How to Live in Intra-Action with the More-Than-Human World.

Hello and welcome to rewilding philosophy. Your letters for ^ekophilosophical health.

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According to Karen Barad, we are always intra-acting with other agents - humans and more-than-humans.

Intra-acting means, that we and that events come into being through our intra-action. Nothing pre-exists those relations. Unlike interaction, where we act upon each other, intra-action recognizes that everything is constantly entangled and co-constituted through relationships.

"The concept of intra-action is a key element of my theory of agential realism. The term 'intra-action' refers to the mutual constitution of entangled agencies. That is, in contrast to the usual 'interaction,' which assumes there are separate individual agencies that precede their interaction, the term intra-action recognizes that different agencies do not precede each other but rather emerge through their intra-action. It is important to note that the 'different' agencies are only separate in a relational and not an absolute sense; that is, agencies are separate only concerning their mutual entanglement; they do not exist as individual elements." Karen Barad

In this way of thinking, oil is an active agent that we intra-act with. Oil has agency. Think about what oil makes us do: Oil, as a material substance, exerts influence over our behaviors and decisions, from the geopolitics of resource control to the everyday consumption patterns driven by energy demands.

This might sound a little too unscientific or too animistic for some. Yet, as Indy Johar recently said (and I am quoting it in full length, just because it’s so poignant):

“How do you move into self-sovereignty, which is the tree becomes an agent, and this is where we are moving from, this is, I would say, the third horizon of transition, which is you're moving towards a world where you're moving from dominion and control-orientation worldviews to being an agent-fied world, where everything is an agent. And we now have the pathways to seeing the world, and if, you know, if our indigenous friends and brothers were here, they would talk about the nation of trees, they would talk about the re-animification of the world. And this re-animification is not just an idea, or a convenient idea, it is a means to deal with complexity. In a complex world where I do not know the impacts of what I do and have, and I cannot hold the whole world in my head, actually you have to start to re-animate the world and re-agent-fy it for me to be in a relationship of complex care with it, and multi-point transactions. So the re-agent-ification of the world, and whether it's trees owning themselves, whether it's river systems or mountains in New Zealand, these are parts of, and all the way through, you know, we're looking at, whether it's sort of energy meters becoming agent-fied systems. What we're seeing is in complexity, this agent-based worldview allows us to deal with complexity without it becoming a dominion problem or a control problem, and a multi-capital problem, and it allows us to operate in theories of care. That also means the user interface between me, or the current relationship interface between me and the tree, is one of care.” Indy Johar

Our actions are not isolated but are shaped by the very materials and ecosystems we engage with.

“Reality is a process of intra-active touch.” María Puig de la Bellacasa

While this sounds beautiful, I struggle with actually living according to this understanding: What does it imply in my relationship to the more-than-human world, how do I treat those other agents, how do I integrate them in my decision making, what changes in lifestyle or perspective would align more closely with the concept of intra-action in my personal and professional life, how can we collectively shift societal narratives to better intra-action, how can I cultivate a mindset that remains open to the influences and agency of the materials and ecosystems around me?

“How do you invent the political constitution that is able to absorb the Anthropocene, namely the reaction of the earth system to our action, in a way that renders politics again comprehensible to those who are simultaneously actor, victim, accomplices and responsible for such a situation?” Bruno Latour

I won’t be able to answer all of these in this article. It’s a whole book.

However, I want to share a concept that has helped me understand how I want to relate to the more-than-human world as an agent and what stops me from treating other agents accordingly.

Drama Triangle

Some of you might be familiar with the drama triangle. It’s a psychological and social model of human interaction developed by Stephen Karpman. I’ve found it a super valuable lens for examining our relationship with the more-than-human world and why we often fail to recognize its agency.

The drama triangle is traditionally applied to interpersonal conflicts and identifies three roles—Victim, Persecutor, and Rescuer—that people unconsciously adopt during social interactions. When transposed onto our environmental engagements the Earth, or ecosystems, or a specific species or certain groups of people are typically cast as the Victim, we - the WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) people - are both the Persecutor, through environmental degradation, and the Rescuer, through urgent calls to "save the planet.”

This binary of destruction and salvation often leads to saviourism—a mindset rooted in the belief that human intervention is both necessary and capable of restoring balance. But through this, we ignore the complexity and agency of the more-than-human world, and promotes a simplistic view that we, as humans, are the ultimate arbiters of environmental fate.

When we take on the role of the Rescuer, we risk perpetuating the very cycles of dominance and control that have contributed to the social and ecological challenges in the first place, rather than fostering mutual respect and understanding between those agents.

Transforming the Drama Triangle

Fortunately, the drama is not the end of the story. The triangle can be transformed by shifting from roles that perpetuate conflict and disempowerment—Victim, Persecutor, and Rescuer—to more constructive roles that foster empowerment and collaboration.

The Victim role, characterized by feelings of helplessness and powerlessness, is transformed into the Creator. Creators recognize their agency and responsibility in shaping their experiences and outcomes.

The Persecutor role, often associated with blame and criticism, becomes the Challenger. A Challenger invites accountability and growth by questioning assumptions and encouraging constructive change.

And the Rescuer role, which can enable dependency and diminish empowerment, is shifted to the Coach. Coaches support others in finding their own solutions and enhance their capabilities.

What does that mean in the context of social and ecological challenges?

