Nurturing Threads in the Necrocene

NurturingThreadsintheNecrocene:APreliminaryExploration

Abstract

This paper explores the intricate relationship between militarization, environmental degradation, and the potential of mycelium biotechnology as a solution to ecological challenges. Tracing the historical roots of environmental violence to the Capitalocene, the paper highlights the role of Racial Capitalism in disproportionately affecting Black, Indigenous, and POC communities. It exposes the United States military as a major environmental hazard, detailing its significant ecological footprint and evasive tactics in acknowledging its environmental impact. The paper then delves into the concept of "Dark Ecology," urging a shift in focus beneath the surface of the Earth to understand the mechanisms that operate beyond ordinary consciousness. It draws parallels with Anna Tsing's exploration of life persisting amid capitalist disruptions, exemplified by the resilience of matsutake mushrooms in post-atomic bomb Hiroshima. A significant portion of the paper explores mycelium as nature's solution, emphasizing its role in mycoremediation, myco-architecture, and sustainable fashion. The military's interest in mycelium biotechnology, evident in investments and research initiatives, raises questions about its privatization and potential implications in the context of racial capitalism and environmental racism. The paper concludes by addressing the growing trend of nature-consciousness and the need for shared knowledge to collectively address the environmental catastrophe. It questions the purpose of withholding such knowledge and emphasizes the importance of harnessing solutions for the collective benefit of humanity, ensuring they do not perpetuate exploitative logics. The exploration of mycelium biotechnology in art and fashion emerges as a promising avenue for understanding Earth's responses to ecological challenges and offers insights into healing and adaptation. In the process of crafting this paper, I contemplated several questions, such as: How does the resilience of our bodies in the face of widespread contamination mirror potential resilience for the Earth? Considering that climate change is a reaction to exploitation, what are the nuanced and less acknowledged responses that involve adaptation and remediation? In addressing systemic challenges related to climate and social issues, how can nature-based solutions play a role?

Introduction

InourcomprehensionofEarthasaquantifiablesphere,aparadoxicalnarrativeunfolds. Withinthisnarrative,theexpandingknowledgeofinnerandouterplanetarysystemsis intricatelywovenwiththethreadsofexploitationanddegradation.Thepursuitofknowledge aboutdeepEarthsystemprocesses,particularlyduringtheColdWar,wasdeeplytiedwiththe military'squestforstrategicadvantages.Thespaceraceerawitnessedasignificantbreakthrough asthemilitary-industrialcomplexlaunchedartificialsatellites,markingapivotalmomentinthe pursuitofknowledgeconcerningEarthandthebroadersolarsystem.

Globalization,asGayatriSpivakreveals,ischaracterizedbytheimpositionofauniform systemthatpermeateseverycorneroftheworld.In1961,theUSMilitaryarticulatedthatthe operationalenvironmentfortheArmy,Navy,AirForce,andMarineCorpswould“spanthe entireglobeandextendfromthedepthsoftheoceantothefarreachesofinterplanetaryspace” (Fressoz,35).InSpivak'sperspective,theimpositionofthissingularsystemsignifiesabroader culturalandsocietalhomogenization.Asthispatternreproducesitselfacrosscontinents,it promptsacriticalexaminationofthestructuresoforganizedviolencethatsustainglobal hierarchiesofpowerandtheconsequencesontheintricatefabricofhumanandmultispecieslife.

Identifying the Anthropocene/ Capitalocene/ Necrocene

TheenvironmentalviolencethathasbeenperpetratedagainstnatureandprimarilyBlack, Indigenous,andPOCcommunitiestracesitsoriginstotheeraoftheCapitalocene.The Capitaloceneencapsulatesahistoricalepochmarkedbytherelentlesspursuitofcapitalandthe prioritizationofprofitattheexpenseofecologicalwell-being.ThebirthoftheCapitalocene unfoldsasastoryofexploitation,depletion,anddegradationinflicteduponthenaturaland humanworld.

