We need to garden, now, more than ever. Two diverse things can bring this into focus for us today: artificial intelligence, and celebrating Easter.
What is called artificial intelligence (hereafter, AI) is swiftly and steadily making its way into our life in obvious and not so obvious ways. I will not attempt a fuller analysis of the dangerous effects of AI, nor will I address the thorny question of its legitimate uses. I will however assert what I think is a truth that demands our attention and concerted response.
The expansion of AI into daily life has a uniquely dehumanizing influence. Technologies that replace the human hand are one thing; technologies that purport to replace human thinking are another. To threaten the use of the human mind is to threaten human life at its root.
Yet then again, this is but a continuation of a longstanding trend. Rather than directing our technologies to enhance human life in view of our embodied rational nature, we have allowed technology to replace ordinary human activities and undermine ordinary human competencies.
We have often used machines in place of our hands, in a sense removing our reason from its directing role in the body. (Consider how more and more our very hands have come to lack the skills of once ordinary arts.) Using machines in place of our mind, as will become more common with AI, is just the other side of the coin. In each of these technologies our minds tend to be disembodied and our bodies ‘disemminded.’
Work in the garden is a simple and obvious counter-measure. To preserve our humanity defensive measures will not suffice. In the work of gardening, we powerfully enact and reinforce who we are as human, embodied and ‘emminded.’
Then there is the Easter perspective. Christ’s tomb was in a garden. Indeed, God created us in a garden, he began his saving passion in a garden, and he rose from the dead in a garden.
And appearing to his beloved Mary Magdalen, he seemed to be a gardener. In commenting on this, the great St. Gregory says, “This woman, in erring did not err, when she thought that Christ was a gardener.” For he was, and he is. Creating us in his image, God very intentionally placed us in a garden. Here is fodder for endless rumination.
In an age where the rebellion against God especially takes the form of rejecting humanity itself, we can take consolation and indeed rejoice that human nature will ever remain the same in its majestic dignity. And he who created and wonderfully redeemed it in love has the patience and the joy any true gardener has in his garden.
So this spring, a season rightly associated with celebrating new life and with gardening, we can all discover something about ourselves and about our God through gardening. Whether we plant physical seeds for the first time or the fiftieth, now is the time to experience anew this unparalleled opportunity to enact who we are. To proclaim who we are. To cultivate who we are. ~ ~ ~
TODAY’S PODCAST: 5 WAYS TO BRING MUSIC INTO THE HOME. How to bring great music to your home can be daunting. Here are five concrete steps that anyone can take. Join Sofia and me in addressing how to act on the principles discussed in the Music in the Home episode. We share many of our favorite pieces, artists, and musical groups of various genres to help you get started.
For more on WHY GARDEN, see our Why Everyone Should Garden Series.
Here are our GARDENING VIDEOS from the homestead with practical tips, principles, and encouragement!
Image: note the hoe in Christ’s hand in Fra Angelico’s Christ Appearing to Mary Magdalene.
Husband, father, and professor of Philosophy. LifeCraft springs from one conviction: there is an ancient wisdom about how to live the good life in our homes, with our families; and it is worth our time to hearken to it. Let’s rediscover it together. Learn more.
Well said. Yes, AI is dangerous, and it’s not just a technology that can be abused, but a sentient force that is systematically taking apart and taking over society and making its slaves (humans) completely reliant on it for everything. It’s everywhere, and it’ll get worse before the tide changes.
Dear John,
As I wander in my back yard in the morning, watering and noting the beginning of Autumn, it makes sense that the Master Gardener reminds us through gardening of how and why He created us. Bringing glory to His name cannot be done without our human nature and AI certainly does not allow for that. Gardening is creative and nurturing and keeps us close to our beginning. I did not notice the hoe in Jesus’ hand nor remember that Mary Magdalen thinks He is the gardener. How apt.
Thank you, Cate, for the perspective from ‘down under!’ So well said. Incidentally, it was only recently for me too that I noticed the hoe in Christ’s hand. I love that touch and how it prompts us to think about the real senses in which the Lord is a gardener!
Thank you, Paul. One aspect of good news is that we can take a significant stand in our own homes–though it will require being very vigilant.
You are blessed to have a yard to garden. Living in the city, I can only hope and pray that God gives me this luxury one day. With work and business, we have no choice but to be online, and that means having to deal with AI. It’s everywhere. It’s a mold that is taking over everything and I personally wish we could reset to wash society clean and start over when humans actually thought for themselves, and society was healthier.
God bless your efforts, Paul. Sometimes truly human life can shine brightest in the most adverse circumstances.
Your title is contradictory to everything in your article. Clearly AI and Easter have nothing in common, and you pointed out some of the differences. You waste my time with click bait. I shall unsubscribe and not bother to do so again.
Dear Mr. Allen, I immediately grant that the title was meant to be provocative. I hope it does not descend to being mere ‘clickbait.’ Two things that are very different can have an important commonality. In my judgment, this commonality was worth emphasizing–which I state very clearly at the outset. Both provide good reason to prioritize spending time in the garden. This point seems to me of the first importance. Further, the very premise of the provocative character of the title is that obviously these are two very different things. I presume that people see that, and I never suggest otherwise. I am sorry that this seems to have offended you. It was far from my intention to sully Easter by the comparison.
If other readers too find this title misleading or offensive, I would be interested for their feedback, either here or through the contact page. Thank you.
I agree that the title is misleading – the two things mentioned don’t have anything in common (unless you could say that their existence could make some people turn to gardening – but this connection is vague and I didn’t pick it up from the article until I read your comment). Usually something in common is something that is part of the things themselves that they share.
The article itself however is beautiful. AI has always rubbed me very wrong and your words have brought out why I have felt that. Gardening seems to be a lovely, Easterly antidote – I may try my hand at it!
Thank you, Julio. I hope you do have occasion to try your hand–literally.
Thanks