Challenging the logic that animals exist for human use by celebrating their intrinsic worth and our capacity to find joy in non-extractive relationship.
The Hodja appears foolish because he acts without calculating utility or efficiency—he gives away money, takes impossible journeys, speaks uncomfortable truths. This joyful rebellion against the logic of use extends to our relationship with animals. Industrial agriculture, medical testing, and resource extraction all rest on the premise that animals are inputs to human benefit. The Hodja's way suggests a different possibility: joy found in witnessing a bird sing not because it serves us, in protecting a creature not because it's useful, in respecting wildness precisely because it resists our control. This isn't sentimentality but a different economics—one where the unmeasurable becomes valuable, where being alive together matters more than what we can extract. This framework liberates both humans and animals from the tyranny of utility.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
Explore related journeys or tell Peri what you're working through.