ThetermRacialCapitalism,coinedbyCedricRobinson,definesandtracesthegeneral historyofmoderncapitalismandhow“internalcolonialism”1workstoorganizenature.This organizationofnatureisevidentinhighconcentrationsofpollutantsthataredisproportionately dispersedinandaffectBIPOCcommunities.RacialCapitalismisrootedindevaluing BIPOC/non-whitebodiesandseeksendlesscapitalandresources.Thisconceptalignswith environmentalracismandviolence,formingwhatFrançoiseVergèstermstheRacial Capitalocene.LauraPulidofurtherillustrateshow“Specifically,Capitalismfunctionsby restructuringnature.Andsincehumansarenature,wemustrecognizethatCapitalismis reproducingitselfbyrestructuringhumansonacellularlevel”(Pulido,2000).Pulido demonstrateshowindustriesexploitmarginalizedbodies,designatingthemas'sinks'forthe depositionofpollution.InthecontextofRacialCapitalism,thegeographicalplacementof"toxic sinks"isprimarilydeterminedbyraceintheUnitedStatesandglobally.Deliberatepoliciesatthe local,state,andfederallevelsresultinstrategicallylocatingthesefacilitiesinBIPOC communities.Consequently,individualsresidinginprecariousenvironmentsundergocell reconstructionwithpervasivetoxins,highlightinghowenvironmentalviolencedisproportionately affectsthemostintimatepartsofthehumanbody.

The Military's Role as a Primary Environmental Threat

Anunsettlingrealityemergeswhenweconsidertheimpactofglobalizationandmilitarization, asaformofexternalcolonialismonaglobalscale.Forone,TheUnitedStatesmilitaryisthe world’sprimaryenergyconsumer,generatinganunparalleledvolumeofhazardouswaste.If themilitarywereanation,itsenvironmentalfootprintwouldrankitat#47globally2 . Militarizationisthemostecologicallydestructivehumanendeavor,yetdespitethis

1Tuck,Eve&Yang,K (2012) DecolonizationIsNotaMetaphor Decolonization 1025058/20112742n3804 2Lewis,Jangira “USMilitaryPollution:TheWorld’sBiggestClimateChange

starkreality,researchontheUSMilitary’secologicalfootprintremainsvirtuallynon-existent. TheUSMilitaryisfullyawareofitssubstantialemissions,andhasalonghistoryofevasion, especiallywhenitcomestorevealingthisinformationinenvironmentallegislation.(Garrard, 183).Itconsistentlyemployselusivetacticstodeliberatelyobscureitsenvironmentalimpact, goingtogreatlengthstodoso.

AnironyarisesinthefactthattheUSDepartmentofDefensehasthemostadvanced knowledgeaboutearthsystemfunctionsaswellascriticalevidenceforclimatechange3 “The military,withitsbasesdisproportionatelysituatedoncoastlinesandislands,standsuniquely exposedtothefirsthandimpactsofglobalwarming.Thisexposurepositionsthemilitaryasan institutionuniquelyawareofclimatechange'seffects”(Ghosh,28).Giventhisinformation, delvingdeepintoquestionsofmilitarizationandweaponizationofEarthandouterspaceis crucial.

Industry Figures/ Data

NetaC.Crawford,apoliticalscientistatOxfordUniversity,conductsathoroughexamination oftheUnitedStatesDepartmentofDefense(DOD).Despitebeingattheforefrontofclimate changeresearchsincethemid-20thcentury,theDODisalsothebiggestinstitutional fossilfueluserintheworld.Crawfordindicateshowthemilitaryhasbeenresponsiblefornearly 80percentoffederalenergyconsumptionsince2001.Thisisprimarilyduetothefactthat“the DepartmentofDefensemaintainsover560,000buildingsonapproximately500bases worldwide,constitutingasignificantportionofitsemissions”(55).Additionally,themilitary reliesheavilyonavastnetworkoffossil-fueledships,trucks,planes,andothervehiclestocarry outitsoperations.Allthesefactorscombinetomakethemilitaryamajorcontributortoclimate

change,similarinfashiontoamultinationalcorporation(Crawford,56).“Thegreeningofthe 3 Earth Org,16Nov 2023,earthorg/us-military-pollution/

militaryisimportant,butlittleoftheanalysishasfocusedonthefactthattheU.S.militaryhas historicallybeenagreatdriveroffossilfueluseandcontinuestobethelargestemitterinthe federalgovernment.Infact,althoughtheU.S.militaryfundedsomeofthefirstscientific researchonglobalwarmingandwasanearlyadvocateofanticipatingandreactingtothethreats andchallengesposedbyclimatechange,thePentagonresistedincludingmilitaryemissions duringthenegotiationsthatledtothe1997KyotoProtocol”.Despiterecentresearch demonstratingthattheUSmilitaryisoneofthelargestpollutersinhistory,thisfactisoften ignoredoroverlookedinclimatechangestudies.

