A tree offers an uncontrived response

A strong westerly is blowing and there’s a ‘yellow warning’ of high winds. The still-bare trees outside my window are bobbing and weaving like a lad in a pub, hands over-full of a large round of drinks, somehow making his way back to his mates through a throng of wildly gesticulating half-time big-screen football fans. Will he stay upright? We shall see. The deep green clad evergreens further back are full-on dancing and it’s more 90s Acid House than graceful Calypso. When the wind stops for a moment, so do they. As soon as it resumes, they move again. There’s no gap, no ‘shall I or shan’t I?’ I would never say that trees have no intelligence1, but they are not encumbered / blessed by individual minds. Only a mind can say, ‘Something is happening, but I think I will not respond…’

Well, something is certainly happening. I shall respond, but how?

Uncivil Savant is available to all with no financial barrier to access thanks to the generosity of paid subscribers.

Read the whole piece, with full transcript, footnotes, photos, links and more, here on Substack, first published March 12th 2026.

Get full access to Uncivil Savant at carolineross.substack.com/subscribe