Is it simply a self fulfilling prophesy? As humans become more detached from nature they see themselves as separate from nature, the animal kingdom in particular. An inevitable outcome of the metropolis. In the same way wealth and power detaches, creating an impression of separateness.

And just as I'm writing this a spider has dropped 2 metres from the ceiling to directly in front of my face. Miraculous really, and a reminder that humans spend way too much time asking "who are we?" when I think "where are we?" would yield some richer answers.