In his book Discipline and Punish, published in 1975, Foucault describes the historic evolution of systems of power and coercion. These systems evolved from relying heavily on grotesque spectacles of torture to subtle surveillance tools used to gain intimate knowledge and control of every individual. According to Foucault, knowledge equals power, so the more information gathered about each individual, the easier it becomes to isolate, objectify, and control each individual. The pulverizing and dissecting power of knowledge molds its subjects into so many cogs in a vast extractive machine. …

Ever try to start a campfire? Dry kindling is essential. It’s the same for wildfires, and we’re literally turning our forests into massive stacks of dry kindling. In my experience it’s difficult to start a campfire WITH dry kindling, nearly impossible without it. Now consider this: Our forests have become a giant tinderbox that ignite with the smallest spark. Before European colonists arrived, Native Americans managed the forests, encouraging certain seeded plants to grow and deer populations…