New animism: a 21st cenutry Promethean fallacy? Maile figure ('Fisherman's god'), accession no.189

Moussa, Fàres K. (2023) New animism: a 21st cenutry Promethean fallacy? Maile figure ('Fisherman's god'), accession no.189. Theoretical Archaeology Group Conference 2023: Climate Archaeology: Temporalities and Ontologies, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom. 18 - 20 Dec 2023.

Abstract

The sentiment of New Animism, in principle, cannot be faulted. Indeed, the need to overcome colonising, occi-centric, androcentric perspectives which have dominated the humanities, and in their own ways helped to sustain consumerist, commodifying environmentally unsustainable practices, has become urgent. However, does New Animism in-fact obfuscate any progress towards behavioural and societal change? This paper argues that the philosophical basis of models such as Actor Network Theory and Object Orientated Ontology are internally inconsistent and do not offer a holistic real-world solution beyond their otherwise superficially persuasive rhetoric.

The Greek Myth of Prometheus stealing fire from Zeus to give to humans, is often metaphorically read today as the gift of creativity bestowed upon humans. However, an equally essential component of the story is, perhaps conveniently, too often excluded: Prometheus also deceives Zeus in making worthless sacrificial offerings of disguised bones while keeping all the fatty spoils of the carcass for humans. Prometheus’ punishment is not only for stealing fire from the gods for humans, but for also for not respecting the sources of the wealth of humans and paying necessary tribute to those sources. At the heart of the New Animist agenda is the attribution of an agential life-like quality to things, but without any commitment to meaningful exchange with them. Such a process of the historicization of the non-human world (through the animation of things) from an ultimately secularising stance, which does not necessarily recognise the value of the gift and of reciprocity, reveals itself as a yet further anthropomorphising, colonising and commodifying behaviour. In short, New Animism presents itself as a champion of environmental and indigenous values while offering no significant systemic change in individual or institutional behaviours.

This paper suggests that New Animism bestows humans with yet more unchecked powers of giving life to things, with potentially dangerous consequences. A Philosophical Anthropological approach instead would assert that all beings have distinctive qualities - none more superior to the other - which should each be recognised and valued for their unique differences, but in which humans have no control in determining. We may believe things to be alive or to have agency, but this does make their experience or intentions knowable to us. We should learn to live in our environment and alongside our non-human co-habitants of this planet, not by presuming to know their needs or intentions (through our own anthropomorphising projections), but humbly: through respectful observation, negotiation, care and reciprocity.

This paper is delivered in the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, and will use exhibit object Maile figure (‘Fisherman’s god’), accession no. 189 as part of the presentation.

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Contributors

Author: Fàres K. Moussa

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