Over the last few decades, western society has continued to dig itself into a whole that is getting progressively harder to get out of. Every day we continue to deplete the earth's resources significantly faster than they can be replenished. The practices and social norms of Western culture have led many to abuse and disregard nature and treat its contents as infinitely abundant and at our disposal. In turn, these cultures no longer have a reciprocal relationship with the earth, and have essentially become completely disconnected from the sensorial and intimate aspects of nature. But what is to blame for this? How could such a large collective of people consciously contribute to the desecration of their own planet and seemingly feel no guilt? More importantly, how can we change our cultures collective attitudes and norms to potentially improve our overall relationship with the earth and its inhabitants? In The Spell of the Sensuous, David Abram suggests the answers to many of these questions can be found by observing the relationship that many undeveloped tribal cultures have with nature, and through the explanation of the origin of these issues he offers insights on how we can utilize these other perspectives to achieve a more sustainable relationship with nature and still maintain our own way of life. In order to fully understand these problems and potentially solve them, one must first understand the underlying causes of the disconnect between nature and western society.
One of the more important and frequently referenced topics in Spell of the Sensuous, observing and acknowledging the impact culture has on our perceptions, opinions, feelings, and in general every aspect of life. It is crucial for one to understand that every culture has their own set of norms and dogmas. Some of these are so deeply embedded within society that it is easy for somebody who has minimal outwardly cultural experience to have preconceived notions about different subjects.