More-than-humans as Creators

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

Viewing the more-than-human, the marginalised, or the disempowered as the Creator, allows us to see them as sources of life, diversity, and interconnected systems that sustain all living beings. In this role, the planet and its ecosystems are not passive victims but dynamic, resilient forces of creativity and regeneration. Through this, we acknowledge the agency and wisdom inherent in ecological processes, and their ability to adapt, evolve, and renew.

It shifts our focus from attempting to "fix" or "save" the more-than-human world to learning from and collaborating with them. We become encouraged to respect their processes and cycles, supporting and enhancing them rather than attempting to control or dominate them.

We also recognise these others as fully capable agents.

Wether the more-than-human world sees themselves as the creator rather than a victim is open to debate. I would argue they do, you might argue that they themselves can’t get themselves out of this situation. But anyone involved in the drama triangle can start by treating others in line with this shift.

Humans as Coach

Photo by Austrian National Library on Unsplash

Our role in the whole “saving the planet business” than becomes that of a Coach, in which we act as facilitators who nurture, support, and empower the ecological processes. Coaches focus on cultivating a deeper understanding of more-than-human systems.

This requires us to be active listeners and learners.

In fact, I believe, one of our most critical tasks is to hone our ability to listen deeply—an idea central to Otto Scharmer's "Theory U" framework. Listening, especially in the context of ecological stewardship, is not simply about hearing sounds or collecting data; it’s about engaging with the world around us in a way that is open and present.

“We are intrinsically listening creatures. Anthropologist Claire Farrer, who spent time with the Mescalero Apache, notes that their proper way of communicating is giving a speaker sufficient time to think and reflect before rushing in to fill a silent space.” Tamarack Song

We can distinguish between four levels of listening:

1. Downloading: This is listening from habit, where we hear only what confirms our existing beliefs and opinions. As Coaches, we must recognize and move beyond this superficial level to access deeper understanding.

2. Factual Listening: At this level, we suspend judgment and are open to new information that challenges our preconceptions. This is crucial when engaging with ecological data or perspectives that differ from our own.

3. Empathic Listening: We immerse ourselves in the experiences of others—whether individuals, communities, or ecosystems—seeking to understand their needs, challenges, and aspirations. This involves stepping into their shoes and seeing the world from their perspective.

4. Generative Listening: This level involves listening from the emerging field of future possibility. As Coaches, we tap into the collective wisdom and potential of the human and more-than-human world. This is where - ideally - transformative insights emerge.

   “In Australia, Aboriginal people engage in the meditative practice of dadirri, which they describe as ‘deep listening, silent awarenes ’ of the natural world.” Jeremy Lent

The role of the coach is also to foster environments where diverse voices, including those of indigenous peoples, marginalized communities and the more-than-human world, can be heard (something I strive to do within IPeP).

Humans as the Challenger

In the role of the Challenger, we are allowed to critically evaluate what the more-than-human world is doing. We don’t want to romanticise ideas about “nature” - that’s not being in right relation to it. It’s also disrespectful. Instead, we might want to steward it in directions - challenge it - not by imposing our force and will, but by engaging in a dialogue of mutual respect and learning, and recognize the complex dynamics and intra-actions within those non-human systems.

As Challengers, we then seek to understand and question the natural patterns and processes, not to assert domination, but to co-create regenerative futures that honour the agency and wisdom of the more-than-human world.

In the transformed Drama Triangle, the dynamics are no longer about victimhood, persecution, or rescue but thus about creation, coaching, and constructive challenge.

Photo by Todd Cravens on Unsplash

When we see whales being slaughtered or chemicals being spilled into the landscapes, it’s hard to not perceive of these dynamics as persecutors and victims and umping into the role of the rescuer. Yet, when we follow this logic, we ourselves become the persecutor - we are entangled with the system and thus are also always already complicit. The result are feelings of guilt, shame and helplessness. Something many, many of us struggle with.

This way of thinking is therefore not leading anywhere.

While some argue that it’s necessary to fight against some of the key Persecutor, they fail to understand that this makes them Persecutors as well. Maybe not on the same scale - but try explaining your emotional part - the one who evokes feelings of guilt, shame and helplessness - what scale means and where you draw the line between a real Persecutor and the not-so-bad-one.

“Camus foregrounds a deeper question: How do we manage to be “neither victim nor hangman?” At the beginning of the twenty-first century, this is the central question of political ecology, more important than any other to the continuance of life on this planet.” Andreas Weber

Moreover, the whole process of justice - for humans and more-than-humans, can be about empowering them, which will enable them, as compared to victimising them, which makes them feel even less empowered.

And the whole idea of “saving” is a strange concept anyways. It often implies a transactional relationship, like saving money in a bank. It creates a sense of quantifiable exchange: if we invest a certain amount of effort or resources, we can preserve or "save" something else. Neither the planet, nor ecosystems, or more-than-humans, or even humans, function as a bank account, where every action has a predictable and equivalent outcome.

This “saving” notion reflects a human-centric perspective that prioritizes the current environmental conditions under which humans thrive. It suggests a certain hubris in believing that humanity has the power to either destroy or save the Earth.

Embracing these shifts in our roles offers us a more regenerative and compassionate path forward. By viewing ourselves as Coaches and Challengers guided by empathy and respect, we cultivate relationships with the more-than-human world that hopefully enrich rather than diminish our shared futures.

“Philosophical health is also, more humbly, deep-listening care for others and care for the earth, all these aspects being intertwined and intercreative.” Luis de Miranda

If this exploration resonates with you, please share this perspective with a friend or colleague who might benefit from it.