Considering that much of Clay’s Ark has been dealing with the infiltration of microbes into the biological systems of humans, I was slightly terrified when I happened upon this article that refers to the study of a particular microbe in soil and its effect on humans. I’m not sure how reputable “gardeningknowhow.com” is, but the resources that the article sites seem to come from reliable sources.

Gardening Know How’s article mainly speaks about a microbe found in soil that’s recently been connected to serotonin levels and therefore mental illness issues. On the other hand, the Discover Magazine Resource speaks of a hypothesis that states that asthma and allergies may be linked to our society’s habit of “living too clean” where we remove many of the necessary microbes that train our immune systems to ignore benign threats like pollen and pet dandruff. And lastly, the Sage College Resource links the microbes in soil to anxiety relief and therefore learning benefits. These articles are truly an interesting read and an eye-opener to the beneficial microbes we unknowingly come in contact with every day.

To me, the idea of cannibalism seems to pervade Seed to Harvest—something that makes sense with the general theme of symbiosis which keeps coming back in Butler’s fiction. Multiple forms of cannibalism are created in the constant consumption with which Butler deals. In these uses though, what comes to light is actually how consumption—and the total absorption of another person—is completely tied to community and culture and demonstrates the inherent violence in development and fungiblity of bodies. Continue reading Cannibals in Communities →