When you look at a pride of lions, what do you see? Is it an alpha male who has gathered a cluster of female mates to do his bidding? Or is it an empowered female collective sharing talents and skills to thrive while keeping and placating one lazy male to do the one thing they can't? How we observe nature, history, and sciences in general affects how information about it is passed along.

There are two rules of thought that are still prevalent today. One is “I am righteous and God is rewarding me, and therefore, my actions are just.” The other is humans are the superior species. I am a part of this superior evolution and have great intellect, so my perspective is correct. Both are dangerous. The reason Darwin's theory of evolution was chosen by the scientific community as the correct theory (there were others) is because it fit so well with capitalism. Even his theory over the years has been twisted and used to create a perspective that it is natural to be greedy and oppressive. As if those are the traits that would make a human stronger and survive longer in the wild.

Even his theory over the years has been twisted and used to create a perspective that it is natural to be greedy and oppressive. As if those are the traits that would make a human stronger and survive longer in the wild.

Nature is not greedy. It's the reasons prey and predator can be in the same tank at an aquarium. The predator is fed plenty and has no need to hunt. Nature runs on balance and cooperation. There is no battle for land or war of plants. Ferns protect the forest floor and roots. Trees protect the ferns. Birds and squirrels eats the seeds and nuts but also spread the seeds and nuts. The wolf is not bad or evil for eating a bunny, just as the bunny is not bad or evil for eating the plant. The main motivation for nature is to bring things into balance. While a tsunami, earthquake, or other natural disaster is not a good experience, they themselves are not evil, bad, or a form of punishment.

Let's cover this punishment part because I think this is big part of the warped perspective modern humans have. Seeing everything as being done to you as a reward or a punishment creates a perspective where you miss so much about what is happening around you. It creates a lens where you are so focused on yourself and your own actions that you miss connection and observing others. We should strive to be the mouse who investigates the lion roaring to discover how it can help to pull a thorn from its paw. Not our ancestors, who projected their beliefs onto the cultures they found and only saw how they could profit from them.

Colonizers looked at cultures that had maps of the stars, agriculture, and complex social structures and called them savage and misrepresented what it was they did, how their tools were used, and even their intentions behind sacred rites. They took what was helpful and demonized the rest. The spirits/beings they talked to, worshiped, or lived with were labeled demons working for Satan. They would take certain practices and incorporate it into Christian ones to convert them. Those that didn't convert were uncivilized. All of this was to assert themselves as the superior race/group of people and justify their actions of conquering and oppressing.

This is where Fairies get demonized, saying they are tricking humans with ill intent to turn them away from the Christian God. They become anywhere on the spectrum from mischievous to malicious, but any way around it—untrustworthy. Since a majority of cultures pass on their myths orally, this new perspective crawls into their stories and is passed down. Now changelings want to steal your baby, djinn (genies) are twisting wishes, and brownies or duende steal things from your home instead of protect it.

A more recent version is to demonize the chronically ill, or really all illness and ailments. I totally believe in miracle healings. I have seen it multiple times. I totally believe that our thoughts and beliefs play a part of our health. What I don't agree with is blaming sick people for not being well or feeling superior because of your health. Healthy people want to believe that their diet, exercise, and or energetic habits keep them healthy and safe. All those things help, but you never know what genetics will play into your health. Also, suggesting that all someone needs to do to “fix” themselves is do these simple exercises is rude. What I find interesting is how many of those people still need glasses and dental care and don't see the irony there.

Nature and humanity thrive when cooperation happens. Cultures of the past supported their sick and elderly. We are tribal by nature and all need that support. Again, Colonization and Capitalism benefit from separating people from a tribe and providing some basic necessities for those that work hard enough, instead of pooling resources so everyone can live comfortably. What does this have to do with Fairies? Part 3 will tie all of this together.