The Handbook of Contemporary Animism Quotes

“Perhaps we will not only improve our understanding and analysis but we might also learn better ways to be human, better ways to live in the world. If we do not hope for something like that it seems to me that we ought not to be taking up so much of other people’s time with our questions and our stories (G. Harvey 2011b).”
― Graham Harvey, The Handbook of Contemporary Animism

“many adults continue to do animistic things even in cultures that do not vigorously encourage them to do so. Naming cars and swearing at recalcitrant computers are common examples of the personalizing of the world – even if, when pressed, people insist they do not really expect a positive response from inanimate machines”
― Graham Harvey, The Handbook of Contemporary Animism

“All humans, indeed all animals, have the propensity to respond to events as if they were intentional and personal. For some analysts this is animism. It seems likely that all humans are tempted to personalize even the artefacts with which they live: if they do not ask “fetishes” to guide them or amulets to protect them, they are likely to name their vehicles or weapons (from spears to atomic bombs).”
― Graham Harvey, The Handbook of Contemporary Animism