Embracing A True “Dark Ecology4”

Togettoatrue“darkecology”,ourgazemustshiftbeneaththesurface,directingour attentionunderground,tounderstandthe“mechanismsforsynchrony”thatexistbeyondour ordinaryconsciousness.AssuccinctlystatedintheDarkMountainProjectManifesto5,“Whatis calledforinthefaceofecologicaldisasterisnotnewtechnologybutanewplanetary consciousness”.Thiscallforanewplanetaryconsciousnessimpliesadeeperunderstandingof theEarth,transcendingrelianceontechnologicalsolutions.Theinvitationisextendedtoexplore subterraneanlandscapes,metaphoricallyandliterally.Bydoingso,weuncoverthatthekeysto navigatingtheecologicalchallengeswefacelieintheintricatedynamicsthatshapethedelicate balanceofourecosystems.Explorationsintotheprospectoflifepersistingamidtheremnantsof capitalismhavebeendelvedinto,notablyinAnnaTsing'sbook"TheMushroomattheEndof theWorld".Thisnarrativedrawsattentiontotheresilienceoflifeintheaftermathofcapitalist disruptions.

4Theterm“DarkEcology”foundinspirationinDr MarilynIvy'sclassatColumbiaUniversitytitled"Dark Ecologies:EcocriticalThoughtNow,"whichservedasthecatalystforthisresearchproject.5 “The Manifesto.” Dark Mountain,19Sept.2023,dark-mountain.net/about/manifesto/.

Anemblematicexampleisfoundintheaftermathofthe1945atomicbombdevastationin Hiroshima,wherethefirstlivingentitytoemergefromthedesolatelandscapewasreportedtobe amatsutakemushroom.Matsutakearethefruitingbodiesofanundergroundfungusassociated withcertainforesttrees.Thisfungusobtainsitscarbohydratesfrommutualisticrelationswiththe rootsofitshosttrees,makingitpossibleforhosttreestoliveinpoorsoils.Matsutakeservesasa powerfulsymbolofnature'sabilitytoendureandregenerateinthefaceofprofoundhuman-made disruptions,illustratingthepotentialforlifetopersistandthriveamidsttheruinsofcapitalist endeavors.

Mycelium: Nature’s Solution

(Source: www fungi com, www intelligentlabs org)

Mycelium—the“treeofthemushroom6”—isthevegetativepartoffungifoundsprawling

underneaththeforestfloor.Drawingcomparisonstointricatesystemsliketheinternet,the humanbrain,andthehighwaysystem,myceliumconsistsoftinythreadsthatformamycorrhizal network.Theword,mycorrhiza,comesfromtheGreek'mukès'(fungus)and'rhiza'(root)7 . Mycorrhizaisasymbiosisbetweenfungiandplantroots.Fungiandplantrootsbecome intimatelyentangledinmycorrhizalrelations8.Neitherthefungusnortheplantcanflourish

6Flores,Franchesca FRANCHESCAFLORES,wwwfranchescaflorescom/about 7“Mycorrhiza” Micropia, wwwmicropianl/en/discover/microbiology/mycorrhiza/#:~:text=The%20word%2C%20mycorrhiza%2C%20comes %20from,’rhiza’%20(root)

8Simard,Suzanne FindingtheMotherTree:UncoveringtheWisdomandIntelligenceof

withouttheactivityoftheother Thisnetworkconnectsindividualplants,facilitatingthetransfer ofwater,nitrogen,carbon,andotheressentialminerals9.Beyondbeingasimpleconduit, myceliumexhibitsremarkableintelligenceandadaptability.Fungiestablishconnectionswith multipletreesofdifferentspecies10.Whenatreeintheforestisdeprivedoflightand, consequently,food,itsmycorrhizalpartnersstepin,providingthetreewithcarbohydrates sourcedfromothertreesinthenetwork(Kimmermer,62).Thisintricatewebofconnections formsan"infrastructureofinterspeciesconnection,"transmittingvitalinformationacrossthe entireforest.Thesechannelsofmycorrhizalinterconnection“allowsoilmicrobestotraveland contributetotheforest'secologicaldynamics”(62).

