A Psalm for the Wild-Built

Panga, the world depicted in A Psalm for the Wild-Built, functions as a utopian society. It is a lens through which Chambers can offer a comparative critique of humanity’s choices and Earth’s fate. Panga is a place of sustainable living, enshrined nondiscrimination, freedom of choice irrespective of material wealth, and globally respected systems for protecting mental health and well-being. Chambers urges her readers to see the clear contrast between fictional Panga and real-life Earth, highlighting problems in modern society’s ways of being and thinking.

There is an unprecedented event of robot Awakening on Panga, whereby the population of robots which were manufactured for factory work abruptly became self-aware. This occurred hundreds of years before the story’s action. Robots went from being inanimate objects to possessing a consciousness similar to human consciousness. A holistic reassessment of the Pangan way of life, called the Transition, took place. The now self-aware robots, who were allowed to choose their own destiny, left urbanized spaces. With the withdrawal of inanimate, mechanized labor, humans lost their means of mass production, and became wary of the ethical consequences of creating and using anything robotic or mechanical. This brought a close to mass industrialization, and forced the human population on Panga to reassess the destiny of their species.

Humans also realized how mass urbanization and industrialization destroyed much of Panga’s wild spaces, and vowed to make positive changes. Society underwent a massive and intentional shift toward sustainable structures and ways of living. Protection of wild spaces is enshrined into Pangan life post-Transition; structures are built from recycled products, exclusively clean energy sources are utilized, roads and paths through natural spaces are only created when absolutely necessary, and humans do not stray from these paths unless absolutely required.

Chambers creates an intentional parallel between Earth and pre-Transition Panga. On Earth, humans have occupied and destroyed vast swathes of the planet’s natural habitats in a process of mass industrialization and urbanization, reflecting an entitlement to destroy and create that closely reflects pre-Transition Panga. Furthermore, pre-Transition Panga structures, such as the old factory which Dex and Mosscap explore, is intentionally similar to an industrial factory of modern-day Earth. Chambers urges readers to reimagine a world where we live in harmony with nature, rather than seeking to needlessly expand and therefore destroy.

Pangan citizens, even those in monastic orders, are not subjected to normalized monogamy, heteronormativity, or binary gender identities. It is a non-judgmental place of acceptance. Dex, the story’s protagonist, is a nonbinary priest who engages in numerous short-lived and mutually beneficial sexual affairs. Their nonbinary identity attracts no confusion or hostility, and their religion does not insist on any rules around purity or monogamy, as many Earthen religions, such as Christianity or Islam, do. Dex is respected for their identity, and taken seriously as a monastic professional. Chambers’s characterization of Dex invites readers to confront the fact that on Earth, a nonbinary, sexually active monk would likely not be wholly accepted as a respected member of any monastic order, and would likely experience discrimination in many modern workplaces and social groups; this positions readers to condemn the judgmental aspects of our modern society, which discriminates based on gender and sexuality.

Panga is characterized as a deeply religious society. It pays homage to a pantheon of gods which includes Parent Gods: Bosh, God of the Cycle (represented by a sphere); Grylom, God of the Inanimate (represented by a pyramid); and Trikilli, God of the Threads (chemistry and physics) (represented by a thin vertical bar). There is a further group of lesser gods, called the Child Gods: Samafar (a sun jay, the God of Learning); Chal (a sugar bee, the God of Hard Labour); and Allalae (a summer bear, the God of Small Comforts). Dex’s title, Sibling Dex, refers to the fact that they are a religious figure.

When Dex, a monk of Allalae, changes vocations, others support and accept their choice. Dex is provided with an intricately made and thoughtfully designed wagon through which to practice as a tea monk. The state-supplied wagon illustrates that Pangan society is collectivist, rather than capitalist. Chambers prompts readers to consider that Dex is not limited by access to material resources, but instead is supported in performing their desired vocation. This highlights flaws in our capitalist society, which limits choices for those without material means to make desired changes.

Dex’s state-supported role as a tea monk also depicts a world where rest and well-being are prioritized. Ms. Jules, the water engineer of the village of Inkthorn, is encouraged to rest and recuperate at Dex’s tea wagon in the midst of a busy and stressful day. Dex reminds her that no one would judge her presence at the tea wagon if she needs to stay for a second cup of tea and talk more. This illustrates how Pangan citizens recognize and respect the need for taking a calm and reflective moment for themselves. This can be contrasted with our own demanding, consumerist, hyper-connected world, where productivity and accumulation of wealth are often prioritized above wellbeing. This has led to a crisis of mental health in many of the world’s developed nations.