I Have Biophelia

My name is Sean Paxton and I am ... a Biophiliac. The diagnosis was made recently. Today, as a matter of fact, while strolling with my beautiful, hairy four-legged daughter, JD; an Australian Shepherd / Chow mix, adopted nearly a decade ago.

It was a cloudy, 50'ish degree morning here in southwest Florida and it must've been something about that extra skip in JD's step, mixed with the crispy freshness of northerly winds that brought everything into focus.

Granted, my condition was a self-diagnosis, made after some non-invasive self examination, but it was, without a doubt, a conclusion reached only after observing chronic symptoms displayed over several decades that, with a little research, could only lead to this definitive conclusion. It started long ago as a feeling, then it became a compulsion, and ultimately, an addiction. Now, it has a name. Good chance, if you're reading this, you've got it, too. Fortunately, according to research, all of us, at least to some degree are afflicted. Embrace it. Love it like a pet rock. It's a good thing ...

JD aka Jane Doe

From Wikipedia: The biophelia hypothesis suggests that there is an instinctive bond between human beings and other living systems. Edward O. Wilson introduced and popularized the hypothesis in his book entitled Biophilia. Furthermore ...

Love of Living Systems
The term "biophilia" literally means "love of life or living systems." It was first used by Erich Fromm to describe a psychological orientation of being attracted to all that is alive and vital. Wilson uses the term in the same sense when he suggests that biophilia describes "the connections that human beings subconsciously seek with the rest of life.” He proposed the possibility that the deep affiliations humans have with nature are rooted in our biology. Unlike phobias, which are the aversions and fears that people have of things in the natural world, philias are the attractions and positive feelings that people have toward certain habitats, activities, and objects in their natural surroundings. To many people, "nature" means plants as in a park or forest, but the weather and animals are also closely involved.

It's been said that, where Biophiliacs live can explain much of their behavior. That's 'Mr Bigs' this afternoon ... in my backyard. We managed to get a lot closer.

Product of Biological Evolution
Human preferences toward things in nature, while refined through experience and culture, are hypothetically the product of biological evolution. For example, adult mammals (esp. humans) are generally attracted to baby mammal faces and find them appealing across species. The large eyes and small features of any young mammal face are far more appealing than those of the mature adults. The biophilia hypothesis suggests that the positive emotional response that adult mammals have toward baby mammals across species helps increase the survival rates of all mammals.

I Personally Found This Aspect of Biophelia Particularly Striking:
Similarly, the hypothesis helps explain why ordinary people care for and sometimes risk their lives to save domestic and wild animals, and keep plants and flowers in and around their homes. In other words, our natural love for life helps sustain life.

So the fact is that this is a good news / good news story. I mean, there's never been a need for excuses when explaining my chosen off-road course in life, but sometimes, when people ask 'why', I do some of the things I do, my answer is usually, 'why not'? For anyone that's known me for any duration or know some of the people I spend most of my time with, for that matter, this discernable condition makes about as much sense as, say ... bacon and eggs. That's the other good news. I'm not alone. For instance, my brother, Brooks, to your right, with the serpent? That's right. Also, a proud Biophiliac.

The things that come most naturally to us or that we're inexplicably drawn to, during this short little expedition called life, are often the toughest explanatory nuts to crack. More often than not, though, these are also the things not worth tinkering with by trying to break down the reasons ... why. As the now commercially modernized ancient Greek goddess of victory once said ... 'just do it'. There's no way to tell, but my guess is Nike knew exactly what she was talking about, and I'll bet she was one hot goddess, too.

Speaking of victory, our hometown gridiron ass-kickers, The Pittsburgh Steelers, are taking the field this afternoon. They're still 'in the hunt', as they say, which means they've got a snowball's chance in a cooler packed with slushy 7-11 ice, but it's a chance. We'll take it. As 4-decade fans of the winningest team in the history of professional football world championships, my family and I will worship that Greek goddess of victory today, possibly even on our knees, and ask her hotness for another shot, at another Superbowl Lombardi Trophy.

As for me, the next time someone asks me 'why', I can say ... 'Why not? After all, I'm a Biopheliac'.

More on this condition...