The Voice of the Infinite in the Small: Re-Visioning the Insect - Human Connection (The New Millennium Library, V.5) - Softcover

Joanne E. Lauck

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0926524496 ISBN 13: 9780926524491

Publisher: Swan Raven & Company, 1998

Synopsis

Understanding the Infinite in the Small is less a book about insect biology and behavior than it is about reinventing ourselves as a non-hostile species. It is a unique psychological and spiritual perspective on insects and the recasting of our relationship to this Lilliputian world. The popular culture never rises above issues of power. It is in this mode then that we are caught between opposites: either we kill the insects, or we are defeated by them. We rarely see a third possibility. We rarely put down our weapons long enough to consider the effect we might have if we entered their world with empathy and compassion. Perhaps we underestimate the powers of providence that would suddenly appear if we could align ourselves with the earth and the small creatures that serve it so faithfully. It's time to try.

About this title

From the Publisher:

Key Note

In Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass, a gnat asks Alice, "What sort of insects do you rejoice in where you come from?" Puzzled by the question, she replies, "I don't rejoice in insects at all." In these lines an ancient world that honored all life forms meets our Western culture which ranks other species on a hierarchy of perceived value and places insects and related creatures at the bottom. There are reasons why we mistrust and fear insects. Few have much to do with the real creatures. Most involve misperceptions about them, ourselves, and our relationship to the Earth community-the roots of our enmity are embedded in a false creation story and a bid to overpower and control the natural world.

Major Selling Points

No matter what your age, environment, or standard of living, one must interact with the insect world, and most people spend enormous amounts of money trying to eradicate them.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 84% of U.S. households still use pesticides in the home and millions of people store chemicals already banned. This book has an expanding market in those homeowners and parents who now realize that using chemicals is no longer an option.

This book gives readers the opportunity to expand their circle of concern and deepen their commitment to live in harmony with all other species.

The book has a ready audience with home-owners, environmentalists, organic gardeners and people working in animal-related fields, including pet owners.

It will also appeal to those people who are aware of the need to protect the natural world and who have gained an appreciation for other species, but cannot yet include insects because their appearances, appetites or numbers are threatening.

By investigating the reasons why we have, individually and collectively, adopted an adversarial and false stance toward creeping creatures, the reader learns that they have an innate affiliation for them.

With the current popularity of films such as Antz and A Bug's Life, public interest in the insect world is at an all-time high. These films try to make insects personable to children. This book makes insects sacred to adults. Working together, the films and the book will change attitudes towards insects in a positive way.

Marketing Plans Major review coverage National TV and radio campaign that will focus on the environment, health professionals and educators. The author will continue to write numerous articles to promote in main stream media. Promote the book to the National Science Museum's across the country, The Nature Conservancy and to the Nature's stores and their catalogs Bookstore promotion and readings In addition to the Blue Water Publishing web site, the author is developing "The Insect-Human Connection website that focuses on the insect-human connection. The author offers presentations and/or workshops and is planning on presenting at Matthew Fox's CreationSpirituality University in Oakland and The Ecopsychology Institute headquartered in the California State University and to the Deep Ecology Institute and other conferences.

From the Back Cover:

Our belief in insects as adversaries still encourages an ultimately self-destructive use of pesticides almost forty years after Rachel Carson warned us of their deadly effects. How do we coexist with insects without chemicals? Environmental educator Joanne Lauck says the problem and its solution are within us. Drawing on myth, anecdote, native wisdom, and science, she reveals the roots of our hostility and shows us how to stop the war and live in harmony - healing an inner aspect of ourselves in the process.

About this edition

• Publisher: Swan Raven & Company
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0926524496
• ISBN 13: 9780926524491
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 388