, those teams can be so loyal to each other but have conflicting loyalties outside of themselves.

i don't think this history is something you can get away from in player's minds as we get further into the series and i hope we get to see it play out even more

[ggren-mainz]

Tapestry yaayyyy!!!

[calypsolemon]

im curious, is the only difference btwn real jay and siren jay eye color , or are there other slight differences? like maybe slight skin tone shift, freckle placement, shade/shape of hair, etc,? cus i think its so interesting if he Resembles jay but isnt the best 1:1 copy, but nya is so blinded by desire she cant see thru that fact... maybe she spends long hours reminiscing on fond memories with this jay, a small part of her knowing "this isnt him" but all of her choosing to ignore it because jay is back... hes back home

On just a physical level: the eye color is different, his skin is paler, his nails are long and sharp, his hair is a little different texturally (hard to tell without touching it though). Oh, and he has a big honkin fish tail.

Mannerism-wise, he can be a little uncanny valley. Emotions sometimes don't carry to his eyes, and if Nya allows him to physically interact, he treats her rougher than Jay would. He's best at mimicking Jay's voice and patterns of speech. Those are nigh identical, and Nya is most drawn in by the ability to talk for hours with him again. She's very aware of the other differences, but she figures those can either be ignored or ironed out over time.

[deermouth]

I love every season on its own merits, but I still think the end of tsv ch1 is one of the most exquisitely atmospheric pieces of horror in the whole show.