Podcast Interview Answer #8: Why a Spider Web is the Best Way to Explain Morality in Nature and Society?

Podcast Interview Answer #8:  Why a Spider Web is the Best Way to Explain Morality in Nature and Society?

The Sun God imagined the creatures of the earth, and Spider Woman turned these thoughts into living plants, animals, and people. She attached a thread of her spider silk to each person to provide access to her wisdom and protection.  Southwestern Native legend

Spider Woman is an important figure in the mythology, oral traditions and folklore of many Native American cultures, especially in the Southwestern United States. She had a role in the creation of the earth and continued to protect her people by teaching them to grow corn, make clay pots, and spin and weave. Through her silk threads she maintained the connections of all humankind.

In many ways the spider’s web can be used as an excellent moral metaphor for our society. 

So much of our social nature is based on moral behavior with our language, laws, institutions, and culture which has allowed humanity to cooperate and progress.  We like to collaborate as individuals with common intentions and work together for mutual benefits.  

Two morals stand out in a community:

1. sympathy ... the concern and respect for other beings
2. fairness ... the idea that everyone should get what they deserve 

Undoubtedly, our society is changing dramatically with technology and, perhaps, this sense of innate community values may be buried under layers of social demands, expectations and exploitation. Do you think that  today’s culture encourages the pursuit of self-interest for selfish benefits and to persuade others they are morally right to do so?

The problem is that we have a world of connections at our fingertips to collaborate and help resolve common society’s and environmental issues with understanding and fairness; but, too many times, the narrow focus is on tribes, partisanship, nationalism and ideological differences.  

Perhaps it's the right time to see how nature's intricate knowledge makes a spider’s web.

A spider needs a dinner trap so he follows a genetic code of radii and spirals to create his sticky orb. The silk thread is produced in special silk glands and physically pulled through a set of spinnerets on the abdomen to transform the liquid silk into solid threads. Once the lightweight thread is started, the spider lifts its spinnerets into the breeze so it can swing and anchor itself unto a tree branch. Then he  can use the thread to “tightrope walk” from one tree to another.

Some amazing facts about spiders just because Nature is omnipotent:

• Many spiders build new webs each night or day, depending on when they hunt.
• Spiders silk is strong, tensile and flexible. This amazing material is about twice as strong as steel (when comparing the same mass of both).
• Some spiders eat their webs, replenishing their silk supply material (protein).
• Webs can be used for transport from one high point to another called ballooning or kiting.

Some amazing weaving skills:

• The first strand of silk is called the bridge thread.
• The second strand becomes the center point from which other radial spokes are anchored to surrounding vegetation.
• A spiral thread starts from the inside and moves out to bind all the radial threads together.
• A second spiral web is made from sticky silk from the outside in that is used to capture prey.

The web’s structure is fragile, practical and framed by previous experience where its many strands pass through a central point. It symbolizes patience and persistence because of its  unique technique of setting webs and weaving its own world of survival. 

It is a simple extrapolation to think about what kinds of webs Nature would weave compared to people’s webs of business and consumerism.

Nature’s strands would include climate, clean water, food security, ecosystems, diversity, adaptation, recycling, environment, etc.

Business strands would include industry, technology, manufacturing, transportation, pollution, education, science, etc.

People’s strands would include malls, shopping, advertisements, money, credit, recreation, self-ego, virtual reality, friends, culture, etc.  

The future challenge, I believe, it is more important than ever to integrate Nature’s web partnerships in a world that is hyper-globalized and hyper-connected. No one country can do it alone. These threats are happening now and need immediate mitigation steps:  unchecked industrialization, degradation of natural habitats, destructive agriculture, pollution of entire seas, ozone depletion, and global warming.

As complicated as these webs become, there needs to be center focus, some sense of affinity that all strands are parts of a shared community and biology. 

It is not a great mystery but a reality that we are not separate beings, a physical body unto ourselves, but our awareness and existence are to share the energy of life with others. 

Our center is to live with purpose and promise, to learn lessons, to face challenges and to seek balance and order. 

The more we learn about nature’s incredible knowledge, the more we understand that everything in Nature is interconnected and must never be subordinated to human activity. 

Like the Spider Woman teaches us  … the past, the present, and the future of every animate and inanimate being in our universe, including human beings, is defined by its interconnection to everything else. If any of these links are broken, Nature at any scale will change or simply not operate.

And so, the simple story is told of a birch tree as a love story for all ages who care about family, community and environment. 

 Questions and comments are always welcome. What are your fair and sympathetic connections with Nature?

Annemarie

amarie10@gmail.com

1 833 471 4661

https://helpfulmindstreamforchanges.com

"And here’s the point, my dear Birchum, as you can see, every thread is connected to every other thread. If you shake one, all the others shake. If you break one, the others break, too.  

The web has one purpose, Birchum, as varied and profound as it is, it can only catch one thing without breaking. And it’s not a physical thing. It is a feeling that moves the spirit to connect, unite and flourish. It is called love. Sometimes it takes great imagination to see how we are all connected by love.” 

