Other Ways of Seeing the World: Wade Davis

“The social world in which we live does not exist in some absolute sense, but rather is simply one model of reality, the consequences of one set of intellectual and spiritual choices that our particular cultural lineage made…. But whether we travel with the nomadic Penan in the forests of Borneo…. Or a yak herder on the slopes of Chomolungma, all these people teach us that there are other options, other possibilities, other ways of thinking and interacting with the earth” - Wade Davis, The Wayfinders  : Canadian Anthropologist, Writer and Photographer

An excerpt from Wade Davis’ book that has stayed with me for years since I first read it, and that has slowly evolved my own thinking as I reflected on the words more. It’s often quoted and understandably so. The words are simple, poetic, almost obvious: our lives, our world, they are just one model of reality. There are countless others- better, worse, or simply different ways we can be and different ways we can see. That realisation can feel liberating sometimes, because it reminds me that the way we perceive the world and the projections of others is not the only way we have to be. We can choose a different model of life. 

The excerpt makes me reflect on how our upbringings and experiences shapes our connection with the world massively. For some it brings a deep bond with the earth, for others that very same thing is nothing more than something to be consumed. Through reading his work it challenges us to reconsider our own reality and step into someone else’s.

What I also love about Wade Davis’ books is the transportation they offer. His words are both poetic and vivid, carrying you into other lives, landscapes and traditions you might never otherwise encounter or know, and that’s one of the great things about books in general; the way we can learn through them. What was interesting to note from his work is the profound wisdom and knowledge that comes from these people in alterative models of reality - the very people that those in more “developed” countries consider “primitive”. It reminds me of truths we overlook so much in “developed” nations, that reaching higher doesn’t mean reaching deeper to the fundamental truths of our existence.

But it’s not just his writing to be valued; it’s his photography too, which feels just as important to reflect on. I think we need to consciously look at real people, especially in a world dominated by curated perfected people and an anti aging obsession.

We pass people every day, we see real people all the time, yet how often do we really see them beyond a glance and think about what / who we are looking at? In his collection Photographs, it’s an opportunity to really reflect on these captures of raw beauty. Every line, crease, scar and expression adding depth, life and character. These are the kinds of images that remind us that what society now calls “flaws” are in fact signs of individuality and life. These are the kind of images that kids, from a young age, should be exposed to. They are things to be celebrated, a visual sign of a life lived and our heritage and not something to erase in pursuit of becoming bland cookie cutter humans.  

Both his writing and his photography ultimately encourage me to rethink the world, ourselves and our lives and I encourage anyone reading to do the same.