Mushroom Mutualism & Community Care During Crises

By Sophia Reynolds, Yeshaia Van Leeuwen, Matt Jones, & Natalie Sacker

Most quarters, a group of students at WWU gathers to discuss a recent book or set of podcasts about environmental justice. This post reflects our discussion of Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing’s The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins in Winter 2021. 

In one section of The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins, author Anna Tsing explains how fungi are the gateway to understanding all species and individuals as interdependent. The matsutake mushrooms examined in the book “come into being only through interspecies relations” (138). Specifically, matsutake and other species of mycorrhizal fungi require a “plant collaborator” to survive, and in many cases, that relationship is mutualistic, benefiting both parties (139).

For many years, scientists viewed the survival of species as being independent and siloed, with mutualistic relationships being an occasional outlier—an ideology known as the “modern synthesis,” which has guided our common understanding of evolution and biology. However, recent findings suggest that species interdependence extends far beyond just fungi; nearly all species rely on others to survive. Humans are no exception, as 90% of the cells in our bodies are actually bacteria (142). 

Let’s compare this to the way we see interdependence culturally. The American ideals of rugged individualism and independence may no longer look like cowboys and land-grabs on the frontier, but they’re still very much present in our society. Today, they look like inaction on climate change and a refusal to wear masks around others. They look like building new fossil fuel infrastructure while feeling the effects of climate change and hosting parties in a pandemic that’s claimed over 400,000 American lives. Climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic are alike, in that they are global issues that cannot be solved by individualism. They require collective behaviors like wearing masks, social distancing, and getting vaccinated. They require countries sticking to their emissions reduction targets even when other nations lag behind. These behaviors protect us, by protecting everyone. In order to face these massive collective crises, we must step away from individualism, and look towards the lessons of interdependence and mutualism that mushrooms can teach us. Caring for our communities is the best way to ensure our own survival.   

Here are some ways to connect with & support each other during a global pandemic:  

• Have regular calls with your friends/family. Especially if you live alone, socially distancing can get lonely quick. Having scheduled weekly or daily check-ins with the people in your life can help ease that feeling of isolation and will surely help you stay connected to the people you care about.  
• Have a virtual movie night. Social distancing doesn’t have to put a stop to enjoying a movie with your friends. Services like Watch2Gether allow a group to watch the same video simultaneously while all from the comfort and safety of their own homes. You could also cook the same meal together, discuss a book, or simply hang out. Just being in each other’s virtual presence can be enough to ease the anxieties that isolation during a pandemic can cause.  
• Support your community members in need. The pandemic has been difficult for us all, though it has disproportionately affected some more than others. If you are capable of doing so, contributing to local mutual aid groups and funds around you will help to ensure that everyone has their needs met. Volunteering or donating to a food pantry is a great way to combat food insecurity in your community.  
• Limit the exposure of at-risk neighbors. If you’re able to, help your more vulnerable neighbors by dropping off groceries, making sure they have masks and sanitizer, and assisting in making vaccination appointments online.  
• Engage in online events with friends. Many events are being held virtually for free, that give us the chance to learn and stay engaged with our wider community. Attending from the comfort of our homes gives us the chance to get back into issues we care about and look to a better future. Inviting your friends to attend with you gives you a reason to reconnect and check-in with them.   

References: 

Tsing, Anna. (2015). The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins. Princeton: Princeton University Press.