Excerpt: Ecological Succession of Birchum Birch

A Special Bonding for Children from Researching and Writing this Story About the Water Sprite with Roots

A Special Bonding for Children from Researching and Writing this Story About the Water Sprite with Roots

The truth is: the natural world is changing. And we are totally dependent on that world. It provides our food, water and air. It is the most precious thing we have, and we need to defend it.” ― David Attenborough

So what did I learn from researching ecosystems and the special bonding I hope to pass on to children as they also learn about healthy ecosystems for a healthy Earth for a healthy people.

Actually, I learned several factors that only grew in significance the more the natural environment opened up.This is not the simple water cycle as first envisioned from the ocean’s transpiration where it starts  to the ocean’s runoff  where it ends. In the middle, there are adventures drawn from co-inhabitants in an ecological balance with a different connection around every bend. What I learned will only help to increase my admiration of a walk in the woods by a pond; or larger yet, the way I view our beautiful blue and finite planet.  It is this journey I wish to share with young people of all ages to create a special bonding and vision for a sustainable community for all species.

 Let's start with the A-List:

AMAZEMENT at the extraordinary biological diversity of life forms that create their own interdependent communities on land and in water.  We are surrounded by such specialized simple lifeforms called microorganisms that live in fresh water, which may be only a handful of living cells but with the ability to sense, feed, propagate and even adapt as required; but without defenses against pollution. 

Did you know that only 3% of our planet’s water is drinkable where half of fresh water is frozen in glaciers or underground? 97% of it is saltwater.

AWARENESS of the diversity of organic Life forms or compounds containing the carbon molecule, the most common life matter on Earth. The sun’s energy called photosynthesis can create a simple sugar molecule as food for any carbon-based plant and animal by combining with water (two hydrogen and one oxygen).  Even the hydrocarbon found in fossil fuels is filled with the sun’s energy which can be used as fuel or manufactured into inert plastics; forever non-biodegradable.  

Did you know that Americans throw away enough plastic bottles in a week to encircle the Earth 5 time and that only 5% of Earth’s population?

APPRECIATION of the numerous cycles required for ecology to be balanced, from sun and water, to nutrients for primary plants, to animals and even decomposing bacteria to recycle matter. For example, the nutrient cycle begins with minerals that include carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen and water among others as these elements recycle to produce food for the ecosystem. The water cycle is immemorial, continually recycling over time. We all live in one huge watershed from beyond dinosaur times. 

Did you know that the leading source of pollution in surface drinking water supplies is polluted rainwater runoff from household products (EPA)?

  

AFFINITY to the wonder of a healthy ecosystem based on four functioning levels which help to clean our water, recycle nutrients, maintain our soil, purify our air and provide us with food and shelter. Every chapter shows how anything that affects one part of our ecosystem will in turn affect others … from the very smallest to the largest. There is a strong link to an ECOLOGY ETHIC where exponential growth is not possible. Nature is not to be contradicted but integrated within our common humanity. 

Do we have a moral obligation to leave an environment worthwhile to live in for our children?

ACCOMPLISHMENT by introducing characters who can relate their experiences of integration and interdependence within their special systems.  Many interesting characters who are defined as micro-organisms really do exist in various water states; but for a change, they are given a voice to talk about their thoughts and fears. A few are imaginary creations in their particular system like glaciers, oil lakes, and plastic manufacturing factories; but all are connected to the water molecule. 

So, on one hand, we can research a factual description of Ecosystems as communities of organisms and non-living matter that interact together where a damaged balance can cause many problems. Or, on the other hand, we can tell a story of a sensitive water sprite with roots who lives through these encounters, imbalances, fears and hopes. He talks the walk through his mission of discovering cyclical truths from the sun to water to nutrients to plants to animals to decomposing bacteria to respecting the biodiversity.

  

The hope is that the reader will form a special bonding with this main water sprite character; thereby, making an emotional connection through his trials, tribulations and inclusions of all lives in a balanced natural environment. As the water sprite falls in love, so will the readers in kinship and motivational affinity to protect Nature at its best.

“No one will protect what they don't care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced..”   David Attenborough

You are invited to check the story here: 

The Incredible Journey of a Water Sprite with Roots

Comments and questions are welcome and appreciated,

Sincerely,

Annemarie

amarie10@gmail.com

Two excerpts: "The mystery of this cycle has slowly unfolded. It's about the power of the sun giving light energy to the chlorophyll in plant cells to split the water molecule, and combine it with carbon to produce a simple sugar compound as food for animals and humankinds. A cycle is what a cycle is; but miss out one tiny piece like a chloroplast found within the chlorophyll, nothing is completed, and life is not possible. So tiny, so simple, yet so complex."

"Also, maybe, there is some misunderstanding about what makes a life-form; especially lesser and smaller beings than themselves. Maybe, being so intelligent and progressive has made them short-sighted and narrow-minded about their own groups only, and prejudiced against other communities which may be different from them. Is this why pollution doesn’t matter to some? What if, I think, amusingly, they can be referred to as kind humans rather than humankinds."

Attack by Giant Amoeba and Saved by A Rotifer