Kimmerer describes the natural world — including the Serviceberry — as a "gift." How does this framing challenge conventional Western ideas about ownership and resources?

Kimmerer’s framing of the natural world, including the Serviceberry, as a “gift” challenges conventional Western ideas about ownership by emphasizing reciprocity rather than possession. In Western economic systems, resources are often viewed as commodities to be owned, exploited, and traded for profit. However, Kimmerer’s perspective aligns with Indigenous worldviews, where nature is seen as something to be respected, shared, and cared for in a mutually beneficial relationship. Viewing the Serviceberry as a gift shifts the focus from control and extraction to gratitude and stewardship, encouraging a mindset of sustainability and interdependence rather than domination.

Kimmerer mentions that Indigenous cultures, including her Potawatomi heritage, promote a culture of gratitude as a way of organizing life. How does this approach to gratitude differ from how gratitude is typically viewed in mainstream Western culture?