Therelationshipbetweenfungiandplantrootshelpsusunderstandthewaysinwhich plantspossesssophisticatedwaysofexchanginginformation,addingtothegrowingscientific acknowledgmentofmultispecieslanguage.Theperspectivesuggeststhatplantsengageinaform ofcommunicationthatrevealsadeeperlayerofcomplexityinthenaturalworldthathaslong beenoverlooked.

Thismycorrhizalsymbiosis,Kimmermerbeautifullyillustrates,empowersforeststorespond

effectivelytothreats.Thisinterconnectedandintelligentsystemnotonlyensuresthemutual well-beingofplantsbutalsoservesasameansfortheentireecosystemtoadaptandthrivein thefaceofenvironmentalchallenges.Fungalnetworksactasnaturaldistributors,“akintoa botanicalRobinHood”.Inessence,theytakefromtherich,intheformofcarbohydrates,and sharewiththelessfortunate,ensuringthatalltreesachieveasimultaneouscarbonsurplus.

theForest PenguinBooks,2022

9“UndergroundNetworking:TheAmazingConnectionsbeneathYourFeet.” National Forest Foundation, wwwnationalforestsorg/blog/underground-mycorrhizal-network#:~:text=Taken%20together%2C%20myecelium%2 0composes%20what’s,mycelium%20that%20trees%20%E2%80%9Ccommunicate.%E2%80%9D. 10 Simard, Suzanne.FindingtheMotherTree:UncoveringtheWisdomandIntelligenceoftheForest.PenguinBooks,2022

Thiswebofreciprocity,unifiesthetreesasonecollectiveentity,connectedbythefungi.

“Throughunity,survival,andflourishingbecomemutual”(34).

(Source: Mycological Society of Marin https://www mycomarin org/ )

Thenaturalinterconnectednessbetweenmycorrhizaeandtreerootsreflectsa nature-basedsolutionwithintheecosystemtoadaptandthrive.Oneoffungi’sremarkable

The fruiting body of Lion’s Mane in the forest.

adaptations,demonstrateanextraordinaryabilityformycoremediation-theabilitytoabsorb heavymetals,includingtoxicnuclearwaste,storingthemwithintheirbodiesinhigher concentrations11.Mycoremediationusesmicroorganismstobreakdowncontaminantsbyusing themasanenergysource12.Inotherwords,mushroomsdirectlyconverttoxicityintoenergyfor life.

11Kapahi,Meena,andSaritaSachdeva “BioremediationOptionsforHeavyMetalPollution”JournalofHealth &Pollution,US NationalLibraryofMedicine,27Nov 2019, wwwncbinlmnihgov/pmc/articles/PMC6905138/ 12AkhtarN,MannanMA Mycoremediation:Expungingenvironmentalpollutants BiotechnolRep (Amst) 2020Apr9;26:e00452 doi:101016/jbtre2020e00452 PMID:32617263;PMCID: PMC7322808.

Thiscapabilitycontributestotheresilienceandbalanceofthenaturalworld,showcasing nature'sabilitytofindsolutionsandadapt,eveninthefaceofchallengingenvironmental

(Source: Mycoremediation of Radioactive Waste, Dr. Pammi Gauba)

conditions.Themyceliummirrorshowinvulnerabletimes,communitiesunite,relyonone another,andprovidemutualsupport.Tappingintotheintelligenceofotherspeciesthatarealso constantlyevolvingsuchasmyceliumengagesanewwayofunderstandingandbeing. Comprehensionofmyceliumhasonlybeguntoscratchthesurface,with90%offungiremaining unknown13,leavingasignificantamountthatisyettobefullyexplored.

13 Cheek,Martin&NicLughadha (2020) Newscientificdiscoveries:Plantsandfungi PlantsPeoplePlanet 2 371-388 101002/ppp310148

Myceliumhasuniquecharacteristicssimilartosyntheticpolymersthatmakeitanexcellent

“Lion’s Mane” mycelium grown in lab conditions in a petri dish and on wood substrates (Source: Harmonic Mycology: Lion's Mane- Mushroom and Mycelium)

alternativetosynthetictextilesandtraditionalbuildingmaterials14.Infact,themost“ancient andabundant,naturalpolymersresideinmulticellularfilamentousfungi,whichform elongated,tube-likecellslinkedend-to-end,creatingintricate,highlybranchednetworks” (Fischer,2019).Thesequalitiesenablefungitothriveoncarbon-basedbyproductstypically

14Jones,Mitchel,etal Engineeredmyceliumcompositeconstructionmaterialsfromfungalbiorefineries:Acritical review,Materials&Design,Volume187,2020,108397,ISSN0264-1275, https://doiorg/101016/jmatdes2019108397

discardedaswaste-suchashusks,sawdust,woodchip,andcoffeegrounds15 Unlikeartificial polymersthat“perpetuatedependenceonfossilfuelsandpersistforcenturiesas non-biodegradablewaste”,fungiflourishonagriculturalleftoversandareentirelybiodegradable. Inaddition,Myceliumhastheabilitytoabsorbandsequestercarbonfromtheenvironmentby drawingincarboncompoundsasitgrowsandspreadsthroughitssurroundings(Al-Qahtani, 2023).

Ethno-Mycological Archives

Inmyattempttogatheramycologicalarchivebyinvestigatingthehistoricalapplications ofmyceliumtextiles,IstumbleduponextensiveinitiativesundertakenlargelyinpartbytheUS military.TheUSmilitary,an$877billionfundedagency,findsmyceliumextremelyattractive andviable.Infact,theDefenseAdvancedResearchProjectsAgency(DARPA)LivingMaterial ProgramawardedEcovative,abiomaterialscompany,with$9.1milliontoenablemilitaryunits togrowbuildingmaterialswhichinclude:shelters,barriers,furniture,insulationforbuildings, packaging,andprotectivegearforsoldiers.Thisinvestmentdemonstratesthelegitimacyofusing myceliumininnovativeproductcreation.Sofar,ithasbeenfoundthatmyceliuminsulation outperformsalmosteverythingonthemarket16.Additionally,in2019,NASArevealedhow

myceliumcouldbeutilizedtogrowmaterialstocreatelunarbuildings.

Themilitaryrecognizesthepotentialofmyceliuminitsversatilitytoeasilycreatematerialsand intheprocessofbreakingdowntoxicwastethroughbioremediation.Mycelium’sattributes renderitvaluabletotheextentthatthemilitaryhasinvestedmillionsofdollarsintoitsresearch anddevelopmentfornearly20years.Engagementwithmyceliumbiotechnology

15Yang,Libin,etal.“MaterialFunctionofMycelium-BasedBio-Composite:AReview.”Frontiers, Frontiers,24Aug.2021,www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2021.737377/full.16“Mushrooms andOrangePeel:CouldBiotechCleanuptheBuildingIndustry?”TheGuardian,GuardianNewsandMedia,11 Jan.2020, wwwtheguardiancom/environment/2020/jan/11/could-mushrooms-and-orange-peel-detoxify-the-building-industry

throughtheprivatecompany,Ecovative,since2007promptsquestions,particularlygiventhe environmentalimpactofthetextile/constructionindustryandthepressingurgencyofaddressing climatechange.

Mycelium Modules used for Myco-Architecture (Source: Bracco, Angela Rose Biological Re:Evolution the Resilient Science of Mycelium Design)

Onemayquestionwhythesestrategieshaven'tbeenmorewidelyusedormadeavailabletothe public,especiallyconsideringthatthefashionandtextileindustrycontributestothehighest ratesofwasteintheworld,alongsidemilitaryemissions.TheUnitedStateshasplayeda significantroleinexpellingunwantedclothingitemsthatendupastoxicwasteintheglobal South.Internationally,thefashionindustrystandsasthethirdmostenvironmentallydamaging sector17.StatisticsfromEarth.orgindicatehowoutofthe100billiongarmentsmanufactured annually,92milliontonsfindtheirwayintolandfills.Thisequatestoagarbagetruckfilledwith

17Andreadakis,Stelios,andPrinceOwusu-Wiredu ‘FashionFootprint:HowClothesAreDestroyingOurPlanetand theGrowingImpactsofFastFashion’.GlobalWarming-AConcerningComponentofClimateChange, IntechOpen,13July2023.Crossref,doi:10.5772/intechopen.1002000.

clothingendingupinlandfillseverysecond18.Withwastebeingoneofthebiggestissuesthat comeswithurbanization,itiscrucialthatthechallengeofincorporatingbiodegradablematerials isaddressed,assustaininglifeonEarthisimpossiblewithoutit.Theprivatizationofmycological materialsisthereforeacriticalinvestigation,consideringthedireneedforbiodegradable materialsinoureverydaysociety.Thecommodificationandprivatizationofmycelium biotechnologybythemilitarypromptsconsiderationasaprimeexampleofracialcapitalismand environmentalracism.

To understand howtheUSmilitarycancontributetoenvironmentaldestructionasthe world’s biggest climate changeenabler,holdadvancedknowledgeaboutclimatechange, and simultaneously leverage biotechnology for itsownobjectives,itisimperativetoexaminethe complexinterplaybetweenracialcapitalismandenvironmentalracism.Thesestructural frameworksareembeddedinthestate,andtheirpresenceunderscorestheurgencyof acknowledgingtheNecrocene.TheconceptoftheNecrocene,asalandscapeofdeath,perfectly encapsulatestheconditionsthathavebeencreatedasaresultofcapitalism.Thisnarrative

extendsintothecontinuationofUSimperialismandsettlercolonialprojects,reflectingprofound violenceinthedisruptionofIndigenousrelationshipstoland.Recognizingtheseinterconnected layersisessentialforunravelingthecomplexitiessurroundingthemilitary'sactionsandtheir implicationsoncommunities,resources,andtheenvironment.Insteadoffostering eco-consciousnessfortheplanet'ssake,thefocusisonsafeguardingmilitaryinstitutionsand theirpersonnelfromtheenvironmentaldegradationthey'vecontributedto.Themilitary'savid pursuitofthistechnologyispropelledbytheneedfor"self-relianceandresilience."However,it becomesimperativetoposeacriticalquestion:self-relianceandresilienceforwhomandagainst

what?Unpackingthelayersofthismotivationunveilsanuancedexplorationintotheunderlying goalsandpotentialimplicationsofthemilitary'stechnologicalpursuits.

Astromycology: Exploring Fungi Beyond Earth's Atmosphere

(ProposedMycotectureBuildings.Source: https://newatlas.com/)

Thescientificcommunityiswellawareofthemanifoldapplicationsofmycelium, particularlyintherealmofmycologicalarchitecture,alsoknownas“mycotecture”.Atthe forefrontofthisendeavoristhemyco-architectureprojectinitiatedbyNASA'sAmesResearch CenterinCalifornia'sSiliconValley In2019,NASApublishedagroundbreakingreport,which shedlightonthepossibilityofcultivatingmyceliumondiversesubstratestocreateliving structuresonthesurfaceofthemoon.

MYCELIUM AS A MEDIUM: Unraveling Nature's Solutions on the Body's Canvas

(Aniela Hoitink, Mycelium Dress)

DutchdesignerAnielaHoitinkdemonstrateshowbothnaturalmaterialsandthenatural environmentcanbeutilizedtoshowcaseuniqueandsustainablefashionpieces.HerMycelium Dress,craftedfrommushroomroot,possessesantimicrobialproperties,offeringagentler alternativetotheskincomparedtosynthetictextiles.Theoutcomeisabiodegradablematerial thatcanbeeasilycomposted.AmeliaHoitinkshowcasestheaestheticpossibilitiesfor convergingtheinherentnatureandintricatepatternsofmyceliumasinspiration.

Conclusion

Inmyforthcomingresearch,Iaimtodelveintotheimplicationsofbioremedialinnovationson ourbodies,skin,andtheoverallhealthoftheEarth.Despitedeliberateeffortstoobscureand limitaccesstoknowledge,thereisanoticeableandgrowingtrendofnature-consciousness emergingwithinvariousrealms.Aslongasthisknowledgeisnotabusedorreproduceslogics ofexploitation,solutionscapableofmitigatingtheexistingenvironmental

(Aniela Hoitink, Mycelium Dress)

catastrophemaynotbeaschallengingtoattainastheymightinitiallyappear.Thereisawealth ofknowledgehumanscangainbylearningfromotherspeciesthatareconstantlydeveloping, adapting,andevolvingalongsideus.WhileNASAandtheDODhavespearheadedremarkable research,thequestionarises:ifthisknowledgeisnotsharedandharnessedforthecollective benefitofhumanity,whatpurposedoesittrulyserve,andforwhom?

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